Introduction To Dog Training

Woof, woof, woof-woof, woof! This translates to, “Congratulations, you made it to The Ultimate Guide To Dog Training!” in dog language, of course.

Here you will learn an abundance of tips, tricks, advice; a dog training masterclass that will turn your disobedient and domesticated form of a wolf (aka dog) into an animal with better manners than the Royal Family.

Although I’m not sure you will be able to get your newly trained dog to sit on a throne and wear a crown, but if you do, then please, for the love of mankind, give that dog a well-deserved treat.

So, without further ado, let’s get into the ultimate guide to dog training! Make sure you have a pen and paper ready as you’ll be taking down some vital notes that will improve your dog’s obedience and overall manners in no time. (Currently offering dog training in Chicago) and also specific German Shepherd Dog Training.

The Triple Threat: Timing, Consistency, and Motivation

Here we have a great structure known as ‘The Triple Threat,’ consisting of timing, consistency, and motivation. All are just as important as the other, but when combined as one, it becomes a recipe for success!

Timing

So what exactly is meant by the term ‘timing,’ and how should it be considered when training your dog? Well, it’s known that dogs have a short span of 1.3-seconds to instinctively act on a decision, which is critical to remember in dog training.

Any period after the 1.3-second window may cause some confusion for your dog; the more time they have to process something means more time for their mind to run wild with what is going on.

With that said, you have to be quick and extremely observant around your dog, so you can pick up on mistakes and praise-worthy moments while being able to react within this vital 1.3-second window.

This way, it doesn’t give them too much time to think. They feel as though they must respond to whatever has happened in this vital timespan, whether it’s a “good boy moment” or a “bad dog moment.”

Consistency

Now, this one requires discipline from both the dog and the owner, and what I mean is that it’s easy to try new methods in your training phase. You go to the park and hear different tips from other dog-walkers, which causes you to try them all, right? Wrong.

This can confuse your dog as the pattern of commands is ever-changing. By doing this, your dog will never be able to adjust effectively and learn over time, as they simply do not know how to react to an array of different things all at once.

As the saying goes, “quality over quantity.” It’s a huge factor here as it’s about sheer consistency rather than a barrage of mind-juggling commands and actions.

If you don’t want your dog to jump up on you or your furniture, then you have to be consistent and not let them do it AT ALL. That is because if you allow your dog to do it every so often, they will perceive it as being okay to do so.

However, when they do it and you get angry, it causes them grave confusion. You may see them being disobedient or ill-mannered when it relies heavily on consistent reinforcement from the owner.

For example, you’ve had a great day at work and been given praise by your boss (yes, humans enjoy approval as much as dogs), so you go home and let your dog on the furniture for a change as you’re in a great mood.

The next day you go to work and find out they’ve given the vacant promotion to Gary, in the next cubicle, even after yesterday’s praise from the boss. You go home, sit down, and hey-presto your dog jumps on the furniture, but you get angry with it.

Remember, dogs do not speak our language. They act entirely on emotion and commands when it’s been reinforced over time, so without consistency, your dog has a greater chance of staying in a disobedient state.

Motivation

To put it simply, motivation is a universal thing across the animal kingdom and the human one. We see something that we like or have a goal in mind, and it gives us the oomph that we need to achieve this outlined objective. This is no different for our beloved dogs.

When our dogs are doing well, we are supposed to praise and reward them for their efforts. It helps reinforce that those actions are correct and that they should continue to strive for this behavior on a more consistent basis to reap the benefits.

Not only should you repay their great behavior with a treat, but also when they’re able to correct a mistake. This will also highlight that the initial reaction they did was bad, and the correction was the right thing to do.

However, you have to find out what is most rewarding to your dog, as a simple ruffle of the head isn’t exactly a long-lasting perk. The reward has to be good enough in encouraging the dog to achieve it more frequently.

Not only this, but the communication element between you and your dog must be clear, concise, and above all else meaningful.

Another thing, if your dog doesn’t enjoy being cuddled, then don’t reward them with one when they do something good or make a correction. It has to be something they thoroughly enjoy, giving them the motivation to work towards it more often through their good behavior.

Four Stages of Learning

When you embark on your dog training journey, you will meet various challenges, and success won’t come overnight, so you must be committed to the cause if you want the best results possible for your pup.

