Teaching your beloved friend a set of new tricks is a mutual process where you learn how to communicate as well as you are sharing both classic and unique cues. It helps to learn how to communicate in the most efficient way and motivates the dog to receive praise and remain healthy. The most important is not to show how much your dog can do but to build a deeper bond and have fun as you explore the tricks. Since every dog will have a unique character and skill level, you must observe and take notes during the very first sessions to determine what your four-legged friend understands the best and what hand and verbal clues seem to be the most efficient.
How to Teach Your Dog New Tricks
– Know Your Dog’s Mood.
Before you start teaching your dog new tricks, you have to keep the dog calm. It does not mean that your dog should not be playful, yet if your pet is not feeling inspired, you must wait for the right moment. Otherwise, your dog will not feel like learning. It’s just like with little children who need to be in the right mood to listen. Do not push your dog to learn but create a special environment where your communication is at its best!
– Stay Motivated.
You must be motivated as well because dogs always feel your inner state. If you are only focused on the results and keep it just like doing homework, it will not work. You must incorporate the tricks into your daily life and make the learning sound and feel natural for your pet. Likewise, if you are always thinking about your studies or an upcoming date, your dog will feel it and will seek ways to help you instead!
– Small Training Sessions Work.
Keep your learning sessions short and frequent. It will help your dog to remain inspired and keep its attention span. Plan on working just one command and switch to a trick that your dog already knows well if something does not seem to work. It will help your dog to feel positive and know where you are coming from! Training your dog needs much time and energy. If you are a student, you must not neglect your own studies as well. As an option, you may outsource some of your academic tasks to a professional writer. Read LetsGradeIt reviews to find a reliable service. It will help you allocate more time, spend it with your dog, and feel happy during your training sessions.
– From Easy to More Challenging.
Do not choose just something random for a trick that you want to accomplish because some tricks will require mastering the easy ones first. For example, if you are planning to teach your dog a handshake, you have to master the “sit” command on demand and help your dog feel concentrated and ready for new commands. As you take care of dogs and make special mental notes, you must come up with a system and choose the easy tricks first by making things more challenging only when you achieve success. This way, you won’t overload your pet and keep things progressive in a positive way!
– An Alternative Rewards System.
The most important is to praise your dog and keep things positive no matter what! Once your teaching session ends, reward the dog and show genuine love. Do not keep things down to treats or food but focus on brushing and verbal praise. An alternative way is to keep on playing without certain commands and show that your motivation and dedication are still taking place. As the session ends, your dog will still need your time before it switches to something else.
Time is Always Critical
Remember that you won’t be able to teach your dog all the new tricks in a week or even in two weeks’ time. An average time to achieve success is around six weeks, but it may take longer or a bit less, depending on the breed and your dedication. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to spend hours busy with each training session! Five to ten minutes for each session should be more than enough as going beyond that is risky as you will make your dog feel frustrated and inattentive. Your dog should stay motivated and feel fun as you add an element of play. If you do not overdo it, your dog will look forward to future training and will happily respond to your requests.
About The Author
Olivia Evans has been a dog owner since her early childhood. As an educator and technology specialist, she believes that teaching a dog is a mutual process that helps to make you responsible and more caring. Follow Olivia to take things to another level and establish an even deeper bond with your dog.
