Training Your Small Dog
If you pick a small dog breed as your pet, I bet it is probably because you just want a little companion to hang out with inside your home. Because your pet will be sharing your living space, the obedience training for your small dog is very important.
Often a smaller dog is both intelligent and headstrong, and will probably try to test you to see how much they can get away with. Make sure you do a good job training your small pet-to show him how is in charge.
Training your dog when he is just a puppy is the best way to get started-thus avoiding any habituated bad behavior problems. A group puppy training class is the very best way to go, if you have a new pet.
In addition to beginning to train your new pet, the group puppy training classes also do the import job of socializing the puppies. Socializing your puppy helps him avoid becoming aggressive later on. By being in social groupings with other people and their puppies, he learns more about appropriate social behavior. In nature, this feedback is how the puppies learn what there place is within their packs.
Isolation from contact with other dogs and people increase the chances of a dog growing up to become aggressive. In order to stop this from happening you will have to give your dog lots of guidance- and obedience training is the best way to do that. Do a good job of training your little pal, and you will also be able to correct other behavior problems common to excitable smaller breeds, such as excessive barking and nipping.
Just like with the larger breeds, use only positive reinforcement training techniques when training your smaller dog. Be sure never to use harsher correction techniques, such as hitting or yelling at your dog. These harsher techniques will end up hurting your training efforts and are not good for helping your dog trust you.
Good dog obedience training programs teach you how dogs communicate to each other. By understanding your little pet’s world view, you will know how to avoid the very common training mistakes everyone makes.
By training your dog using techniques a dog can easily relate to, you will have the key to getting the results you want. By avoiding mistakes, you will earn your dog’s respect and trust and become the Alpha dog. As soon as your dog recognizes you as the Alpha dog, he will want to follow your lead.
It is not uncommon for smaller dogs to show aggression or excessive barking problems. These behaviors are a nuisance, but can be easily enough corrected through a good training regimen. If you let them, an aggressive little dog can try to control the whole household.
Make sure you remain positive and consistent with your training exercises-giving lots of praise and rewards for doing a good job. You want to encourage your pet with positive rewards so he is eager to do the right thing. In order to get good results with the training sessions, repeat the basic obedience training exercises several times each day. Each session should be limited to about 10-15 minutes. Be sure to stick with the training, and before long your small dog will be showing off to the big dogs. Naturally, the better behaved a dog he is, the happier your household will be.
Obedience training, whether you have a small dog or a big one, is the key to having a great companion . Do the training right the first time, and avoid making mistakes that don’t really train your dog all the way.
To find the best dog obedience training program for you, please click here to read my reviews of the 5 best on-line dog training programs. Best Dog Training Programs Reviewed.
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