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10 most common mistakes in training your dog

You do your best and your dog is still not listening? Very frustrating? We can promise you one thing. Your dog is not stupid! So what is wrong? 123Tinki.com will explain you everything about the 10 most common mistakes in training your dog.

1. Lack of Attention

Even though it sounds very logical this mistake happens very often. Before you start the training session, your dog has to look at you. The training cannot start without this criterium fulfilled.

How do you get the dog’s attention? You can walk away from the distraction, call your dog in a cheerful way and you can use a delicious treat. As soon as you have the eye contact you can resume the training.

2. Lack of Motivation

The motivation is the key to success. Why would your dog do something for you? Some dogs are easy to motivate and a treat is enough. Some dogs are happy to get a compliment for their owner, some think of throwing a ball as a reward. Maybe a piece of cheese is not good, maybe it should be a sausage? Or the other way around.

You have to test what is your dog reacting to. If you find out that there are several items, swap them from time to time to keep them interesting.

3. Bad Timing of the Reward

If you want to teach your dog something and he finally does it or he only makes a move in the right direction, then you reward that. Realize that your dog speaks a different language and can not guess what you want him to do.

If you are rewarding your dog, for example, because he has sat down very nicely and he gets up, stop rewarding immediately! Although he did a good job so far, he decided to stop without your agreement. Teach yourself that you are getting  immediately silent when your dog ends the exercise by himself.

Do not give a command to something he is still learning. Do not mention the command until the dog actually performs the desired behavior.

4. Frustration

When you try your dog to teach the ‘sit’ command and he is not doing it. Or he have been shaking your hand before but now seems to have no clue what are you asking for. Understandably it is frustrating for you. Your dog immediately feels that you are getting annoyed and this will only counteract. Give your dog some time to process the information and if necessary take a step back to an easier exercise.

5. Hyperactivity

If your dog behaves completely crazy while you trying to train him, it is a signal he has too much energy. You should prepare your dog. First let him use the excess of energy while playing. Secondly calm him down by simply sitting next to him and petting him. Inhale and exhale. Have a patience to you dog.

6. Your Dog Gets Scared and You Are Not Confident

If you try to help your dog to overcome a fear, but become insecure yourself, your dog will feel that and will only become more anxious. You are the person your dog should trust, so be confident and lead your dog slowly step by step.

7. Asking too Much at Once

Learning new things requires a lot from a dog and if you ask too much at once, the dog will be overwhelmed. Some dogs just show that they are tired, that is easy to spot. Other dogs start to behave badly or even show aggression and they are not focussing on you anymore. So make sure you stop training in time.

8. Stop when the dog succeeded

Make sure you always stop an exercise when something goes well, even if it is something very small. If you close the exercise at the wrong time, the dog learns much less comparing to the time when you close the exercise at the right time. Always end with a positive experience!

9. Lack of Understanding

If your dog does not understand you, he does not understand you in this period. Then you have to come up with a different way of teaching. Not every dog ​​is the same and not every dog ​​reacts the same to certain a method of training.

10. Your dog can only do it at home or at the dog school

The fact that your dog can do something only at home, in a safe quiet environment or at the dog school, the place where you always practice together,  is not that strange. Try to train and practice in as many places as possible so that your dog understands and gets used to different environments. Then he will listen to you anywhere you go.

Tinki

Written by Tinki in Dog education

123Tinki.com

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