Morristown, TN
Providing the proper training for your dog will help your pooch be a good canine citizen, but sometimes you might need to change your methods or give your dog a do-over to ensure proper behavior.
Here are a few tips to help in your next training session with your dog:
- Keep it simple: Anytime you are embarking on new training with your dog, even if it is a new session to reinforce previous training, you want to make the task as simple as possible. Break down your main objective into smaller goals. Once those goals are met, you can start making training sessions more complex and adding more tasks.
- Go slow: Our minds work faster than those of dogs. People have a tendency to lump together steps or specific behaviors. This can disrupt communication during a training session and, consequently, limit how successful the training will be. Rushing ahead to another step in the training session can be a recipe for failure when working with even a well-behaved dog.
- Keep it fun: Yes, training can be fun! It can be easy to get frustrated during a training session when you start moving too quickly or trying to do too much, and the dog does not respond. You can minimize those feelings of frustration, and keep the dog entertained and engaged, by incorporating play into your next training session. Consider engaging in some play with your dog in between every repetition of a command or exercise.
- Keep a record: Not sure how your dog is progressing? We suggest keeping a journal or making a log of your training sessions. Use measurable units such as feet, minutes or number of repetitions. You can look back over your notes to evaluate past sessions. Measuring progress also comes in handy for those inevitable times during training when you become frustrated. If you record how your dog has been performing throughout training, you can review at these frustrating times and see there actually has been measurable progress. This will motivate you to keep going.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat: Dogs live in the moment. Two minutes after doing something, no matter how bad or destructive it might have been, your dog has forgotten all about it. If your dog misbehaves, try your training technique of choice right away while it’s still happening. This gives your dog a chance to make a connection between the negative behavior and the training being used to correct it. Consistent repetition reinforces every lesson from training.
- Stay positive: Be sure to end every training session on a positive note. Leave your dog with plenty of praise and a potential reward—whether it be his favorite treat, some pets, or five minutes of playtime. Ending your training with a positive reward will have your dog excited and enthusiastic for the next session.
Dog Training in Morristown
If you need any help training your dog, or want the professionals to take control, just contact AllDogs Canine Care Center. We offer services to meet your needs for dog training, grooming, and boarding. Please contact us today at (865) 475-2225 for more information regarding our services. We welcome pooches from Dandridge and Morristown, Tennessee.