How to make a dog obedient and well-mannered is all about pet training. How to start training a dog at home Training an adult dog at home

If you plan to start training with a puppy, then the best age to learn the basics is 4 months. Success depends on the following factors:

1. Motivation. In order for the dog to join the process of training with pleasure, it is necessary to interest it in this. Therefore, each correct execution of the command should be rewarded with treats, praise and stroking.

Timing - it is important to give a reward in the form of a treat or praise with a stroke - only after the command is completed, but IMMEDIATELY. If you delay with a treat, the dog will not associate it with the action performed, the effect of reinforcing the command will not work. If the dog has not completed the command to the end and receives a reward before this moment, it will also not learn to follow the commands correctly.

Negative motivation or negative reinforcement is used only to stop unwanted (wrong or even dangerous) dog behavior. However, if the dog complied with the command, albeit not immediately, being distracted in the process or after several repetitions, but nevertheless complied to the end, many scold the dog, which should never be done. For example, if you gave the command “Come to me!”, the dog was stubborn for a long time, but after 5 minutes it still came up - you can’t scold the dog, otherwise it will understand this as a suppression of unwanted behavior and will stop coming at all. You will achieve the opposite effect, which will be difficult to correct.

2. The readiness of the animal to work. In order for classes to be productive, the following factors must be taken into account:

• The puppy should be slightly hungry. This will make him try to win the treat and actively complete tasks. A well-fed pet has much lower motivation, besides, after eating, you can’t load the puppy, because active games, running and jumping can cause intestinal volvulus;
• before class, you need to take your pet for a walk so that he goes to the toilet. Natural urges distract dogs from the training process.

3. Favorable weather conditions. If the weather is too hot outside, then you should move the dog training to the early morning, when there is no scorching sun. Otherwise, the animal will become lethargic, it will be difficult for him to concentrate on the tasks assigned to him. Also, do not work with your pet in the rain, because. he will be distracted by the abundance of new smells.

4. External stimuli. They must be introduced gradually, as the command is mastered. The first dog training is best done in a quiet place away from people, roads, places for walking other animals, so that the pet is not distracted. For starters, you can try to give commands at home.

5. The mood of the owner. When training a dog, it is necessary to have a calm and friendly tone, even if the animal fails over and over again. Your negative reaction may discourage your pet from further training. The more you get mad at him while executing the command, the more he gets confused. Reconsider your methodology, perhaps you are making a mistake in something that prompts him to act incorrectly. For example, when teaching the "down" command, inexperienced trainers hold a piece of treat away from the dog's muzzle, which causes it to crawl towards it.

What commands are useful to learn at home?

If you intend to pass the standards for OKD or ZKS, then all the necessary information about the rules for conducting tests can be found on the website of the RKF (Russian Kennel Federation).

If you conduct dog training classes just to make the animal manageable and make it easier to live with him in society (calmly walk the streets so that he adequately responds to all external stimuli, etc.), then you should teach him the following commands :

• "to me";
• "sit";
• "lie";
• "place";
• "ugh";
• "beside";
• "voice";
• "Aport".

These commands are easy to learn - you will be able to conduct training yourself, successfully teaching them to your dog. But under no circumstances should you try to independently master the ZKS course with your pet. Its study should take place only under the guidance of a professional cynologist and after passing the OKD. Otherwise, you can damage the dog's psyche by such training, making it cowardly or overly aggressive. Only a specialist can correctly “put” an animal on a sleeve, teach it to react to a swing, etc. Those who neglect these rules and conduct such training at home, most often then euthanize their pet, because it becomes dangerous, and its behavior cannot be controlled. No self-respecting cynologist will undertake to train an ZKS dog without first completing the OKD course. This is comparable to giving a five-year-old child a loaded machine gun.

Dog training is something that owners of these smartest animals face. And do not think that highly intelligent service dogs are already born with work skills, and hunting dogs can immediately follow the trail of prey. In order for the dog to show obedience, respect and perform even difficult tricks, the owner will need a lot of time, effort and patience.

When can you start training?

When a puppy appears in the house, the owners have many questions. And one of them: at what age can a puppy be trained? And rightly so, it should be set as early as possible so as not to miss time.

A baby can learn the first skills and rules of behavior from the first days of his appearance in a new house. From 1 month. And do not think that a funny toddler with a cute face is not able to master commands. In the period from 1 to 3 months, the pet can learn to respond to its name, recognize its place, bring objects and give them away.

At the same time, it is necessary to decide whether it will be training a puppy at home or whether the help of professionals will be required. Owners should evaluate their capabilities and skills in this area, determine what, in addition to obedience, they expect from their pet.

In addition, breed characteristics, dog size, character and other nuances are important. So what is the right way to raise a puppy?

What are the rules for dog training?

Before starting to teach basic skills to a pet, every owner must understand the truth: there are no stupid dogs. You should not think that raising a dog belonging to the smartest breeds is easier than a dog with an average intelligence. Indeed, with the wrong approach, the pet will use the mind and cunning to avoid learning.

When something goes wrong with a puppy, you can’t blame everything on his weak mental abilities. Perhaps dog training is too tough for the owner.

How can you make this process as comfortable and efficient as possible? First of all, a novice trainer should take care of a calm environment in which the puppy will not be distracted or frightened, and it is best to start training in familiar, home conditions. In addition, other aspects are important:

• what kind of praise is better to use;
• what mistakes should be avoided;
• how to learn to better understand your four-legged friend?

