- Choose a dog that fits your lifestyle. After centuries of breeding, the modern dog is one of the most varied species of animal on earth. While there’s probably a dog to suit every lifestyle, not all dogs will fit your specific needs. For example, if you like to relax, you should not get a Jack Russell Terrier, known for its constant barking and high energy. Instead, you might want a bulldog that would much prefer to cuddle on the couch all day. Research the personalities and care requirements of various breeds. Ask dog owners about their breed’s personality.
- Since most dogs live for 10-15 years, getting a dog is a long-term commitment. Make sure the breed's temperament is a good match for your lifestyle.
- Don’t get an aspirational dog. Be honest with yourself about the compatibility of the dog you want with your lifestyle. Don't get a dog that needs a lot of activity just because you want a reason to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle yourself. If you can’t follow through on exercising your high-energy dog, you and the dog will both end up frustrated.
- Write down the needs and temperament of the breed, as well as how you will meet those needs.
- Give your dog a practical name. He needs to be able to learn his name easily, so you can hold his attention during training. The name should also have clear, hard sounds the dog can recognize. Names such as “Buddy” or “Rover” or “Bee Bee” have distinct sounds that stand out from the regular flood of human speech your dog hears.
- Use your dog's name often when you are playing, petting him, training him, or need to get his attention.
- Schedule enough time for training. You’ll need to set aside 15-20 minutes a couple of times each day for formal training sessions. Puppies have a short attention span and get bored easily, just like a toddler would.Those sessions are not.
- Manage your expectations and mood. Not every training day is going to be perfect, but don’t get frustrated and don’t take it out on your dog. Adjust your own behavior and attitude to encourage your dog’s ability and confidence to learn. If you have a calm mood, generally your dog will, too.the only time you’ll train your dog, though. Training actually happens throughout the day when interacting with your pet. He’s learning from you every time you interact.
- If the dog becomes afraid of your bad mood, he will not learn anything new. He'll only learn to be wary and not trust you.
- Dog training classes and a good trainer can help you improve your behavior which will translate to success with your dog.
- Give immediate rewards. Dogs don’t understand long-term cause and effects. They learn fast. You must praise or reward your dog within 2 seconds of a desired behavior to reinforce that behavior. If you wait too long, he will not associate the reward with the action you asked him to perform.
- Furthermore, you must make sure that your praise is fast enough to be accurate. Otherwise, you may reward behaviors that you don't want.
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