It takes time, patience, and consistency to achieve obedience with your dog. As a rule of thumb, dogs usually need approximately three to six months of constant reinforcement and repetition before they start to form tendencies of well-mannered behavior for long-term success.

Here you will get to grips with the four stages of learning so you can gauge the overall process with a more in-depth understanding. This will help you when integrating daily training methods.

Part 1: Fundamental Tips For Humans

In Part 1: Fundamental Tips for Humans, we will discuss some important topics that should help you to be more receptive as a trainer. We have included this element as being a trainer can be a difficult, frustrating job. Pay attention to these great tips and jot some ideas down when you feel like you read something that stands out to you.

Tips For Training

Strategies To Fix a Naughty Pup

Prevent The Event

One thing to consider as humans is avoiding problems for your dog before they even happen. Now, the likelihood of preventing every problem before it comes to fruition is very, very low. Unless, of course, your name is Cesar Millan, or better yet, you have a mystic ball. Both, again, are very unlikely.

However, we can put things in place to limit the number of problems before they arise by implementing careful strategies your dog will recognize over time if done correctly. Many of these problems stem from generic social issues and common living environments such as: trimming nails, walking by busy streets, or even stumbling across the mailman now and then.

To combat such examples, you need to teach your pup that these situations aren’t scary and are a part of their everyday dog life. Implementing treats, gifts, and love at certain times will help them get used to such events in no time!

But let’s not forget one crucial ingredient—communication. For me, communication is the most essential skill in all walks of life. It’s what helps humans and animals collectively understand one another.

By using communication to teach your dog that calmness is a behavior well rewarded, you will be able to prevent problems before they present themselves.

Keeping your dog’s surroundings and environment convenient for them is an important aspect too. They need to be challenged accordingly while also being able to socialize with other dogs. This shows them quickly what normal behavior should be like under these circumstances, especially when they’re being corrected.

Em’bark’ing On A Solution

If you ask what are the most common problems with dog owners and their companions, the chances are they will always be a list of likewise problems such as; pulling, barking, nipping, not using the toilet in the right places. This is entirely normal and should be expected early on as these issues are embedded in our dog’s DNA.

Dog’s aren’t born trained, but you can find out how smart they are if you teach them correctly. Over time, they have to be taught how to act under specific events to help develop their obedience. With this said, here are some vital steps to consider when looking for solutions to bad behavior and why your dog may be acting the way they are:

1. Firstly, let’s look at their environment and health. Are they getting the exercise they need? Do they have a good sleep pattern? Is their diet sufficient? Are there any medical issues?
   We must consider all aspects of our dog’s life. If any of these examples aren’t ticked, we must consider them to be a cause of their inappropriate behavior until proven otherwise.
2. Avoid incoming misbehavior until you’ve had time to teach them proper obedience. Try and anticipate oncoming misbehavior and attempt to avoid things that encourage them to act out. It may seem complicated, but when you pay close attention, you will start to realize certain things may provoke your pup.
3. Ensure you aren’t accidentally handing out rewards left, right, and center, as this could indirectly influence your dog in thinking certain things are rewards when they aren’t. If they are acting out, simply place them into a 5-minute break where they have time to compose themselves again.
4. Try and give rewards in place of misbehaving tendencies. For example, attempt to teach your dog to sit when they’re barking for attention. This is when you should be asking your dog to perform the action you want to promote good habits instead of bad ones..To cement this method into your dog’s daily obedience, you must show that the reward they receive is more worthwhile than the misbehaving act they are putting forth.
5. Routinely practice the behaving substitute that has taken the place of the misbehaving actions. Ensure you provide rewards for correctness, but ignore errors and start with challenges easy to grasp before implementing ones more complex over time.
6. If fear is why your dog is acting out, you must couple the things they’re scared of with something they love and get excited about. For example, your dog gets scared by the milkman, quickly teach them that his visit is rewarded with a treat or toy. By doing this, it will eventually condition them to look forward to seeing the milkman as they know they will be treated for it.
7. Be loving, compromising, and patient.

Turning Your Dog Into a Social Butterfly

Socializing your dog is vital as it can be a prime factor in their behavioral development. Here are some great tips to consider when looking to turn your dog into the most popular canine in the park.

Start Early

This doesn’t mean only young pups will benefit from socializing; on the contrary, all dogs will see big improvements from it, but it’s easier to help implement with a younger dog than an older one. This is because younger dogs, or animals in general, for that matter, are more receptive to absorbing new information and events.

