Probably any dog owner can tell you that training your dog isn’t always as easy as it seems it should be. Most owners assume that after a few days or sessions of rehearsing commands and actions then the dog should just pick up on basic skills and that should be it.
And you may be in for a big shock when you discover that training can often take much longer than you expect it to. Much of the reason for this is often because of mistakes which the owner, not the dog, makes.
For a start, please do not get annoyed with your dog just because they do not get something right. Instead, look for the times when they do get it right, whatever it is, and then really go overboard with the praise, and rewards.
And remember that dogs love to get the attention and approval of their owners, and will do almost anything to get it, so when they do something right them praise them, and praise them, and they will soon make getting that thing right the norm.
And another common mistake that a lot of owners make is in thinking that your dog understands English. They don’t, all they can do is to associate a few words with certain actions.
If they make a mess for instance in your house while you are out, its no good yelling at them when you come in, they will not connect the two things. Just show some tender loving care, and a big spoonful of patience.
And you will get there in the end. You need patience, followed by an extra helping of more patience, but you will get there. Do not let yourself get upset, and do not punish your dog.
The last mistake that I want to talk about is the one of having too high an expectation for your training. If your dog does not progress as rapidly as you hoped, then its no good getting mad about it, just accept it, and perhaps consider the possibility of some professional training.
And there is no need to feel embarrassed by asking for professional help, it just shows that you are a caring dog owner and that you want the very best for your dog.
