Dog training is important to provide mental stimulation, build confidence, and foster human-dog relationships. It is important to start early and be consistent.
Positive reinforcement is the best method to adopt when training your dog at home. Knowing your dog's history, starting with basic commands, setting goals, and using games will make the process easier.
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Tips for Training on Your Own
> Know Your Dog’s History
> Start With the Basics
> Discover Opportunities
> Establish Easy Goals
> Use Games to Train Your Dog
> Use Training Tools
Breeds You Can Train at Home
> Border Collie
> Labrador Retriever
> German Shepherd
> Doberman
Why Is Dog Training Important?
Advanced Tricks Your Dog Can Learn
Dogs can test your patience as much as they can be loving. The energetic puppy phase, the naughty “childhood” stage, and the rebellious “teenage” phase are all filled with opportunities for your dog to display unwanted behaviors.
Older adopted dogs come with their own set of issues. This is where proper dog training comes in. You can train your dog at any age as dogs are always learning. But it’s best to start their training as soon as they reach your home.
How to train your dog on your own? Do you need a trainer for your dog?
What’s the best method to train your dog? How do you use these dog-training techniques?
Read on to learn.
Can you train a dog on your own? As a new dog owner, you’re probably asking yourself this. Yes, you can!
Training your dog on your own can be a daunting task and needs a little bit of research, but it sure is rewarding.
Can you train a dog without a trainer? Absolutely.
Bringing in a professional trainer for your dog will make the job easier, but it’s best to train your pet independently, as it helps you develop a better relationship with them.
Start early and take it one step at a time.
Here’s how.
Your success at dog training lies in how much you know about your dog. Was your dog abandoned or harassed? Did it have a good environment growing up?
You’ll learn the best way to approach your dog if you know its temperament and earlier experiences with people.
Once you’ve got that sorted, you can craft a training program that suits their personality.
So now you’re beset with the question, how can I train my dog at home?
The key is to start training your dog in a low-stress setting with small commands. Some basic commands and tricks include come, speak, sit, drop it, stay, and back up.
Gradually introduce new commands, and change the environment once you think your dog can efficiently follow them. Setting the basic foundation helps establish a trusting relationship between you and your dog.
Also Read: How to Make a Training Schedule for Your Dog
Consistency is critical when it comes to training your dog. However, don’t get too frustrated when you have little time to train your dog. Instead, make the most out of the limited time you have.
Use each opportunity you have with your dog to teach them something new. Simple tricks and cues in between tasks can make training part of your daily routine.
Don’t expect your training sessions to equip your dog with complicated skills. Your dog doesn’t need to learn how to ride a skateboard.
Your goal is to allow your dog to learn skills they will need, such as proper behaviors in different environments.
Make your training session with your dog a fun one! Focused training is important, but dogs learn quickly if they are happy.
Use games such as fetch, tug-of-war, and hide-and-seek as a way to provide your dog with some physical and mental exercise.
Fun Fact: Dogs have more than 200 million smell-detecting cells. Hide-and-seek games can help them develop their sense of smell!
Training games are great for teaching dogs manners and life-saving skills.
While there may be many different ways to train a dog, the best way is to follow positive reinforcement.
Made in the USA using locally sourced ingredients, these chicken treats are excellent at capturing your pup’s attention. Containing just 2 ingredients and less than 1 kcal per treat, the Pupford Freeze Dried Chicken Treats come in a small size that make training easy. You get 475 treats in each bag and can store these treats anywhere. There is no need to refrigerate.
You can use a clicker to train your dog. The idea is to make a clicking noise with this hand-held tool whenever your dog exhibits the desired behavior. It can be combined with food to teach your dog new tricks.
You guessed it right!
Treats are a training tool too! Not just any treat, you would do best if you picked the treat your dog loves most!
Now that we’ve covered whether you can train a dog on your own and how to do it effectively, here are some dog breeds that you can easily train at home.
Known for their high intelligence, Border Collies are easy to train on your own. This dog breed, originally bred to herd livestock, loves to get busy.
Giving them a healthy amount of exercise and stimulation is great for their well-being. They do well in agility and obedience training.
One of the easiest breeds that you can train on your own is the Labrador retriever. These dog breeds love pleasing their owners and tend to socialize well with humans.
It also helps that they are food-motivated, making training easier. Watch the quantity and quality of treats you give out to help them stay in shape.
Many may think of German Shepherds as fierce dogs, making them fearsome dogs to train. However, they are among the easiest to train at home.
German Shepherds naturally thrive on following commands. Their excellent work ethic, trainability, and endurance make training them a pleasure.
Dobermans may be aggressive guard dogs, but it’s all because of their commitment to their owners. These dog breeds are intuitive in nature and affectionate towards their owners. These powerful dogs need a confident leader.
Verbal commands, visual cues, and rewards can help them learn quickly. Training should start early and must be consistent.
Did you know the Beagle, Basset Hound, Chow Chow, Pitbull, and Pomeranian are among the most difficult dog breeds to train?
Also Read: Smartest Dog Breeds
One of the most recommended training tools, the Lure Stick is an excellent redirecting tool. Redirect your pet’s attention back to you every time they do something you don’t like. The retractable design, 29 inches extendable height and attached belt clip makes it extremely for you to train your dog with ease.
Training is a non-negotiable part of owning a dog. It provides mental stimulation, builds confidence, and enhances the human-dog bond.
Remember the time when you felt excited because you mastered a new skill? Your dogs feel the same way. They love the feeling of learning something new.
Aside from giving your dog physical exercise, stimulating their cognitive functions contributes to their overall well-being. Mental stimulation is necessary to defuse negative energy that leads to destructive behaviors.
Training ensures the safety of your family members and helps your dog stay away from hazardous situations.
Once your dog has mastered all the basics, probably much later, you can get creative and teach them advanced tricks.
Some global favorites include spin around, say goodbye, play dead, cover eyes, hug me, and close the door.
Keep in mind that these are time-consuming and require several basic commands to be put together. You’ll need the right techniques and tactics to get your pup to master these!
Be patient.
Using punishment is neither a good idea nor is it effective when it comes to dog training. Harsh disciplining and asserting dominance are some of the common dog training mistakes that owners make.
These methods are only likely to cause behavioral problems in your dog.
Now, based on the given information, you probably know the answer to your question, can I train my dog myself?
Remember to start early, start with the basics, and take it slow. You will need to invest time and energy to see results.
Set aside a certain time in the day to train your dog. Practice the same commands on an everyday basis before moving to a newer one.
Remember that training is difficult for your dog too, eager as he may be to please you. Be patient and generous with treats!
After all, you’re going to reap a lifetime of rewards!
A digital marketing expert by profession, Andrews is a gifted writer and animal lover at heart. A self-confessed "pawrent", Andrews is well-versed in all things dogs. He uses his years of experience of raising puppies into show-quality dogs to help guide first-time pet parents. He believes in spreading the joy that comes with being a dog dad and advocates more families to adopt pets.