Once they develop and age, they quickly become more alert around things that appear to be unfamiliar. The pinnacle age to integrate socialization is typically between three and 16 weeks old, so bear this in mind when starting early.

Familiarisation

The general objective is to create a positive attitude towards as many new encounters and experiences as possible. Encourage your dog to listen and be around things that are usually loud and initially off-putting for them, such as vacuums, cars, planes, lawnmowers, etc.

Allow your dog to try out different textures on surfaces like grass, sidewalks, sand, and mud, so it becomes familiar instead of something new and scary. The same goes with smells, too; the more, the better!

Of course, you shouldn’t take your pup for walks until they’ve had their vaccinations. Still, you can implement alternatives like putting your puppy in a stroller, so it can experience its surroundings before taking its first steps outside. Yes, I know this may be quite Paris Hilton-esque, but it’s a method that works and works well.

Meeting New People

For all dog owners out there, this one is always a cautious topic as we never truly know how our dogs will react when they meet new people. Whether it’s a rage-fuelled bark or a rapid wag of the tail, sometimes we just have to test the waters first and foremost.

A way to ease them into meeting new faces and bigger groups of people is, like always, to start slow and gradually allow them to see more and different people, the better they respond. It’s always a great starting point to trial this with family, as they will be the ones to see your dog the most. It’s only right to make them familiar with those faces.

Once they’ve nailed that, you can take it to the next level by going to the park and letting individuals, or friends they’ve never met, give them the love they deserve.

To make this a success, I would also advise introducing your dog to people who have different appearances too. They may have never seen somebody wearing a hat, and the second they will see one, it could send them into an uncomfortable state.

Rewards Are a Dog’s Best Friend

Remember, the world is a huge and scary place for us humans, so imagine how your dog must feel. With this in mind, you should always, and I mean ALWAYS, remember to give them lots of love, treats, and praise as they start to discover new experiences.

By doing this, you are associating new experiences as being positive, so, by nature, your dog should recognize this pattern and continue to do so to get some well-deserved rewards.

Puppy School

Before sending your pup on their way to puppy school, not only should you hold back those tears, but you need to ensure they’ve started their vaccinations, as they will be mixing with lots of other dogs from different households.

Puppy school is a great way to help your dog learn the basic training methods via specific commands. The schools are designed to assist your dog with learning commands and socialize with more dogs and more people. It’s a double-whammy!

The World Is Your Oyster

As soon as your pup has a sense of familiarity around its usual surroundings and groups of people, it’s time to make “the leap of faith” and start introducing it to newer, more adventurous environments that have larger groups of people.

As soon as they’ve completed their vaccination stages, you can finally start making some new and hopefully long-lasting puppy friends at the local doggy park!

Part 2: Fundamental Tips For Teaching Your Dog

Right, we’ve finally covered some fundamental tips for us humans. Now, it’s time to take some dog-friendly notes down for teaching our much-beloved canines!

Name Recognition

Name recognition, initially, isn’t as bad as you may think. It’s probably the first thing your dog will learn themselves.

After hours, days, or even weeks of deciding what insanely cool, yet different to everyone else’s, dog name to give them, you will repeat it relentlessly to make sure they become familiar almost immediately.

Loose Leash Walking and Heeling

Effectiveness of Loose Leash Walking

When we take our dogs for a walk, it helps provide them with the daily exercise they need, and in most cases, it also gives us that much-needed exercise too. Additionally, walks are also great for socializing and meeting the mental needs that dogs carry.

Suppose your dog isn’t meeting its physical expectations. In that case, you can expect a lot of disruption, which can be projected in various ways such as destructiveness, going through garbage, hyperactiveness, attention-seeking behavior, episodes of barking, and the list goes on.

Why Do Dogs Pull and Chase?

In short, there’s no particular reason why dogs pull and chase; it is due to various factors. Dogs that are typically more excited and playful tend to pull their owners down the street while gravitating towards things that appeal to them or make them curious.

Now, when you attempt to pull backward in hopes of restraining your dog, they will usually counteract this action by pulling with more intensity, as most dogs tend to fight against this type of pressure.

Certain dogs with specific characteristics will pull differently, too. Dogs that are more forceful and aggressive to things such as children, other dogs, cyclists, or runners, will usually pull forward to chase down their target. On the other hand, dogs that can be rather timid and worried to leave home may pull forward on their way back home instead of during the walk.

