Dog Training Hurdles You Can Overcome With These Suggestions

How long has the dog been a mans best friend? For years we have been told that the dog is our best companion, and while there is nothing wrong with cat ownership, looking after birds or whatever type of pet you would like in your home, a dog really is one of the most common pet choices an individual or family can have. So you would think that by now, having had dogs in our lives for years, we would know a trick or two in regards to training. All dogs should be able to sit and lie down on command and behave impeccably on the lead, right? Wrong! Unfortunately, we can still struggle to train our pet dogs and more often than not people are making common mistakes that they don’t even realise they are making. So the time has come to reassess your training ability and really work out what you might be doing right and more importantly where you might be making mistakes. Here are some of the most common training faux pas anyone can make.  

Do you train your dog often enough?

We are all well aware that if we practice something often enough that the skill is likely to set into place and improve. After all, playing tennis or football once a year doesn’t mean you are going to be any good at it. So the same principal needs to be applied when training your dog. The thing is, any dog owner can start off with the very best intentions. They work hard consistently over a few days to help their dog master some of the most common behavioural techniques. But the enthusiasm can start to dwindle, and things can then be forgotten. Before you know it, the instruction or command is lost on your dog, and you are back at square one. Sometimes you need to think about where you train, and the garden can be a great option. Installing a dog fence and getting outside can help you to be more consistent as the garden is there and readily able to be used. 

Do you lack confidence in yourself?

Loss of confidence is a sign of weakness to your dog, there is no hiding that fact. They can instinctively sense it and they then feel that they may have the upper hand. Of course, I am not saying that at any moment your lovely pet dog will retaliate in anyway, but it is worth noting that they are less likely to pay attention to your commands if they don’t feel you are delivering them confidently, or behaving confident around them. If you lack the confidence instead try attending a class where you are given the tools to deliver training in a more structured environment. Therefore helping you to train without your dog taking advantage of the situation. 

Do you take into account your dog’s personality?

Finally, every dog is different. Much like every child is different and we have grown to accept that a child will develop at his or her own rate. The same can be said for you dog. It may have been easy to train your last pet dog, but this time around you are finding it harder. Every dog is different and have different limits to what they can and will do, or how quickly they will pick something up. Bear this in mind when training and train to your dog, not your last pet or someone else’s. 

Let’s hope these tips help you to overcome dog training hurdles.