To understand how to train a dog at home, cynologists recommend the following stable dogmas:

1. Puppies, like adult dogs, find it difficult to perceive words that are difficult to pronounce and contain many syllables, especially if the owner does not pronounce them expressively. Commands should be pronounced clearly and moderately loudly.
2. The duration of the first lessons should not exceed 10 minutes, while approaches can be done 2-3 per day.
3. Each lesson begins with repetitions of already acquired knowledge.
4. Before training, the dog should be given time to frolic so that the dog gets rid of excess energy and calms down.
5. Do not train dogs immediately after eating, late in the evening and if the pet has just woken up. In these situations, you should wait for a more convenient time.
6. As a rule, raising a puppy combines both reward and punishment. But rough physical impact is not recommended: to beat, grab by the scruff of the neck or scream. To the trainer in a rather strict voice, say: it’s bad, it’s impossible, ah-ah-ah, or to shame in other words.
7. Quite effective is dog training at home, which takes place in a playful way: the good mood of all participants is the key to fruitful work.
8. You can not force a puppy and force him to follow commands. The process will be more fruitful if he is interested.
9. Praise naturally helps in learning and should not be stingy: the dog responds well to the joyful voice of the owner.
10. You can train a dog if you say the command 1-2 times. Saying a hundred times phrases like “fu, fu …” not only do not give a positive result, but also allow the pet not to strive to quickly complete tasks.
11. In order to reap the benefits of raising a dog up to a year as early as possible, you should deal with your pet every day so that he does not forget the knowledge he has already gained. Do not think that it will take a lot of time: 1 repetition course lasts an average of 10 minutes.

Experts warn that if you do not pay attention to such trifles, you can make mistakes, which will be very difficult to correct.

If you plan to train the dog on your own, then it is worth remembering that these animals are very sensitive to changes in the owner's mood: they are able to pick up irritated notes in the voice, respond to sharp gestures. Therefore, cynologists suggest where to start training - with a good mood and a friendly attitude towards the pet, and it does not matter if it is a big dog or a tiny baby.

The first knowledge acquired by a pet

We have already managed to figure out at what age to train a puppy, but what should be the first steps in raising him, if we are talking about the age of 1-3 months?

1. First of all, it is recommended to accustom the pet to cleanliness. However, often used by owners, poking their muzzle into puddles will not give a positive effect. It is worth being patient and watching the baby. As soon as he starts to worry, whine, you should go outside with him. If this cannot be done (for example, when the pet has not been vaccinated), it must be put on a diaper or in a tray.
2. In addition, you need to start training a puppy by teaching him a nickname. To do this, it should be pronounced every time you need to attract the attention of a pet. However, it is impossible to replace the nickname with the command “next!”, It is a signal for the following actions.
3. Then you can begin to give the basics of dog training by inviting your pet to follow the simplest commands. During the games, he can easily master the “near!” command, which is recommended for toddlers of a very early age. It should be said before feeding, and during walking, use a treat as an incentive. As a result of this approach, the dog will associate this phrase exclusively with positive moments. This is a great way to teach your puppy to follow commands without using threats or punishments.
4. If the dog becomes obedient more and more often, it is worth giving him treats less often. But at the same time, we must not forget that the baby must be praised so that he continues to try.

If the puppy is given the necessary knowledge correctly, the rest of the learning process will be easier.

Puppy and leash: how to make training comfortable

Perhaps this is the most serious problem, and it is not uncommon to see how the owners literally drag the poor man who does not want to accept his situation. How to teach a puppy to a leash quickly and painlessly? Step by step plan:

1. Collar introduction. If puppies are tagged almost from birth by wearing a colored thread, and later it is replaced with a collar ribbon, then there will be no problems. Otherwise, you will need to wear this accessory for a while, periodically extending the wear time.
2. Learning to walk on a leash. The first step is to learn how to train your dog on a leash. To do this, it is enough to fasten ammunition at home so that the pet runs with it. Ideally, the baby does not pay attention to this subject, and can run for about half an hour without showing interest in the leash. Usually by 3 months the pet is fully vaccinated, and by this time the owner should know how to raise a puppy in the street. And the first thing that the baby should master for his own safety is movement on a leash. At this important moment, you should be careful and walk next to the puppy, avoiding tension on the leash. If the baby runs in the wrong direction, you can not correct his movement by pulling on the leash. You should pick it up and move it to a safe place. This is one of the axioms of how to properly raise a puppy: he should be given the opportunity to choose a route until he begins to perceive the fastening of a leash as a good sign of an imminent walk.
3. Walking on a leash without pulling it. A well-bred puppy is not worth pulling on his master, so the owner should pay special attention to this moment and choose a weaning method - loyal or tough.

In the first case, you need to stop every time the puppy starts to pull on the leash and wait until he pays attention to the owner. At this time, it is worth treating him with a treat and encouraging him with a kind expression, and then slightly change the course. After 3-4 weeks, the baby will understand that his haste leads to the fact that the movement stops completely.

For large puppies aged 4-5 months, this manipulation can be replaced by a more rigorous method - a jerk.

In this case, it is better to use a children's strict collar with rounded teeth and a leash made of kapron thread as ammunition. The pet should be given 2-3 meters of freedom, but as soon as he starts to pull on the leash, he should be stopped with a jerk. Usually a week is enough for the dog to realize that the tension on the leash is uncomfortable.

In the future, there will be no difficulties how to raise a puppy and teach him to behave on the street, especially if you follow the rules and sequence.

There is another 4 stage - learning to walk nearby. It is recommended to use a free leash for walking until the pet can master the basic commands - fu, place, sit, beside. After that, you can proceed to a more difficult task: to teach the pet the command “near!”. In this case, it is recommended not to overload the dog with activities, otherwise it will be difficult for him to concentrate.

