Paciencajolly's Blog

Choosing to train your dog yourself does not come without its pitfalls, but the benefits outweigh the inconveniences ten fold. Not only will your bond be stronger but your dog will also trust and respect you even more, reinforcing your status as leader of the pack.

Here are five of the most common mistakes made by would be dog trainers who have not spent enough time researching before trying to train their dog.

Lack of commitment - understand that your dog will not be instantly trained overnight and that you should not give up on their training the first time things don’t go to plan. Be patient and keep up to your dog’s training schedule and things will fall into place.

Using punishment as a training tool - this is a BIG no-no! Spanking, yelling or kicking may feel like the right solution when you are frustrated with your dog, but this can lead to behavioural problems later. By building a positive relationship with your dog, you will be subconsciously enhancing any training you give, because she will try to please you for the love you give in return, so making the training process a lot easier for the both of you.

Not sticking to your training routine - You have got to follow the same procedures over and over before your dog will learn from the training. Also, try to keep things simple and only teach one thing at a time. Once your dog has mastered the first trick or command, build on it and add another. One of the biggest reasons people give up on training their own dog is that they try and do too much at once. By being consistent with your dog during training, they will grasp your commands more quickly.

Having no knowledge of your dog breed - this one really is a sticking point for many would be dog trainers, and is something that should have been considered before even choosing a dog in the first place. Some breeds of dog are inherently difficult to train, some are obstinate and some are just plain dumb (I mean that in the nicest possible way). Research potential breeds to suit your lifestyle and training ability. If you pick a dog breed that is going to be a challenge to train, be prepared for some hard work and maybe even professional training sessions if your efforts prove unsuccessful.

Not making your dog training sessions fun - although being consistent is important, you can at least change the location for your sessions (at home one day, your local park the next). If you are teaching your dog to retrieve, start by alternating the items you want her to fetch. It could be a Frisbee or ball one day and a newspaper or baton the next.

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Here are a few problems you might encounter when you try to housetrain an adult dog:

Marking - more common with entire males. The best solution to this problem is to have the dog neutered, which should calm some of the marking instinct, but you may have to follow up with a watchful eye and some aversive correction

Going in “secret places” - This is most likely the case if the dog has previously been severely punished after soiling in the house. Remember, you have as much responsibility as your dog here. Make sure you set a feeding/watering schedule and stick to it. Always stay with your dog when taking her out to potty, so you can praise when she does - That is how she knows what is the right place to go!

Peeing or pooping because of stress or anxiety - if you have taken on a rescue dog, remember that they may have spent quite some time in kennels and are probably worried they might end up back there, so they may be more prone to separation anxiety. You also have to give them time to get used to their new home, so restrict where they are allowed and gradually introduce them to different areas of your home so it doesn’t overwhelm them

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Try making your puppy’s first introduction to its new crate a fun activity by placing its favorite toys in the crate. If your dog is finding it difficult to sleep in its crate, give him/her a chewy toy at nighttimes, this will keep them occupied till they fall asleep. Toys can play a big part when crate training a puppy. Toys can be use for rewarding good behavior when crate training your puppy or dog.

Record the times when your dog likes to potty, e.g. in the mornings, after meals, when excited etc, then use these times to encourage your puppy to go “potty” outside. Rarely will dogs intentionally soil where they sleep.

If their crate isn’t too big, dogs are more receptive to going outside. Crate training a puppy boosts your dog’s potty training significantly. Make crate training your puppy and dog fun and rewarding, never punish your dog when he/she has an accident in their crate.

One of the major goals of crate training a puppy is to teach your dog that his or her crate is their special place where they can feel safe and secure. Crate Training is not about punishing your dog by banishing them to their crate for hours on end. Dogs may resist crate training and their crate at first, but it will be worth it in the end. While crate training a puppy is not difficult, you’ll need to be persistent.

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