We often try to train dogs based on common knowledge or using methods that worked with our kids. Yet we regularly end up calling in the pros to try to train the dogs after we’ve tried and failed. The better decision is to learn what works and doesn’t work in advance. Here are four common mistakes people make when training their dog.
Waiting Too Long
While one dog year isn’t seven human years, the fact is that dogs do mature much earlier than humans. You shouldn’t wait until your dog is a year or two old to start training them. You should start training the dog to respond to basic commands when you’ve started house-breaking them. It is wise to start crate training when the dog is the same age, as well.
Not Training Enough
If you haven’t practiced a trick or activity for a long time, you’ll find yourself making mistakes, and if you don’t follow the same behavioral patterns, you’ll slip. Your dog’s brain is the same way. If you crate train a puppy, you should have the dog regularly spend time in the crate, even if they don’t go anywhere, so they don’t lose the tolerance for the enclosed space. If your dog has been sick, you should clean up the mess but have the pet resume pooping outside when better. You also need to “proof” behaviors; practicing the behaviors you want in a variety of environments so the dog stays with it.
Incorrect and Excessive Discipline
Rewards are better for getting the desired behaviors than punishment. There are times you need to use punishments, such as spritzing a dog with water so that it stops chewing on something. Tapping a dog on the nose for nipping your child may also be necessary.
Another mistake people make is that harsh discipline just doesn’t work. If you lecture your dog, it learns to tune you out because it doesn’t understand what you’re saying. If you yell at a puppy for pooping on the floor, it only understands that you’re upset. If you send the dog to its crate as punishment, you undermine the value of your prior crate training to make the crate seem like a safe retreat. If you find yourself struggling, you can find advice on how to handle difficult situations on a site like ourpetspot.com.
Not Proofing
Training a dog to walk at the same pace on a leash in a dog training class needs to be practiced and positively reinforced when you go on walks outside. If you reward the dog for going to its crate in advance of a trip to a park or vacation destination, you need to do the same for going to the vet. You must practice “stay” in an environment where there are distractions like moving cars, so the command has the intended result, not just in your backyard.
Conclusion
Certain mistakes can completely disrupt the training process and make things more difficult than they should be. Try to refrain from committing any of the mistakes outlined in this article if you want training to go as smooth as possible.
