Our pets rely on us to feed and bath them, give them comfort and direction, provide them with stimulation and socialization, and to protect them from harm. So why do some pet owners skip hiring a professional dog trainer?
Training plays an important role in helping us to become responsible dog owners. It makes it possible for us to entertain our dogs with tricks and games; introduce them to other dogs and people; live a less anxious and worried life; and to avoid self-harm. It’s tail-wagging time that training becomes a top priority when buying or adopting a dog. Let’s “paws” for a few training candidate scenarios.
Big dog, big problems? Do you walk down the street with your 100+ dog jumping and pulling both of you into dangerous situations? You’ve had many close calls as your dog drags you steps from the street and speeding cars.
Chewie on the loose? Maybe you’re the proud parent of a new puppy and find his excessive chewing not only draining on your wallet, but also on your nerves. You live in constant fear that your new cutie has eaten something dangerous or even lethal.
Too old to train? Maybe you believe your old dog can’t learn new tricks? Well, you’ll want to read about Mac, a rescue dog Purr’n Pooch’s President Dick Palazzo trained to love and trust again. Last year, this arthritic senior walked up a flight of stairs to save his family from a fire. Read his miraculous story on our blog and in the upcoming April issue of Dog Fancy magazine.
One of these stories may be familiar to you or you may have your own “tail” of woe to share. Let’s focus, however, on the positive and enroll your dog in training classes in 2014. A New Year means a new opportunity to learn to communicate more effectively by understanding what motivates certain behaviors, how to read canine body language, and more. There are some simple things you can keep in mind to ensure that you and your dog have a positive and successful training experience.
7 Tips for a Positive and Successful Dog Training Experience:
1. Consider your dog’s environment. Hire a trainer based on what works for you. Group and private classes at home and at training centers are widely available. For what to look for in a dog trainer, visit the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and consider Purr’n Pooch’s team as an option.
2. Customize your training according to dog’s age and ability. Do not set your dog up for failure with a cookie cutter training experience. Like people, every dog has had a different set of life experiences that come through in its behaviors.
3. Be consistent. Have everyone in the household on the same page even the children. If everyone teaches the dog the behaviors in the same way, they are more likely to learn faster.
4. Reward positive behavior. When your dog does what you want, praise him verbally and in the beginning give him a treat. Make a big deal about the positive and ignore bad behavior. Pets are like children, any sort of reaction could be mistrued as a reward.
5. Make it fun. Let’s face it if we aren’t having fun doing something we are likely to give up and move on. Join a training class with your furry best friend and hang out with other people who share the same experiences of dog life.
6. Build a lifelong bond. By training with your dog on a regular basis and making it a fun and rewarding experience, you’ll build a bond with your dog that will last a lifetime.
Training at Purr’n Pooch
Group training for puppies and adolescents are held at the Purr’n Pooch training hall at 86 Gilbert Street West in Tinton Falls, NJ. For more information on private training information or with any questions, place call 732-842-4949 or email info@purrnpooch.com.
Wishing you and your dog a stress-free 2014 enjoying all the things you love to do together from walks on the beach to socializing with new friends at the dog park. With some training and time, you’ll be ready to showoff your dog’s good behavior and hard work in no time.