You should seat him next to your left foot, and with your right hand hold the free end of the leash and a treat or toy. Then you need to start moving with the “next!” command, keeping the leash half-taut, preventing the pet from overtaking the owner. The main thing is to understand how to train a puppy and show stamina: any attempts to pull the leash must be stopped immediately!

As soon as the puppy has taken the desired position, he should definitely be praised, and for this it is enough to say “good” and repeat the command so that he understands how he deserved the master's approval.

During 1 walk, 2-3 approaches are enough.

Give me a paw, four-legged friend!

Any well-mannered dog should be ashamed if he does not know the command "give a paw!", and it does not matter how many months or years she is. This task is not so much an indicator of good manners, but a convenient skill that makes it easier to care for a pet.

How to teach a dog the “give paw!” command, and most importantly - why? First of all, the command will come in handy when the pet needs to do a manicure, wash its paws, and inspect the pads. Many tricks contain a similar element. To teach a puppy to give a paw, you can use the following method:

1. Using the “sit!” command, you need to seat the pet in such a way that it can reach the owner without getting up.
2. Then you should take a tidbit in your right hand, show it to the puppy and hold it in your palm.
3. You need to wait until attempts to get to the sweets with the help of the nose are unsuccessful, and the pet will use its paw.
4. As soon as the puppy's limb is on the hand, you need to say the command, and hold the paw for a few seconds.
5. After the foot should be gently lowered, praise the baby and give the earned delicacy.

Now we need to clarify how to teach the dog to give a paw so that he does not forget this command after a few days. It is necessary to refresh the memory of the baby daily, offering him to give a paw 3-4 times, making several approaches a day.

Mastering important commands

Professionals know how to properly train a puppy and can tell you how to do it yourself. Usually, training in basic commands begins at the age of 3–4 months, and the complex includes extremely useful skills that even the most negligent student can master.

"Beside!". Raising an obedient dog without teaching this command is almost impossible. To master it, it is desirable to have an assistant who will hold the puppy in his arms or an adult dog by the collar. The owner should praise the dog and treat it to something tasty, and then ask another person to move the pet 2-3 meters away from him and hold it at such a distance, but so that the dog sees the owner. After 5–10 seconds, the owner commands “close!” and slaps his hand on the thigh, and the assistant releases him.

If the dog refuses to run, then you should lure him with a treat.

When the command is executed correctly, you should praise him for his efforts, and then consolidate the skill by repeating the exercise a few more times.

"Ugh". For a trained dog, obedience is important, and this command allows the owner to correct the behavior and actions of the pet. It should be worked out using the method of coercion, or rather punishment, since such a dog hears only when it behaves incorrectly. Most often, the owners begin to use the word “fu” from the first days of the appearance of a new family member in the house, since the baby immediately takes root in research activities and not always within the framework of what is permitted.

However, serious mastery of this skill falls on a later period: at the age of six months, when the puppy is already familiar with the basic commands and fully trusts its owner. Of course, this is the most unpleasant dog command that limits the rights and freedoms of a pet, so cynologists recommend choosing training individually, based on the characteristics and temperament of the dog.

The main thing is that the goal of interrupting the pet's unwanted encroachments, without putting hands on it, has been achieved.

You can use the following tricks:

1. You should call the puppy by name, and if he ignores, say clearly and strictly “fu!”. After that, you need to call him and lure the game.
2. If the dog's calls to the owner distracted, but not enough to run to him, the owner can tease him with a treat or a toy.
3. When the dog already knows some commands, you can clap your hands, and as soon as the pet is distracted, give him quickly and clearly from the previously mastered tasks. This will certainly confuse the puppy, which means that the result has been achieved.
4. If the dog shows stubbornness and still commits an offense, he should be caught up, restrained and say a few phrases in an upset and offended voice, shamed.

Endurance is the main skill in training, allowing the dog to perform other commands more efficiently, and the owner not to waste time. As for the very concept of exposure, this is the fixation of the adopted position for the required period, that is, the dog will sit or lie down until the owner gives the go-ahead.

Additional commands

First you need to bring the dog to a pre-selected place, command “sit!”, And when the dog sits down, add “wait!” After the owner should slowly back away from the pet, and if he is going to move in his direction, he repeats: “sit, wait!”.

For the first attempts, 5-6 steps are enough, and if the puppy showed restraint, you should immediately return to the dog, encourage and let go, giving the command “walk!” The initial exposure time is 10 seconds, but it should be gradually increased, as well as the distance. The farther the owner goes, the more time it takes for him to return.

Education of the dog at the initial stage - do not take your eyes off the pet, and as soon as he is about to jump up, repeat the command in time. If the puppy shows excitement and cannot sit still for a second, he must be returned to his original place, calmed down and calmly proceed to training.

"Sit!". A basic skill that is the starting position of many commands. His dogs remember very quickly, as this is a comfortable position for dogs that does not require any effort.

One has only to help the pet several times by saying “sit!”, slightly pressing on the croup area, and when the dog sits down, treat him and praise him so that he understands what is required of him. Subsequently, consolidation of the skill will be required, but after 5–7 days the pet will perform this simple task perfectly.

Adult dog training

It is believed that the easiest way to raise an animal in puppyhood, and there is some truth in this. But what if the pet got into the house a little later? Do not despair and give up. How to train an adult dog?