The general objective for using the “walking on a loose leash” exercise is to teach your dog how to pay attention to you instead of other factors causing them to pull hard. Ideally, like a finely tuned outcome, your dog will very rarely pull on your leash, no matter what distraction is forced upon them, and will stay on a loose leash as they walk beside you. This won’t come easy, and it relies on consistent training, so be ready to put the work in!

Ditch The Tight Leash

Consider a tight leash as a vacuum cleaner. Yes, this is a strange analogy but hear me out first. When we use a vacuum cleaner, and the wire is loose, it works perfectly fine and can freely suck up any dirt. However, when we try to take the vacuum too far around the house, and the lead isn’t long enough, it then becomes tight, and before you know it, the plug has fallen from the socket—the vacuum is unable to do its job. A tight leash acts in a very similar way.

A tight leash prevents dogs from learning freely and halts them from making key decisions on their own, which of course, is essential for a dog learning the ropes. Loose leashes are also an important prerequisite for off-leash progression. Be mindful of this if you eventually want your dog to wander freely off their leash while trusting them to do so.

Accomplishing Walking on a Loose Leash

Like with any great results, accomplishment requires dedication and consistency. Learning to walk on a loose leash is certainly no exception. Here are a few steps to consider trying out when training your dog to walk gracefully on a loose leash:

1. Firstly, loosen that leash and do so with confidence.
2. Hold the end of your leash in one hand while gripping the handle with your opposite hand at around two to three feet.
3. When your dog becomes preoccupied with a distraction and starts to pull, call their name and walk in the opposing path of the distraction.
4. Your dog will turn around and wonder what you’re doing and why you aren’t paying them the usual attention by tightening the leash. This is when you implement the reward system so that they can associate this act as good behavior.
5. As this happens more frequently, your dog will soon realize that they will earn a reward if they can avoid the typical distractions. This is where consistency will matter most.
6. Finally, your dog now knows he must pay you attention instead of the other way around. That should stop with tight leashes and drastic pulling.
7. To progress this even further, you can start replacing his name with commands such as “here,” “come,” or “to me.”

The Three Top Commandments: Sit, Down, and Place

Before we get down and dirty, you should ensure you have a clicker and some rewards at the ready. Especially the rewards—you’re going to need them. A lot of them.

Anyway, a clicker is a brilliant piece of equipment that every dog owner should be using during training. It is a small device that lets out a short, distinctive “click” sound which tells your dog they’re doing the right thing. When you couple this with eye-bulging incentives, it becomes an effective means of training, and your dog should learn in no time. Clicker training doesn’t have to be used just for a specific command but across all types of exercise that require instruction of some sort.

Sit Command

The sit command is fairly straightforward in terms of the objective, but it’s more how to implement a process to achieve the goal that matters most.

With that said, it doesn’t mean the results come as easy as understanding the task itself. Nevertheless, if you stick to the following information, you’ll have your pup sitting with ease in no time.

Teaching The Sit Command

First and foremost, you need to ensure your dog is on your left-hand side as you hold your loose leash in the opposite hand, accompanied by a treat or piece of their favorite food.

Secondly, you instruct the all-important command, for example, “Busta, sit,” before guiding the dog up towards their treat in your right hand.

While this is happening, you should be simultaneously guiding your dog’s butt downwards to the floor. As soon as contact is made, you must provide all the love and praise they crave and desire. Kind of like a small celebration in your dog’s honor. Don’t worry; you won’t be the first.

Be mindful that those are early stages, so don’t expect too much too soon, or as they say, “Bite off more than you can chew”. All we’re looking for at this stage is to get your dog to place his butt on the ground. When they achieve this, you can release them right away.

Sit and Stay, What’s The Difference?

The answer? Not an awful lot.

Stay, in a way, is a progression for the sit command. To initiate the staying phase, you must ensure your dog is ready in the sit position. Following this, you promptly issue a “sit” command from two steps away before taking a step forward, towards the front of your dog, with one foot and retreating immediately with one step back.

Repeat the sit command once again, but this time you will pivot, without breaking a bone, directly in front of your dog. At this point, just ensure you have your leash and hand at the ready in case they break their position, and you can revert them to where they originally were.

