Five Things to Avoid During Dog Training

Dog training can be a powerfully motivating activity or it can be your worst nightmare. If you make mistakes or if you have never trained a dog before, you could make the process of dog training last far longer than it would have otherwise. The best thing that you can do before embarking upon a dog training expedition is to get as educated as possible. Read books, talk to professional dog trainers, consult with other dog owners and get prepared. While this isn't a matter of life or death, you want your first few months of dog ownership to be a positive experience. To help you out, here are five things to avoid during dog training.

Avoid Expecting Overnight Results
When you see a well-behaved dog at your friend's house, it's easy to believe that the dog was born that way. He sits quietly in his corner, chewing on a rawhide bone, never jumping on the couch or begging for food. Believe me when I say, however, that your friend probably spent hours training his or her dog to behave that way, and your dog will require the same. Before you expect your dog to exhibit overnight results from your dog training efforts, realize that it can be a slow process and you'll get there when your dog is ready.

Avoid Yelling and Hitting
There is nothing more counter-productive in dog training than yelling or hitting. A scared dog won't be able to perform well or follow your commands, and the angrier you get, the less likely you are to reward good behavior when it finally surfaces. Rather than yelling or hitting when your dog misbehaves, stop and assess the situation. Is there anything more you could be doing to correct the behaviors? Are you paying attention to the reasons for your dog's misbehavior? There are almost always reasons, so learn to watch for changes in your pet's mood or personality during dog training.