They describe a number of subtleties that are best taken into account so that training and education does not become stressful for a new family member:

1. There are various rules for dog training, among them there is one that indicates that if the pet has just appeared in the family, you do not need to download it from the first days. You need to wait for the pet to calm down and get used to new people and surroundings.
2. Training an adult dog at home will not be successful if the owner does not confirm his authority and establish contact with his pet.
3. Raising a dog that has already received a certain, not always positive experience is a difficult task. Therefore, if the knowledge and experience do not allow you to train dogs on your own, you should seek professional help.
4. If the owner is ready to learn himself in order to choose the best technique for his pet, then it is worth looking for theoretical dog training lessons that include modern approaches without traditional rewards and punishments. In most cases, a change of owners is a huge stress for these animals, so harsh methods can only increase the dog's nervousness.

How to train a dog using the latest stimulus-response technique based on the work of I.P. Pavlov? This method helps to teach an adult pet commands, developing conditioned reflexes based on innate ones. In order to develop a conditioned reflex in a pet, experts recommend buying a clicker in the pet products department - a box, pressing on which you can hear a click.

Like puppy training, dog training begins with practicing familiar material. In addition, you should provide a calm environment and comfortable conditions. After a couple of days, you can replace homework with street workouts.

As soon as the pet begins to correctly execute commands, after each success, you need to reward the pet and click on the clicker.

This contributes to the development of a conditioned reflex: task completion - click - get a treat.

Owners may wonder when to start introducing distractions? You can do this when the dog has tangible progress. If he is distracted during training, then he should not be punished for this, just press the clicker, thereby returning the attention of the animal.

As soon as the dog understands that obedience is well rewarded and it is worth being more active, the clicker is no longer needed. Do not forget that for puppies, it takes less time to master tasks than for an adult animal, so you should not demand the impossible from your pet.

When purchasing a four-legged friend, the owner should not be afraid that he does not know how to raise dogs. In fact, most pets need a strong hand and a consistent approach, and this is enough to make the dog obedient and willing to follow commands. If you got a less accommodating individual, the owners always have the opportunity to turn to professionals for help.

When a puppy is brought into the house, many people worry about the vaccinations and diet of their new acquisition. But from the very first days, he must be properly educated and gradually accustomed to the necessary commands. If you put it off, then later you will have to deal with retraining the puppy, and this is not always easy. Consider how to properly educate and train a puppy for training at home.

When to start

You can start training a dog of any age, but, of course, puppies will be easier to train than an adult. At whatever age you bring a puppy into the house, you need to start raising him from the very beginning of his stay with you.

First, give the baby some time to get used to an unfamiliar environment, and then teach him the nickname and the rules of the hostel. Up to three months, you can train your puppy on your own by teaching him the commands, “Give!” and start learning the command "Aport!" (optional). If he has mastered these commands, then from the age of three months you can gradually add new ones. Full training usually begins at four months.

Of course, some puppies learn faster, others more slowly, but all this is individual. Ill-bred and untrained dogs of large breeds can be simply dangerous, including for you.

Dogs are social creatures and communication, training is only for the benefit of both them and you.

Proper upbringing and training of a puppy will help to raise an intelligent family member who:

• will go to the toilet correctly;
• will not steal food from the table and spoil your things;
• make noise, bark and howl when not necessary;
• know your place, do not climb into your bed;
• be safe for others, including children;
• will be an excellent travel companion;
• with it it will be possible to receive guests and other strangers;
• serve you faithfully and be a devoted friend.

Did you know? The most trainable breed is the border collie. This dog has excellent attention span, which makes training very easy, but it requires constant activity, which can be a problem. Therefore, many beginners stop their attention on the poodle - the second most trainable dog in the world. In addition, she can be kept in an apartment and her coat is hypoallergenic. Next on the list are: German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Sheltie, Labrador Retriever, Papillon, Doberman, Rottweiler and Australian Shepherd.

The time and patience you put into training your pet will save a lot of your time and nerves in the future.

Basic rules of education

It is important to establish contact with the baby, showing him attention and care. To establish this connection, it will be better if one owner takes care of the puppy, and not all family members.

Your methods of work should cause only positive emotions in the puppy (weasel, encouragement, play are suitable).

It is also better to immediately show firmness to the pupil and show who is the boss in the house, so as not to fight with him later for leadership.
In this case, you can observe some features adopted in the flock:

• Start eating first, and feed the dog after everyone has eaten and do not give her pieces from the table, no matter how plaintively she asks. The pack leader in nature always eats first.
• Don't let the dog in front of you from the street. When you enter your home, you must not let the dog go ahead of you, even if it breaks. Use "brake" commands.
• Always be a winner. Even during playful games with a pet, you must be “on top”, win. You also have to start and end the game.
• Execution of commands. The dog must always be required to complete the commands.
• Place. The dog must know its place and not sleep with you. She must also know that her place in the pack is for her wife and children, otherwise, in your absence, they will not be able to get obedience from her.
• Punishment. Without it, you are unlikely to manage, but physical punishment should be excluded. The maximum is a puppy's slap on the croup, and then only at a young age. Over time, the command “Fu!” Will be enough for the dog. But at first, you can’t do without a slap on the pope. Do not use your palm at the same time, the owner's hands should evoke only positive emotions - these are feeding and stroking hands. Use a twig or rolled up newspaper. Accompany this punishment with the word "Fu!" and a piercing displeased look in the eyes.

Stop bad behavior with a sharp and displeased tone (some owners, at first, even growl at puppies, imitating the behavior of a mother dog).

Proper upbringing is the most important thing to start with for successful subsequent training of a puppy.

The main education of a puppy up to three months should be aimed at achieving the following goals:

• Learning to name. Call your pet by its name as soon as you bring it. The fastest he will get used to it in the process of feeding. Show the baby a plate of food and affectionately call him the chosen nickname. When he gets comfortable and starts running to the kitchen at your call, start calling him to you.

