Obedience training dogs has to do with studying dog psychology.
Mistakes made in dog training are often human mistakes.
It's not intentional of course.
Many dog owners make mistakes unconsciously either due to bad information, reading something somewhere or because that's how their parents did it with the family dog when they were growing up.
Frustration sets in when puppies have "little accidents" in the house, or grown dogs refuse to come when called or are over-friendly with people for attention,.
Regardless of which obedience training method you subscribe to, there are some easily made mistakes which, if avoided, will make the learning process much more enjoyable and fun for owner and dog! 1.
When your dog comes to you when you call him, he then gets a "punished".
Your dog is having loads of fun at the park and he comes after you call, you reward his good behavior by putting him on a leash and taking him home.
Is it any great mystery why your dog thinks twice about coming when you call him next? A good way to to avoid this happening is to occasionally command your dog to come to you while he is playing, praising or rewarding him and send him back to play.
Having done this every so often, your dog will have learned to come without hesitation when you call and won't think that the fun is going to end.
2.
Sticking your dog's nose in his poop or pee to house-train him.
When you think about it, you are not cross with what the dog as done, just that he has done it in the wrong place.
Rubbing his nose in it or whacking him with a rolled up magazine will only confuse your dog.
This can result in your dog performing his bodily functions where it will not be so easy to find, behind the furniture or in another hiding place.
Your dog may drink his urine or eat his excrement (coprophagia) to avoid your your reaction.
Never tell off a dog pooping or peeing in the wrong place after the deed is done.
Correction will only be understood by the dog if it is done when the dog is caught in the act.
It would achieve nothing by hitting the dog but firmly say NO! or OUT!, and immediately remove the dog outside.
Once outside, it is important to stay with the dog and then be full of praise when he has finished.
3.
Ignoring bad behavior such as jumping, chewing and snarling.
Unfortunately, many owners either think their dog will out grow this bad behavior or, worse, do not see it as a problem but think that it is just a normal developmental phase.
Jumping, chewing and baring teeth at family members are not normal stages of a dog's development, but bad behavior which should not be ignored.
Teach your dog that this is bad by reinforcing him the correct behavior in social situations.
4.
Letting your dog be the boss.
You need control.
Assuming control is the most essential thing you should do when obedience training dogs.
However it may grate with people of liberal attitudes, an owner/dog relationship is never an equal one.
You need to be the boss and your dog has to recognise this.
In fact, a dog is happier when his place in the pack is clear.
If you don't get this right, you will end up, at best, having a difficult relationship with your pet and, at worst, an aggressive animal with sharp teeth over which you have no control.
One easy habit to implement right at the start is making your dog sit before before you put his food in front of him.
He then recognises that you are the boss of the pack.
There are many other ways to ensure that you dog is suitably subservient.
These are important lessons to get across as early as possible.
5.
Bringing your dog into the house immediately after he has been to the toilet.
Its snowing and cold and your dog wanted to go out to use the toilet but he is just taking his time sniffing, doing doggy stuff and generally taking an age to decide the best place for his pee or poop.
In the meantime you are getting colder and more annoyed.
Partly this is normal dog behavior.
he is discovering scents he is picking up and that will often determine where he goes to the toilet as a territory marking exercise as well as a bodily function.
He will also take his time, however, if he has learned that as soon as he has finished he is whisked inside again.
Yes, dogs can be sneaky! the solution is; be sneakier! Teach your dog that as soon as he has finished he has a reward rather than something he sees as a drag.
That way you will get your dog to go out to the toilet almost on cue.