Training Your Dog : Raising A Best Friend For Life

It is important to train your dog once you’ve brought it into your life. However, many dog owners incorrectly believe that having a dog should be an easy ticket for love and companionship. Nothing is ever that perfect. When you first get your pup, you will watch it go through a variety of activities you consider “bad” or “wrong.”
Your pet might soil your floor. It might jump on couches after coming in from the rain. It might bite your friend’s hand when he/she goes to pet it. Your dog might do all of these things and more. But before you throw your hands up in defeat and let your new pet become your new worst domestic nightmare, consider training your pup to adhere to your rules your way. Here are a few pointers to help you get started :
A DOG IS A DOG
You are not working with a toddler, people. When you purchase a dog and want it to follow your rules, you have to remember you are training another species of animal with different instincts than the ones we have. If you want to discipline a dog you have to treat a dog like a dog. And since their ancestors are wolves, dogs think in pack-mentality – when a dog comes into your home, it sees all those within it as part of its clan, and every clan needs a leader. So make sure your dog knows you call the shots. Don’t back down or “feel bad”. Though it might feel like you are breaking your puppy’s heart, you are actually keeping it from taking control of your home. It is your job to make it clear that you are the “alpha dog.”
START EARLY, BE CONSISTENT
The more you coddle a young pup when you first get it, the more likely it’ll walk all over you when it is older. With that said, develop rules and terms of obedience early. Fence off rooms you don’t want dogs to go in and reprimand it when it tries to get past those boundaries. If you don’t want your dog on furniture, make it clear, and don’t give any leeway. If you want your dog to follow a rule, you can never let it get away with breaking it. This is where consistency comes into play. By being consistent, you make it perfectly clear to your dog that there are certain rules it will never be allowed to break.
RESEARCH YOUR BREED
Like different people have different personalities, different dogs are more likely to act different ways. Make sure you are certain that a prospective pet’s personality will go well with yours. Don’t pick a dog with an aggressive personality if you don’t want to be butting heads all the time, and don’t pick a servile dog if you want him to protect your home.
Don’t let this article overwhelm you – having a pet is a great experience and a lot of fun. Training a dog can be hard work, but by following these guidelines you can be sure to have a best friend for life.
By: Tom Simmons
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