• . The pet is up to three months old, until the time of quarantine after vaccinations has passed, and the bladder is still weak, they are taught to go to a certain place in the room (newspaper, diaper, tray). You need to immediately determine the place where exactly he went, and lay a newspaper there or put a tray convenient for him. Until the baby is accustomed to the place of the toilet, all carpets and paths should be removed. Sometimes they sell him already accustomed to walking on a newspaper or in a tray, then the animal is taken to a prepared place some time after eating. When the puppy is ready to walk, do it first after each feeding and do not leave the street until he recovers. Then praise him and encourage him.

• Place. The dog in the house should have its own place for sleeping, resting and solitude. It must be chosen where no one will disturb the pet and there are no drafts. Put a bed in there and take the baby as soon as he starts to fall asleep.

• Learning to inspect. Practically from infancy, dogs need to be taught to be examined, so that later the veterinarian can safely perform all the manipulations. Look into the puppy's ears, open the mouth and touch the fangs, examine the eyes, inspect and, if necessary, trim the claws. Do not let him growl at you at the same time, stop any aggression on his part. Do this often, sometimes, if necessary, combine with hygiene procedures.

• Solving Behavior Problems. Of course, the baby will have undesirable behavioral reactions for you. Don't close your eyes to them. It is necessary to wean a dog from them from childhood. Always stop unwanted behavior and reward good behavior.

• Getting used to transport. Car owners need to take their pet by car not only to the veterinarian, but also out of town or to the park. You should first make sure that the puppy went to the toilet and calmed down.

• Leash training. First, the baby needs to be taught to the collar, and then to the leash, which are a must when walking on the street.

Important! Don't say the puppy's name when you punish him. Never punish your dog for puddles and piles in the wrong place. It is better to look him in the eye and say “fu” in a clearly displeased tone. Hide from him the things you need that he can chew on, and offer toys. For damaged things, do not yell and do not punish - it was you who hid them badly. For natural and playful behavior, jumping on their feet and biting will be punished unfairly - at this age they cannot behave differently.

You also need to create a routine for the puppy: feed and walk at the same time. For eating, he must have his own place and his own bowls for food and drink.

Basic rules of training

The basic rules for training a puppy largely overlap with the basic rules for raising a puppy.

Here is their list:

• Forbid and do not allow to do what is impossible. No matter how sorry you feel for this ball of wool, it would be better if you immediately teach him to sleep and eat separately, and the latter only after you. It is forbidden to growl at you while eating, bark at any occasion, bite your hands and clothes, etc.

• Do not cancel your orders. If you give a command, do not stop, demand its implementation, no matter how long you have to wait and achieve this with explanations and encouragement. Otherwise, your orders will remain empty words for the puppy.
• Do not call the dog by name when punishing, you can not deceive. If you call the dog for punishment, while mentioning its name, then in the future the animal will simply refuse to approach. Also, you can’t lure a puppy into an unpleasant procedure by deception, with the help of commands that are pleasant for him.
• If the dog does not follow the command correctly, then you are to blame.. When a dog follows the “down” command at the “down” command, it means that you have taught it the wrong way. Review your training methods, consult an experienced dog handler, but do not be angry with the dog.

• Take care of your dog and its health. Dogs of any age cannot tell if they are in pain. Therefore, carefully monitor their behavior and well-being. If the animal whines all the time, curls up in a ball, aggression and nervousness appear, it needs to be shown to the veterinarian.
• Do not demand the impossible from a dog. Do not expect the puppy to immediately understand what is required of him, be patient. Try to explain everything to the baby as clearly as possible and do not swear if he does not understand you. Try again and again.
• Better to underestimate than overestimate. You should not expect much from the puppy's abilities. Even if the pet pleases you with exemplary behavior, be prepared for the fact that this will not always be the case. He may rush across the road or just want to bite his hand, so always be on the lookout.
• dog respect. To lose the love and respect of a puppy is to ruin everything. Shouting, swearing and aggressive unreasonable behavior on your part will lead you to lose your leadership status. Some breeds of dogs may hold a grudge for such behavior and subsequently retaliate.

Important! Beginners should not start their acquaintance with dogs by buying a puppy of the following breeds: Caucasian and Central Asian Shepherd Dogs, Rottweiler, Moscow Watchdog, Chinese Shar Pei, Dachshund, Doberman, Dalmatian, Siberian Husky. Some of them are not simple in nature, aggressive, others are difficult to care for.

How to start training a puppy

From the first days in the new house, it is already possible to start training puppies, and we will now find out in what order to study the commands. First of all, the dog is taught to the nickname, to the place and to the command “Come to me!” When they are called to the kitchen to eat or want to play with it.

Gradually, this list expands and appears in it: “Fu!”, “Sit!”, “Next!”, “Lie down!”, “Stand!” etc.
Be sure to continue training outside, as the puppy will follow commands at home, and in a different environment may stop doing it.

For the first lessons, it is better to choose a place where nothing will distract your pet, and over time, take it to places where irritants will be present: people, cars, other dogs, and so on.

The first workouts can be done for 30-40 minutes, and over time, increase their duration to an hour or even a little longer.

Do not delay the workout too much or overload your pet with new exercises.

