TRAINING TIPS
Your dog should think that training is fun. Here are some ways to do that.
Have Short Training Sessions
You wouldn't believe how quickly your dog will learn things if you break the lessons into 5-10 minute sessions several times a day. The dog learns best this way. If you do this, you will keep the dog's attention span better.
Vary the Rewards
This is important, and most people don't even think about it. For most dogs, and especially food driven dogs, food is the best reward to start out with. It gaurantees interest and motivation. But if food is all you use, then your dog can tire of it or ignore you completely if you don't have food. Most trainers agree that you should wean your dog off of treats and use affection and play once Rover masters the trick. **Don't underestimate play as a reward. After my labrador performs his tricks or demonstrates good behavior, he gets to fetch and loves it.
Use baby steps
This applies to almost anything you train your dog to do. Dogs don't think the same way that we do, and often have trouble applying what they've learned in different situations. Teaching your dog to "stay" typifies this. Say Rex understands that when you look at him and say "stay" then he is supposed stand, sit, or lie still. But perhaps when you do the same thing from the other side of the house, he gets confused or distracted. By inching away from your dog, Rex will begin to put all the different commands (stay from one foot, stay from two feet, stay from 12 feet etc..)into one command. Going to fast often does more damage than good.
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