Timing has to be impeccable. As we mentioned before, you have a 1.3-second window to make the desired command so they can register what is going on without any distraction.

Not only is timing important here, but so is consistency. If your dog is breaking the command one after another without proper reinforcement, how on earth will they know what you want them to do? It could be just as annoying for them as it is for you.

They will only know that sit also means stay if you are consistent with the exercise, and before you know it, you’ll be getting them to stay from 10 feet away.

However, let’s not sprint before we can crawl. To get to this stage, it takes a lot of training and progression, so be prepared to put the work in.

From a Distance – Sit

Once you get to a competent stage, you will start performing the exercise under harder constraints such as leaving your leash on the floor or going further away in distance. When doing so, you must be extra careful with the 1.3-second rule; this will apply more than ever here.

If your dog happens to break the exercise, you will quickly intervene by saying something like, “No, no, no” or “Wrong” before walking back to them and starting them in their position before the break.

Let’s Go Downtown!

Teaching the down command has striking similarities to the sit command. However, the only notable difference is the change in direction of the guidance you’re giving.

Additionally, the down command is a little more challenging due to the nature of the act being a more submissive action. That can cause dogs to become restless and potentially resist. Don’t let this scare you, though, as all good things come to those that wait.

Teaching The Down Command

Firstly, your dog must be in a sitting position before all else. Then, you say your “Down” command while visually showing them what it is you mean.

To do this, I advise grasping the leash with a treat in one hand, around 6-8 inches from their mouth, before gently utilizing it to guide them down to the ground.

At the same time, your other hand will be placed on the dog’s shoulders to assist them in carefully placing them down. As soon as your dog hits the deck, you do what they love most – lots of praise, lots of love, and lots of treats!

Stay and Down, What’s The Difference?

Stay is a staple aspect amongst most commands, as we want our dogs to achieve an objective and stay there.

To teach the aspect of stay in the down command, you must ensure they are already in the down position before anything else. Next, you must repeat your down command before taking a step towards your dog and then a step back, exactly like the sit command. Again, once this has been achieved, we must use the almighty, yet dangerous (to some), pivot right in front of your dog.

Remember, you must have your leash at the ready, just in case they choose to break the exercise, so you’re able to put them back into position. Do not forget the 1.3-second rule! This applies to pretty much every time a dog needs to think and act on a specific command.

From a Distance – Down

The same applies here to the sit command. You must perform this exercise like a set of stepping stones that lead to a pot of gold. You must be sure you can make the next step without falling off track, or you will lose the objective at hand.

If your dog breaks the exercise once you start implementing it from afar, you will say, “No, no, no” or “Wrong,” and guide them back into the correct position and start again.

It’s The Place To Be

We all have our ideal place. Mine is a beach with some clear water, coupled with an ice-cold drink and some blistering sunshine.

Dog’s are no different, except we never really know what their ideal place is; however, imagine it would be a field full of toys and food. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that dogs must have a place too, but you can actually give them one when they need some downtime.

An example of a dog’s place could be their bed. When the place command has been issued, the dog will promptly go to their bed with no questions asked. This, of course, is the end goal but, I’m going to show you how to reach that end goal.

Teaching The Place Command

From the onset, you will need a dog-sized bed that fits perfectly for your pup and has obvious boundaries. Secondly, you will need a slightly elevated surface, such as a low table. The risen surface helps your dog understand that their hind legs are there to be used and used for moments like this. However, if you don’t have this, you needn’t worry; the exercise can still be taught correctly, but it may take a little longer, that’s all.

Without using the bed at this point, you must ensure that your dog is confident and comfortable with getting onto the elevated place platform. Next, you will issue a “Place” command and guide them up to the risen surface until all four paws are secure in their place. Once you have mastered the exercise in their elevated position, you may then progress to using the bed instead.

Once this is done, can you guess what happens next? Yep, lots of praise, lots of love, and lots of rewards—my favorite. As soon as you’ve handed out the praise, carefully instruct them off of the place with a command such as “Free” or “Go” and recycle this process until familiarization has been achieved.

Once your dog is in its place, you must start to implement more boundaries, such as keeping close while facing them and acting as a barrier to avoid any sudden jumps. You will then slowly walk around the place as your dog tries to follow you with excitement.