Before you start training, you need to consider the following basics of puppy training:

• walk well so that they are not distracted during classes;
• pause between commands for at least 5 seconds so that the pet can keep up with you;
• the command is given only once, and obedience is required immediately;
• no need to work out commands in the same order, sometimes it needs to be changed;
• if you see signs of fatigue in your pet, complete the workout, do not overexert it;
• if you were too strict or overstressed the animal, then the pet may be lethargic, not cheerful (try to quickly work out an easy, well-executed command with him and vigorously praise him for obedience, give him a treat);
• so that the dog does not try to run away somewhere during training (for example, after a cat), use a leash for initial training, develop endurance;
• always achieve full execution of commands in any situation. First in a calmer, then in the presence of various stimuli;
• any member of the family can do training, but only one person should be with her during training.

As a treat for training puppies, it is best to use the food that they especially like.

Keep in mind that the size of the treat should be small so that the puppy does not eat up during training, but can also keep the food in its mouth.

If one delicacy is tired, it can be changed to another.

The puppy will be more willing to follow commands for a treat if he is not full. He should eat up not in class, but after training, not as a reward.

Did you know? A dog can be taught a hundred different words, and especially smart individuals can master the vocabulary of a three-year-old child. For example, the boder collie Rico, was able to master more than two hundred words.

Basic commands

First of all, during training, the puppy is taught the commands that he will have to perform most often:

• "Place!". As we have said, the puppy should have its own place to sleep and rest. When it's time for bed or you're cleaning the house, for example, take the puppy to his bed and command "Place!". If he does not sit still, return him there again and again with this team. When the baby remains in place, reward him with affection and treats. Of course, the baby can sleep and rest in other places that are acceptable for him, but the place must follow the command.

• "To me!". This command is served in a cheerful, affectionate tone along with a nickname and showing a delicacy. After the puppy came up to you, you need to caress him and give him a treat. Over time, the command can be worked out without a treat, by gesture (palm clapping on the thigh). If outdoor learning isn't going well, use a leash to start with and keep your little one off the leash until you're sure he's doing it the first time. When the pet gets used to obey without a leash, calling him to you, do not immediately fasten the harness. Pet him, play with him.

• "Ugh!". This command is used to prevent unwanted actions (chewing things, barking at passers-by, etc.), and is one of the most important. Try to put the maximum of dissatisfaction into this word. Look angrily and firmly into the puppy's eyes, if he persists, slap him on the croup, on the street, if necessary, use a leash. At first, the baby will often hear this command from you, but over time he will begin to understand what is possible and what is not.

• "Sit!". Usually used when traveling or when waiting for you to keep the pet in the same place. To teach this command to your puppy, take a bite of a treat, let him sniff it, say "Sit!" firmly and confidently, and wait. The kid will jump and spin around you, begging for goodies, but sooner or later he will sit down. Then you will give him a treat. The command should not be repeated - you have already said it. When the pet learns this command, begin to gradually increase the time of sitting. You can train with a leash - after the order, pull it up with one hand, and with the other press on the croup and seat the puppy.

• "Beside!". It is necessary for the pet to walk next to the owner. This is especially important when crossing the road. Here the leash will have to be used without fail. Before the start of the lesson, the pet must be walked, and already on the way home, begin to work out the “Near!” command. If the baby is cowardly next to you, praise him while continuing to move. The leash must be loosened so that the pupil has freedom to maneuver. If he lags behind or runs ahead, adjust his movement by pulling on the leash. For each segment of the path passed nearby, reward with a treat. When the pet is more or less used to walking next to you on command, complicate the task - move along the curve and change the speed of movement.

• "Lie!". In everyday life, it is used infrequently, but it is a pose of absolute submission. When you learn the command, then assert your leadership positions more. Perhaps it is she who will help you when visiting the veterinarian or on a trip. For a puppy, while he is small, it is enough to put him in a sitting position, put a treat in front of him and, pressing on the withers and pronouncing the command, lay him down. You can simplify everything by commanding “Lie down!” When the baby is already lying, encouraging him and not letting him get up.

• "Stand!". It will help you in caring for the dog (examination, hygiene procedures, etc.), and may also be needed during walks when the puppy runs where it should not (on the road, behind a bicycle, etc.). When the dog is already frozen in the rack, say "Stand!" and encourage her, or put the pet in the right position yourself, command and hold it like that, and then praise. On the street, during a walk, training can be done with a leash. As you move, give the command and if the dog moves, tighten the leash until he is next to you. If the puppy sits down, put him on his paws and repeat the command, hold him in this position for a while, encourage him and move on again. After a few meters, repeat, and so 3-5 times.

How to teach a puppy to a leash

Even in puppyhood, the pet should walk calmly on a leash, which will greatly facilitate the task of walking an adult dog.

When developing this habit, first put a collar on the animal when it is busy (for example, eating or playing), and only then you can add a leash to it.

Important! Do not remove the collar if the puppy tries to remove it, as he will take this event as a reward. He will decide that if he constantly tightens the collar, then the owner will definitely remove it.

The collar must be chosen according to size and preferably from a material that is soft in structure. A nylon collar with a plastic clasp works well. Ask an experienced dog handler if you can leave the collar if it is not fastened to a leash.
Sometimes hunting dogs must remove it so that the pet does not catch on a thorny bush or something else and does not get hurt. Some dog owners teach very young puppies to the presence of a collar by tying ribbons around their necks.

The next important point is teaching a puppy to a leash. At an early stage, it is better to use a ribbon or rope.

Dogs like to chew the leash at a distance of 10-20 cm from themselves and may end up chewing it.

Therefore, try to distract the puppy with a game when he is fastened - this will save on chewed leashes. Like a collar, to get used to the leash, you need to put it on at the moment when the puppy is passionate about something, and take it off when he forgets about his presence.
Do not leave your puppy unattended if the leash is fastened to the collar, the pet may chew it or accidentally get tangled, caught on a tree or something else.

