Training Your Dog to Be Obedient: A Step-by-Step Guide

Training Your Dog to Be Obedient: A Step-by-Step Guide

I think it's great fun to parade your dog around in front of your friends and family. An obedient and content lab dog is like a well-behaved and content child. Have you ever been in a grocery store and heard a baby wailing while the parent hid their face in embarrassment? I know that when something like that happens to me, my immediate instinct is to leave the area as quickly as possible. 

I know what it's like to go out in public with a disobedient dog and can empathize with the anxious owner.

I think there's a lot of truth to the old adage, "A happy dog is an obedient dog," because of how straightforward it is. It's safe to assume that no one in your family will ever be furious or abusive towards your pet if you have a well-behaved dog that gets along well with the rest of the members. But if your dog isn't well-behaved and doesn't get along with the rest of the household, it's safe to assume that everyone in the household will have a tough time adjusting and that the situation will only get worse with time.

It is wise to familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of dog training before attempting to instruct your pet. Every dog is different, just like every person is different, and a skilled trainer will take the time to get to know their charge before deciding how to go about teaching them the basics of obedience. In addition, you can use the wealth of information available online to learn more about the science and practice of training. When looking for guidance or even just to read about how others have dealt with similar situations, you should consult books, articles, Obedience Instructors, and the internet.

In this article, I will go through the ten most important things for you to remember when training your dog. I didn't put any particular importance on any of them because they're all useful in improving your relationship with your canine companion.

Be aware of what you're doing. Do your homework before beginning any kind of training! When owners try to do everything alone, they inevitably become frustrated and take their anger out on the family pet. Knowing the theory behind the various training methods will help you immensely.

Regularity V Maintaining uniformity of approach in all interactions with your dog is crucial. Try to maintain consistency in how you interact with your dog during training sessions. If you decide to switch tactics in the middle of a training session, for instance, you'll simply serve to further perplex the dog. Dedicate at least two hours per day to training and stick to your schedule. Investing in training pays off in the long run, so schedule as many sessions as possible.

Shorter sessions are better. Dogs have limited attention spans even in the best of circumstances, so sessions should be kept to a minimum. Keep sessions brief without skimping on information. It took more than a day to build Rome.

Training should be enjoyable at all times. Just like people, dogs like having a good time. You and your pet can have a great time while training! To make your dog feel like the best dog in the world (even if he isn't), you should be upbeat, reward excellent behavior, and lavish praise on him.

Pets shouldn't be punished for incompetence. People have offended me by treating their dog as though it were fluent in English and then punishing the animal when it didn't respond as expected. This bothers me because it suggests the owner would rather use force to get their dog to do what they want than put in the effort to find, develop, and implement a strategy for teaching the dog to respond appropriately to specific words or phrases. This is not a Hungry Kowaisa! Did I make myself clear? You would if you did some reading up on Korean.

Training Tip: Play to your dog's strengths. Given that every dog has its own distinct character, it's important to zero in on our pets' individual traits and capitalize on them throughout training. Use that energy to your advantage if your pet is really active. Be an active participant in your own training! Your dog will respond best to training if you share your excitement about the process.

Consider your dog's temperament, especially if he or she is shy and quiet, during training. Keep up the optimistic demeanor; your dog will respond positively to it. Just bear in mind that your dog's naturally reserved nature may make it take longer for him or her to show comprehension. Making a timid, laid-back dog feel fantastic throughout training sessions will increase the likelihood of continued success.

Include workouts in your regular schedule. Practicing obedience exercises on your own time throughout the day can have great results. Even something as simple as having the dog sit while you groom him or attach his leash might help reinforce the sitting position in his mind. Things like this can help both you and your pet, so keep them in mind.

Wait it out. Don't forget that you have a dog to train! Do I even need to go on about how your dog has no concept of the English language, no social graces, no self-control, and no sense of propriety?

Enjoy yourself, take your time, play to your dog's strengths, be kind and respectful, and make sessions short and sweet.

Consider your dog's perspective. Going to a distant nation and trying to understand the locals is the best analogy I can think of to illustrate this point. Someone approaches you and begins babbling incomprehensibly in a language you do not know. Just like you, your dog is in a bind. Your dog won't understand a word you say when you first start teaching him. If you don't tell him or her what you want, how can you expect a response? Spending more time in a foreign nation, like in the previous example, is one of the best ways to learn the language. Your dog can benefit from the same strategy. An obedient dog is the outcome of extensive training that fosters understanding and compliance.

Behavioural incentives Good behavior can be encouraged through the use of rewards. Although some may disagree, I have found that praising good conduct helps to sustain such behavior, both in my own dog and in the dogs of those around me. Offering toys or snacks is, in my opinion, the most effective method of rewarding excellent conduct. It's nice to be praised, but which would you rather have: a scoop of ice cream or a firm handshake? Personally, I'd rather have ice cream than a firm handshake any day of the week. In most circumstances, your dog will respond best to the occasional rustle of the treat bag because he is motivated by his stomach.