The reward system for the place command is straightforward to adhere to, but it does require consistency along with everything else. Your dog should only receive a reward or praise if, and only if, they stay in their place. After they do so, you can prompt them with a release command such as “Go” and repeat the exercise all over again.

However, it should be noted that if your dog happens to break the exercise before the release command is given, you must say, “No, place!” before redirecting them back to their place position again.

Place Reinforcement

Initiate by walking around the place as you grasp your leash at around 3-4 feet away. If you’re able to walk around the place without your dog breaking the exercise, you may reward them with a treat, praise, or both. I tend to go for both because, why not? It helps them recognize what they are doing is good behavior. If they happen to break the exercise, as mentioned above, you must tell them what they did was wrong and guide them back into their place position.

The goal here is to teach your dog to a point where they make their own decisions without the need for your prompt. It helps enforce the difference between what should be expected vs. what’s not expected. Once you’ve made good progress from 3-4 feet away, it’s time to be adventurous and attempt a 6 footer while holding the end of the leash. Wait for the right time before you drop the leash and walk around them. If they stay in place, you can then dish out the much-needed love that they deserve.

Drop It and Leave It

Drop it and leave it are two very beneficial commands, which will come in handy throughout the entirety of your dog’s life. They’ll be many times when you need to use them, especially when playing a lighthearted game of catch or if your dog is about to go near something dangerous and needs to be alerted. As soon as you nail these two, teaching your dog is a walk in the park. Pardon the pun.

Recall

Ah yes, the almighty recall. Debatably the most important exercise to teach your dog in its entire lifetime. This command can bring your dog back before they imminently destroy the local kid’s ball at the park or keep them away from any type of danger that may hurt them.

The end goal is to walk in the opposite direction to your dog as they are preoccupied with something and shout their name, followed by the word, “Come.” If taught correctly, they will sprint quicker than a speeding bullet before applying the brakes and sitting still directly next to you.

Teaching The Recall

To start this exercise, you need a leash that is approximately 6 feet in length. You must ensure that the leash is loose at all times while your dog has their attention on something that’s in front of you. After this, you will say the command, “Come” or “Here” as you administer a gentle tug on their leash in your direction.

It also helps to back up as you’re now presenting yourself as a moving target for your dog to focus on, so when they do begin to walk back in your direction, ensure they are rewarded for their efforts.

Another excellent method to implement is to have somebody hold your dog (preferably not a stranger that likes to steal dogs) on a leash as you walk away in the distance before giving out the “Come” or “Here” command.

They will usually wonder where you’re going and follow you instantly, but if you find that they are hesitant, a great way to overcome this is to bend/kneel with open arms as you encourage them to come to you.

As usual, it’s only fair we reward our canine friends with a reward whenever they master this exercise, whether it’s on or off the leash. We want them to think that coming back to us from a recall is in their favor, and they are getting something out of it. This is what will give them the motivation to learn this exercise.

As you progress the recall, you will begin to expand your distance over time. With this in mind, it may be an idea to acquire a few leashes of different sizes so you can get the very best from this recall exercise.

Distractions During Recall

As you begin to improve the recall by moving further away, the potential for distractions is higher, as the gap between you and your dog allows more time for them to appear. In short, the recall must be direct, and you need to avoid your dog getting distracted by other variables, such as birds, balls, dogs, or stopping to smell and go to the toilet.

If your dog happens to get distracted from the task at hand, you should always have your trusty leash at the ready, so you’re able to gently provide that light pull and direct them back into your path. Now, if your dog struggles to grasp the recall, you should think about making it more enjoyable so they want to grasp it. Try offering more treats, toys, and praise if this is the case.

Part 3: Solving Common Problems

Welcome to the final part of the e-book! Here we will discuss some common problems and how to correct them in your day-to-day life. Although there’s many to choose from, we decided to include, what we thought, were the most important ones to solve early on in the training stages.

Housetraining

Avoiding Mistakes Is a Priority

Firstly, this section is more applicable to puppies as opposed to adult dogs. However, that’s not to say these tactics wouldn’t work with adult dogs who have been poorly housetrained. On the contrary, you can also implement them freely with dogs of all ages if needed.

In aid of housetraining dogs, you must be aware that dogs, in general, are very particular about where they venture to. It’s vitally important for them to build solid foundations in their everyday habits.