It is also important to teach a puppy to approach the owner and move next to him. For this purpose, it is better to use the reward method in the form of a favorite treat. Using pieces of your favorite food, you can get the puppy to go in the right direction.

It is very good to take a bowl of food during feeding and use it to teach the puppy to approach the owner, as well as to follow him. When the puppy performs the desired action, he should be praised in every possible way, encouraging him with pieces of his favorite food.

As soon as the baby gets used to the collar and leash, the owner can take the leash in hand. If the puppy, out of habit, begins to act up and does not express a desire to walk alongside, then it is strictly forbidden to drag him by the leash - he can injure his throat.
You need to try to distract the puppy so that he relaxes and gets distracted from the leash. The owner of a small pet must learn to use the leash without too much pressure. The puppy needs to be shown that the leash does not cause him any inconvenience.

Moreover, the negative situation of a tense leash is created not by the dog, but by its owner, who often believes that a constantly tense leash is normal. This is an erroneous opinion, since the leash in the hands of the owner must be free.

You can sometimes follow the puppy, but you also need to use the developed methods of motivation (approving intonation, goodies) so that the dog follows the owner. Try to keep the attention and mood of your pet.

If the puppy tries to pull his owner forward, he should stop and calmly wait until the baby realizes that there is no point in pulling on the leash. It is necessary to immediately make it clear to the four-legged friend that no one will indulge his whims.
As soon as the animal realizes that all attempts to pull the owner on a leash wherever he wants are doomed, you need to try in a playful way to make him run after you with the help of an incentive prize - your favorite treat.

Do not let your puppy's upbringing take its course, give it time and you will not regret it. As he grows older, an understanding of what his owner wants from him will come more and more.

Teaching your pet basic commands will benefit him and you, build understanding between you, and make living together much easier.

Most owners of four-legged friends are interested in teaching their pets various tricks. And many of them succeed. What determines the success or failure in dog training - is the breed of the dog to blame or the approach that the owner uses? In fact, various factors are important, including the actions of the host.

If a funny peanut gets into the house, then the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhis upbringing and training does not immediately come to the owners’ mind, but in vain. When can you start this process, and what nuances should be taken into account?

Most owners make the common mistake of thinking that a dog should have a carefree childhood. For almost half a year, they allow the puppy to do whatever he wants, without limiting his actions in anything. And then, when the dog is 6 months old, they begin to correct its, in fact, well-established behavior.

But with this approach, in almost 100% of cases, the owners face a number of problems. First of all, the dog will be surprised by such a change, because he is not used to obeying and following commands. A grown animal is more difficult to train, because the pet is already spoiled by attention, carelessness and is not ready to refuse it. So, the approach “the sooner the better” is the most rational solution.

What is the best way to start dog training?

Education and training are two important processes that take place simultaneously, and in both cases consistency, systematicity and regularity are important. You can’t work hard on the site all week, and then stop classes for a month - in this case, you should not expect a lasting result.

The owner must establish a number of rules in the very first days and not deviate from their implementation even a single step. For example, they might look like this:

• it is forbidden to spoil shoes;
• you can not sleep on furniture;
• only special devices are used as toys;
• it is forbidden to feed the puppy from your own table, etc.

Moreover, exposure will be required not only from the pet, but also from the owner and his family members. You can’t let the baby sleep on the sofa in honor of the holiday, and kick him out the next day. It is recommended to start training with the simplest tasks that can be started at home.

The puppy must learn the commands "", "", "", "", etc. In the future, they will form the basis of more serious training. You should not hope that the baby will immediately successfully complete tasks, even if he belongs to the smartest of the breeds. Who doesn't have trouble doing something for the first time? In this case, it is important to be patient, not to get angry or scold the pet.

Frequent classes are welcome, but with obligatory intervals. The puppy should not get tired of learning, it is important that he always responds with pleasure to the invitation to play and learn. We should not forget about encouragement, puppies respond well to affection, kind words, and, of course, treats.

Mastering basic skills

Each command is another step in the right direction, giving the dog new knowledge and giving the owner confidence in the trainer's own skills. But each of them has its own characteristics:

• To me! One of the main mandatory skills, and at first it is better to practice it during walking. When the puppy plays and frolics, it is necessary to call him periodically, and when he responds and approaches, encourage him in every possible way.
• ! This is the next command in which you can not use the method of sharp pulling on the leash. Such an action can irritate the pet, but will not force him to obey. In this situation, it is better to make patting movements on the thigh, as well as slightly increase the tension on the leash.
• Sit! The dog must learn this command simultaneously with the previous one. When the pet approaches the owner, then he should say “sit!”, You can help by pressing weakly on the croup. Quite often, puppies do not catch what the owner wants, so it is recommended to sip the leash up, and then the dog will have to sit down.

These are the basics of learning to start with. When the dog will perform them at a glance, without being distracted by extraneous stimuli, you can complicate the tasks.

Features of training adult dogs

Situations are not uncommon when an adult dog, who has formed in all respects, gets to the owner. In this case, you can train a pet, but it will take a lot of attention and patience. When it comes to serious dogs,

You have just acquired a pet, does it seem small and defenseless to you, does it cause tenderness and pity?

In no case do not give in to emotions, but start raising a dog, no matter what it is.

It is better to start initial training from the first days of the dog's stay in the house.

This is necessary so that the pet does not draw wrong conclusions for itself about what is possible and what is not.

How to get a dog's attention?

Full training can already be done at the age of 4-5 months.

You can deal with dogs of various breeds, from and, to, and.

Training pets, including at home, requires the "carrot and stick" method.

A whip is not literally a beating of an animal, but shouts and sound effects to wean the four-legged from wrong actions.

