If you feel that your dog is not paying attention or taking training too lightly, it might be because of wrong communication. Here’s how you get it right.
A common refrain among many dog owners is that their pups are simply untrainable. This is ridiculous: every dog can be trained. The problem could stem from miscommunication. Here are common dog care tips for a few situations:
#1 My dog doesn’t pay attention.
This is the biggest problem that most dog owners face. You might be giving the right instructions, but your dog wanders away or does not respond to commands. Put yourself in its place – for how long would you pay attention if somebody kept talking to you in a language you didn’t understand? Your dog doesn’t understand the commands because the command has not been reinforced in a comprehensible way. The next time you say ‘Good boy!’ with a treat in your hand, see the difference in response.
#2 My dog just does not follow toilet training!
Another area where dog owners wage war against their furry friends is in the area of toilet training. Your little pup might have a litter box, even know that it needs to go to its own little toilet instead of making a mess everywhere. But part of the problem could be that you have not set enough boundaries. Cordon off other areas of the house with removable partitions and curtains when you are toilet training your dog, keeping a clear path leading to the litter box or toilet. The physical demarcation will soon imprint on your dog’s memory, and they will be trained in no time.
#3 My dog doesn’t come when called.
You can easily get your dog to come to you, because the dog wants to anyway! Your canine friend is always thrilled to see you and will jump up and greet you. But instead of randomly approaching you, your dog must be taught to come when called – this helps when you are in distress. Reinforce the command by maintaining eye contact but lengthening the distance between you and the dog. Be enthusiastic when you say, ‘Come!’ and give the dog his favourite treat when he obeys. Gradually increase the distance while reinforcing the message, till such time that you can no longer see the dog, but he runs to you when called.
#4 My dog keeps following me when I want him to sit still.
Apart from calling the dog, another dog behavior training tips involves teaching the pup to stay put when told to sit. Your pup will get anxious if you make it sit while you walk away, and trot after you. Make it simple: stand close, place the pup in a sitting position, and hold your hand out while saying ‘stay’. When your dog stays still, reward it with a treat. Repeat until the dog understands that it will get a treat every time it sits still.