With that said, it’s also just as important to anticipate potty accidents before they arise. Every time your dog feels the need to go to the toilet inside the house, it is actually due to them having a soft spotted preference for that area. In other words, if your dog takes a monstrous leak in the corner of the freshly cleaned kitchen, please don’t blame them, but instead, look in the mirror and take accountability. When you were a baby and you used to pee everywhere, was that your fault? I think not.

If your dog hasn’t learned to use nature’s big outdoors to relieve themselves just yet, you must ensure they are being monitored at all times. I’ve been there myself where I’ve been distracted for 15 seconds, took a step to my right, and then I’m knee-deep in a pool of dog relief. It’s not a nice feeling.

Lucky for you, there are some telltale signs to look out for when anticipating an oncoming toilet break. If your dog happens to be circling or sniffing along the floor, the likelihood of them going to the toilet is high. If you see this behavior, you should get them outside immediately.

Once they’ve done the deed, why not reward them with a small treat? This will help associate that going to the toilet outside will earn them some goodies. I would encourage you to take your dog outside, especially if they’re a pup, within 15 minutes after every meal. However, if accidents are frequent at the beginning you should consider adding more breaks between these meals so it becomes a familiar process for them. Another thing,  if you take them out and they don’t let the river flow, don’t sweat, simply take them back in for around 10-15 minutes then try again.

Keep a Routine

Taking your dog out often throughout the day is an essential part of training them and even more so after eating, playing, or sleeping. You should aim to feed your dog approximately 2-3 times per day while leaving it around 15 minutes in total for any food to digest properly. Of course, the quantity of food will depend on the size and breed of your dog, and also their age bracket too. I would advise contacting your vet regarding this as they will be able to offer more accurate recommendations for you.

Now, a great indicator for telling how long a dog can hold themselves is considering their age in months + one hour, but never exceeding the 8-hour mark as an adult. Three hours for a two-month-old puppy, six hours for a five-month-old one, etc.

The key here is to get them outside for as much as possible, in short stints, as it drastically limits the number of potential mistakes. However, on the other hand, it also increases the number of rewards for your dog. It’s a win-win!

Jumping Unprovoked

Jumping up is a very common problem for dogs, and it’s a reason why many owners tend to ignore them before ultimately sending them to the backyard. Although jumping up can be annoying, it’s probably best not to send them to a place where they can cause more mess in an excited state.

The backyard can be subject to excessive barking and biting things they aren’t supposed to, amongst many other things.

Barking

8 Reasons Why Your Dog Is Barking

There’s an array of reasons why dogs bark, and sometimes it’s going to be hard to tell which is which, so I’ll break down eight simple reasons why your dog may be barking. Here we go:

1. Barking = Greeting: You probably know this already, but some dogs get over-excited when they see a certain somebody or maybe their friends from the local park. It’s common for them to wag their tail while they bark or even let out an enormous whining noise as a friendly greeting.
2. It’s a Territory Thing: Barking over territory often occurs when a dog sees a stranger, such as a mailman who’s encroaching on the dog’s turf. Because they aren’t familiar with this person, it causes them to go into defense mode and bark them away.
3. They’re Scared: This is quite similar to territory barking only due to the defensive nature of the bark. However, instead of them barking at a stranger, this time they could be barking at an unusual sound or sight within their environment. They will instinctively bark because they don’t know what it is.
4. They Want Fun: In some cases, dogs will bark because they just want some attention. If they’re in the living room with all the family and start to bark, there’s a good chance that all they need is some treats or playtime!
5. Separation Anxiety: Dogs can often feel very anxious when their owners leave them for a while, which is why they may bark excessively over a prolonged period. They just miss you when you’re gone!
6. Trying To Be Social: Another reason for them barking could be down to social elements. For example, if they see or hear another dog barking, this could ultimately trigger a barking response back at them.
7. Frustration: Dogs can get frustrated just like us humans! Except they don’t pay bills as we do, so what on earth can they be stressed about? Well, they can become restless when they’re tied to a leash, and they want the freedom to play. They will express their frustration through means of barking.
8. In Discomfort or Pain: The worst-case scenario for your dog barking is that they are in some kind of discomfort or pain due to sickness or an injury. Typically, in this case, they would let out a distinct whine and bark. If you notice this, please take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible to seek medical attention.