Gingerbread is just an affectionate word, an encouragement in the form of a treat.

How to choose goodies

First of all, it should be:

• Easily transportable. For example, raisins are not the most suitable treat: crushed berries, sticky hands, as well as raw meat: smell, traces of blood.
• Delicious. The animal should strive to do everything the way you need, just to get the desired treat. Otherwise, training will fail.
• Helpful. Or at least harm your health.
• Easily chewable. So that chewing does not take a lot of time.
• Small and equal in size. So that each time the dog receives the same portion.

Most often, for training, dog breeders are advised to take: biscuit cookies, boiled sausage, sausages (cut into cubes of 0.5 cm), cheese (choose low-fat - Adyghe).

Some use a simple one, but training with it is possible only when the dog is very hungry, otherwise it will be ordinary unattractive food for him.

Do not use smoked meats and sweets for training. They can harm the health of the animal.

Important! Dog training at home should take place before meals. After eating, the animal may lose motivation to exercise. And if there is a desire, but active exercises, sudden movements can lead to pain in the pet's stomach.

Getting Started: Necessary Commands

At the beginning of living together with an animal, you need to teach her the basics. So that you can safely walk the dog on the street, do not suffer from the disobedience of the animal at home.

• We are accustomed to the nickname
  Say the dog's name as often as possible, and most importantly with positive emotions. Call the animal by its name and when there is a reaction, give some kind of treat.
• "To me"
  Since we are talking about raising a dog in the early stages of living together with you, we can lay the foundation for this team. Say it when you call your pet to eat or play. Thus, "to me" will be associated in the animal with positive emotions. Already after, when training on the street, it will be necessary to make adjustments. The dog will not only have to come up to you, but sit at your leg, bypassing, or in front of you. But first, the main thing is to strengthen in the pet the desire to respond to the command “to me”. Periodically, during walks, call your puppy to you, for no reason, just to give a treat. In a situation where you call him to prevent eating fish waste, for example, he will come to you, because he will expect no less pleasant treats.

Also, the dog must understand the commands "to me" and "near"

• We concentrate attention
  The puppy should be dependent on you and your presence. You left, so it's time for him to follow you. From the first months you need to lay endurance in the dog. To do this, repeat a fairly simple exercise for physical activity while walking. Let the puppy go (of course, you need to take care of choosing a place for training), give him time to play. And move away yourself, first - 10 meters, and stand half a turn from the pet. He will not immediately notice your absence, but then he will start looking and come running to you, looking for eye contact. Wait a couple of seconds, don't say anything, and then praise: "Well done", "Good", "Yes", and give a treat. Let go for a walk. Repeat the exercise after a few minutes. And each time, let more time pass between the dog approaching and your praise. You can complicate the exercise: turn away from him when the puppy runs up. The puppy will still sit in front of you and wait for eye contact, looking for approval in your eyes. Then praise. This exercise kills two birds with one stone: the dog learns the “come to me” command (often trainers use a nickname instead of the words “come to me”), and the puppy develops concentration on the owner. The puppy is not distracted by strangers, but waits for a human reaction.

• Getting used to the place
  It is almost impossible to accustom an adult dog to a place, and if you succeed, then you will have to spend a lot of time on it. It is better to start at a young age and not allow the puppy, be it a cub, or, to be in the apartment wherever he wants. You are required to prepare a place. It can be a blanket, a pillow, a soft house bought - anything. Introduce your puppy to him. When he falls asleep, move to his corner. Do not do anything in this place that may leave negative memories in the animal's memory: do not clean the ears, or comb out if he does not like it. Bring all your dog's toys to his house. The pet must understand that you can’t find a cozier place in the apartment.

• Prohibition of unwanted actions
  The word "No" should become a command. The dog needs to understand that you don't like everything he does. Say the word "No" firmly, but don't yell. It is better if you stand in front of the dog and place your hands at your sides. So you seem to hang over the pet and show your superiority. Although the puppy is always a pity, but do not give up the slack. If you can’t sleep in a bed, then you can’t under any circumstances. Also with begging for food when the family eats. Dog training at home requires firmness of character from the owner, and in some cases even harshness. Show that the dog is not the owner, it is in your submission. It may seem rude to you, but otherwise, over time, the dog will begin to command you.

Secrets of successful training

The training process should not be chaotic, you need to develop a certain system. And never:

• Do not start praising your pet in advance - before executing the command. The animal may not correctly remember the essence of the command. For example, he will not sit down, but will only squat and immediately jump up.
• Don't skimp on treats. The dog will lose interest if you give him some crumbs for a correctly executed command.

• Don't focus on monotony. Some animals can get used to treats, so it is worth changing one for another after a while. Also encourage more than one hand. To keep your limbs from becoming prey.

Important! The dog must understand that he is doing everything right not only thanks to the treats, but also your positive emotions. Praise the animal, give a piece of goodies with joyful exclamations.

Over time, the dog should learn to follow the command without a treat, but only for verbal encouragement.

When the team has been worked out well enough, you can give a treat every other time, then less and less often.

It takes just a few days to teach a dog the common "give paw" command.

The dog can master the command quickly enough - a couple of days is enough.

It is important that you regularly engage with it and remind you of what you have learned.

To do this, half an hour of at least one walk a day should be devoted to learning new and repeating old commands.

At the same time, it is worth taking the dog outside in crowded places, but letting it go in parks and in nature so that it feels free.

Raising a puppy requires a lot of patience from the owner - good luck!

Dog training at home: the secrets of success

Dog training at home. You also need to prepare for training: treats, mood and at least half an hour of free time.