7 Common Dog Training Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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7 Common Dog Training Mistakes and How to Avoid
Them
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What are the common dog training mistakes that
people make the most frequently? Are you giving
your dog the best training you can?
Around 69 million U.S. households own a dog. You
must be doing something right if you are even
training your dog. Dont allow little hiccups to
stand in your way. You might be shocked to hear
that certain variables can impede your dogs
progress, despite the fact that they might appear
inconsequential.Here are some common dog
training mistakes that people make the most
frequently. Use the following information in this
article to learn how to avoid these blunders
during your next dog training session!
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1. Delaying Training
Regardless of age, training should start as soon
as you bring your dog home. Dont hold off until
he ages and picks up undesirable behaviors. Dog
training and behavior management are not the same
things. The purpose of dog training is to mold
your dogs behavior and teach him how to react to
particular words and phrases. Although young
puppies might not be prepared to master complex
skills, you should start working on housebreaking
and fundamental instructions. You and your dog
will develop a stronger bond over time. He will
develop and become accustomed to the training
session schedule. You can then experiment with
entertaining activities like dog tricks and
advanced training, such as agility or
animal-assisted therapy.
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2. Not Training Enough
There is no such thing as a one-time training
session. Even when your dog has learned an action
or cue, continual training will yield the best
results.
Hold quick training sessions at least twice or
three times a week, focusing on one project at a
time. Find entertaining new skills to impart to
your dog, but occasionally go back to the
fundamentals. Your dogs training is never fully
complete. Ideally, youll continue to train your
dog as he gets older. Regular training can help
maintain your dogs proficiency. Training
sessions are also enjoyable for your dog and a
wonderful way for the two of you to develop a
close friendship.
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3. Taking a One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Another dog training mistakes, dont assume that
after reading one book on dog training, you know
everything there is to know. The same is true
when speaking with a buddy who is knowledgeable
about pets. There are numerous effective dog
training methods and strategies available, but no
two dogs are alike. You may occasionally need to
seek assistance from a variety of sources and use
all of the data to create your own training
program.
With your dog, try trying a few different
techniques to see what works.To create a strategy
that works for you and your dog, combine various
training philosophies. Even trying out a couple
of different training classes might be a good
idea. While you shouldnt give up too soon, you
should also not be scared to try something
different if it doesnt work.
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4. Inconsistency
On all levels, teaching a dog requires consistent
reactions. Your dog becomes confused when you
utilize inconsistent training methods.
Additionally, you could unintentionally reinforce
undesirable behaviors. Another instance of this
error is begging. Your dog wont start begging if
you never give him food from people who are
eating. At first, he might attempt it a few
times, but telling him to go to your place or
constantly ignoring your dog will deter him. If
someone does give him some food, he will begin to
equate begging with a reward and will continue to
beg in the future.
Rewarding your dog when he kind of does
something is another illustration of inconsistent
behavior. When your dogs entire body is on the
ground and you are teaching him to lie down, you
reward him. In the future, you will be acting
inconsistently if you offer him a reward for
lying down before his entire body has touched
the ground. He can become confused and repeat the
unfinished version if you say lay down to him
again.
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5. Impatience
Different types of dogs learn at different rates
during dog training, which takes time. Dont let
your dogs lack of understanding cause you
tension or frustration. Your dog may become
stressed or irritated as a result, which can only
make matters worse. If your dog is having
trouble picking something up, think about whether
or not now is a suitable time to start training.
Has the meeting lasted too long? Always remember
to keep dog training sessions brief (10 to 15
minutes) and to wrap up with praise.
Alternatively, you may attempt segmenting the
behavior into smallercomponents and training them
separately. For this precise reason, the
action/cue roll over is frequently practiced in
phases.
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Check the time the next time you start to get
impatient. If its been too long (or if your dog
appears frustrated or uninterested), just end the
session with a simple task, you know your dog can
carry out. Even if it means returning to the sit
cue, be sure to end on a high note. You can
afterward attempt to divide the training into
smaller portions. Another illustration of
impatience is this Your dog refuses to sit when
you ask him to. As a result, you keep saying
sit, and after three to five repetitions, he
sits down. After that, you give him a reward. In
essence, you are teaching him that waiting until
you utter the command five times before sitting
is OK.
Say the command only once consistently, and then
watch for the outcome. If your dog does not
respond right away, you should wait a few seconds
and then restart (getting his attention first).
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6. Harsh Discipline

• The majority of contemporary dog trainers concur
  that employing punishment to train dogs is not
  particularly successful. Positive dog training
  often increases the likelihood that dogs will
  perform well for their owners.
• Mild aversives (such as a spray bottle or a penny
  can) can be used in particular circumstances and
  are generally not harmful.

However, additional factors can result in
perilous circumstances. Yelling, hitting, alpha
rolls, looking down, gripping the scruff of the
neck, and pulling the leash are all examples of
harsh discipline. Consequences may result from
these activities
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Here are all examples of harsh discipline.
Consequences may result from these activities.

• they might make your dog act aggressively
• they might make your dog frightened
• your dog might suffer physical injury

You are doing this incorrectly if you believe
that strict punishment is required in order to
establish authority over your dog. Because of
erroneous canine and wolf research, the idea that
humans serve as pack leaders is out of date.
Do your homework and discover the best ways to
treat your dog with respect. Its not a bullying
session training should be an enjoyable approach
to strengthening your relationship with your dog.
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7. Getting the Timing Wrong
Unless you communicate with your dog in a way
that he can comprehend, he wont know when he has
done something well. Heres where timing and
encouraging reinforcement come into play. To
signal desired behaviors, many trainers advise
using a clicker or a brief word (such as yes).
After that, give a reward right away to make sure
its connected to the clicker or word. Make sure
everything happens swiftly (within a second or
two). If the incentive is given too soon, your
dog can associate it with something else. Early
in the training process, when you are trying to
get your dog to link actions to cue words,
positive reinforcement is extremely crucial.
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The same holds true for training your dog to stop
engaging in undesirable habits. Make sure to
introduce the unpleasant when the action is
happening if you decide to utilize it (aversives
should be light and kept to a minimum or avoided
entirely). There is little you can do if your
dog is urinating inside the house and you dont
catch him until he is finished. Any subsequent
punishment will be connected to something else
(NOT the action of peeing in the house). Your dog
may learn to feel scared when there is pee on the
floor, but until you catch him in the act, he
wont learn to stop doing it.
Avoid These Dog Training Mistakes You have read
books, watched videos, and attended training
sessions. Your dog still doesnt appear to enjoy
training with you, though. In circumstances like
this, an owner frequently unintentionally ruins
the training sessions. Avoid making these dog
training mistakes the next time you and your
pooch sit down to train!
To read more about training your dog, visit
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g-training-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them/