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Training Techniques
There are lots of benefits of correctly training our pets. It gives them freedom to enjoy the things they love the most like running off lead and socialising with other dogs and people, as well as being safe and under control in all circumstances. Continue reading to learn how to prepare for training your new pet.
Dr Roger Mugford is a close friend of petplace and has attended many events with us, like our recent opening of our Llangefni store. Dr Mugford speaks highly of our dogs parks and its benefits and has even held a training day with us.
Busting the myth 💥
Some people believe that old dogs cannot be taught new tricks/commands. However, this is not the case, older dogs, in fact, can learn new signals and commands. This is because dogs are instinctively good learners. They are naturally inquisitive and investigative and are eager to grasp new experiences. Dogs are always observing their environment and responding to what they hear or see. Young pups may be more actively curious, but dogs never stop learning.
Additionally, it is argued that adult dogs are often easier to train because they are not as active. Moreover, older dogs are not as easily distracted as puppies and can focus for longer periods. This ability to concentrate allows them to learn new routines more easily.
Training Essentials 🦮
The best time to start training a new puppy is as soon as they have settled into their new home. The essentials for training new pups are; a collar, a lead and some treats! The Control of Dogs Order 1992 states that any dog in a public place is required to wear a collar. It is required that the collar has the owner’s name, address and postcode on it. It’s best to start introducing collars to your new pup as soon as possible so that they can get used to the feeling.
Additionally, having your dog lead training is a good idea as some green spaces and footpaths in the UK do not allow off-lead dogs. Having a lead-trained dog is also beneficial for teaching your dog street smarts and not to pull. Treats are a powerful training tool as they help to keep your dog focused. In addition to this, treats can be used as a reward when training. Like all animals, puppies will repeat a behaviour that has a good result. Any behaviour that a puppy or adult dog frequently shows is most likely because they gained some benefit from it at some point. We recommend taking a look at our Petplace website to see what collars, leads and treats are best for your pet. We recommend the Halti headcollar as it helps to train your dog to stop pulling on the lead. The Halti headcollar is the first of its kind, it’s lightweight and designed for dog comfort and safety.
Dr Roger Mugfords articles suggest that their Coachi clicker is an easy-to-use, beneficial training tool when training new puppies. What makes a Coachi clicker unique is that it works for recall training and distance control. A clicker is a beneficial training tool as it gives a quick, clear and consistent signal to your pet.
https://www.farmandpetplace.co.uk/shop/search-results.html?searchvalue=clicker
Basic Commands 🐾
By incorporating commands into regular playtimes, you can teach your pet some simple tricks like ‘sit’, ‘down’, ‘paw’ and more. To teach your pet to sit, have your dog in a standing position, and hold one of Petplace’s tasty treats near their nose, we recommend Fish4dogs training puppy bites (see link below), they are super tasty and healthy for any growing pup. Keeping the treat near your dog’s nose, move your hand in an arc over his head. As the dog raises his head to follow the treat, his bottom will go on the floor. The instant he sits, praise him and give him the treat. By speaking the word sit as you move your hand, over time your dog will associate the word sit with putting his bottom to the floor. According to several behavioural measures, it is said that a dog’s mental abilities are similar to a human child aged 2-3 years old.
Chewing and Biting 🦴
All new pups tend to bite and chew as a way of exploring their environment and this is normal behaviour. Biting and chewing are not something that dogs will necessarily grow out of either. If they learn that biting is a good way to get their owner’s attention then this is something that could stick way into adulthood. Puppies need to learn from an early age that biting and mouthing at people is an unacceptable behaviour and not something that brings rewarding outcomes. Dr Roger Mugford’s articles claim that this doesn’t mean punishing them, however, it means that we need to make it an unsuccessful behaviour whilst providing an alternative that is acceptable and rewarding. Some constructive disciplinary techniques can be time outs, removing items such as toys, ignoring behaviour and interrupting negative behaviour with a vocal interrupter.
As well as this, a new puppy will not know that it is wrong to chew items that are within their reach, so it’s best to place all precious or dangerous items out of reach, on a short-term basis at least. Items like furniture can be tempting for new puppies to chew on, however, this can be treated with one of the readily available anti-chew products available in our petplace stores and online. We recommend setting your puppy up for success by providing them with chews and toys to teeth on rather than waiting for them to start chewing your belongings. Click on the link below to view what products we offer.
https://www.farmandpetplace.co.uk/shop/products/pet/dog/dog-toys/puppy-toys/page-1.html
Bonding 🧡
A strong bond between dog and owner can never be overestimated. Having a strong bond allows your dog to trust and feel safe and comfortable around you, which means they will listen better to given commands. With time and effort, your bond with your pet will become unbreakable, however, there’s never a point at which you should stop trying to strengthen your bond.
Some dogs will require a longer bonding time, for example, rescued dogs. To know if you and your pet share a strong bond, they will make prolonged eye contact, get excited when you come home, respond to your commands, display relaxed body language, and seek physical attention. If your dog is showing these signs, then you are doing a good job as a pet owner!
Most dog owners consciously work at building their bond with feeding, training, cuddling, playing and grooming. However, there is more you can do. There’s mental enrichment, understanding dog body language, giving them a space to call their own, and consistency. Mental enrichment is anything that makes a dog use their brain to figure out how to solve a problem for a reward like puzzle mats and treat dispensers.
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