7 Tips To Stop Your Dog Barking

Now we’ve covered the reasons why our dogs may bark, let’s move on and discuss seven stellar tips for training your dog to stop excessive barking, so it can improve their overall behavior:

1. Finding a Cause: It should be noted that not all types of barking are an indicator of poor temperament. With this in mind, it’s vital to highlight the cause of your dogs barking before training them to be quiet. You must identify the initial cause from where or when the barking seems to happen, and after you’ve determined this, you can put training in place to prevent it from persisting.
2. Cut Out The Catalyst: If, for example, your dog is barking for territorial purposes, you must analyze the environment and quickly remove or block out the sound or sights provoking your dog’s barking episodes.
3. Divert Attention: When you’re out walking your dog, or even sitting down outside a cafe with them, and they’re excessively barking at every passerby they come across, you need to divert their attention right away. Ensure you have a pocket full of dog treats, and if they succeed in not barking when somebody walks by, you may offer them a reward. Place command is also a great way of diverting their attention when at home. For example, if somebody is approaching the front door.
4. Ignorance Is Bliss: Sometimes, dogs have an annoying habit of barking for sheer attention. However, a way to reverse this is to simply ignore them. Yep, you heard correct. Ignore them till they’re all barked out.You must not make any type of interaction, whether this is eye contact or reprimanding them. When your dog finally reads your body language and stops, you may then reward them for their efforts accordingly.
5. Fix Their Confinement: Barking issues may arise from their confined environments, such as being locked in a cage for too long. If you find your dog stays inside their cage way too often and they’re excessively barking, they may just want to go outside and roam the great outdoors.We mustn’t forget that dogs need exercise and mental relaxation just like us humans. Let them do what they love.
6. Pump Up The Speakers: Playing music when your dog is having a barking episode is another great way to distract them—especially when they can hear construction or other dogs barking outside. Get some relaxing music on and turn it up to a decent volume; this should stop your dog barking in no time.
7. Behavior Training: Instilling some training to improve your dog’s overall obedience is essential. It helps throughout many occasions, but being able to teach your dog to sit and stay also stimulates control, which can help avoid barking incidents.

Nipping

Do you know that moment when you’re first acquainted with those beautiful beady puppy eyes? That moment where you discover unfathomable amounts of joy and love as you run your hands through their soft puppy fur? That moment when you tell yourself how amazing this puppy is…and then they take a good old nip from your hand.

Yeah, we’ve all been there. However, you can act early to prevent your pup from making this a bad habit as they grow into adulthood.

Teething vs. Nipping

As you may notice from the dents in your skin, puppies start their journey with 30 small needle-like teeth in their mouths. As they become adults, these teeth are eventually replaced by 40 fully-grown ones, but this is no painless road.

It is a constant battle for them to suppress teething’s pain, so they feel the need to bite, nip, and pretty much chew anything they can get their mouths on—pretty much like our own human babies.

The main difference between teething and nipping is usually quite easy to distinguish, as a teething puppy will often gnaw or gently nibble on your hands, feet, or some subcutaneous skin on your arm or legs. In comparison, nipping will typically occur when your puppy is excited and very playful.

Appropriate Measures If They Nip or Bite

If your pup begins to nip at you, it’s imperative to put a stop to it right away but correctly. For example, if it’s playtime with your pup and they take a gentle nip at your foot, peacefully express this via a neutral sound such as an “ouch” before you instantly put a halt to any further playtime. You should then ignore them until they’ve settled down and are no longer in a nipping state.

If they do this correctly after reading your body language, reward them with a treat and praise as this will establish that nipping during playtime means no more playtime. This is greatly effective with pups; all they want to do is play, so if you take that from them, they will soon fix up and realize that the fun stops if they do it again. The same intervention also applies when your dog is gnawing or teething.

One thing I must reaffirm is that you must never shout or hit your puppy. This can hurt the results you’re trying to achieve by forcing your dog to be scared of you and, in the long run, could exacerbate your dogs biting tendencies but in a more aggressive nature.

Conclusion

I hope you learned a thing or two from the above information. It was great to put this together for all dog-lovers across the globe to help them teach their dog in the very best way possible.

If I were to give you one more piece of advice, it would be to take it slowly but surely. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Take it one step at a time and use progression and regression to your advantage. You’ll both see results in little to no time. Sometimes your pup will get it wrong, but I can guarantee you will get it wrong more. This is normal, as, in theory, you’re both learning the ropes, so be inventive, be fun, be consistent, and above all else, be loving!