Training a dog is not an easy task. You have to follow very specific guidelines so that your pet behaves correctly.
When we adopt a dog as a pet we must do so aware of the responsibilities that it entails and also taking into account that it will be another member of the family. As such, we will ensure its well-being but it will also have to learn a series of basic rules of coexistence.
Just as a child is taught not to do certain things with pets, the same thing happens. Not only can they be educated, but they must be educated to ensure good coexistence with other members of the family unit, including other pets that we may have. Precisely, the education of a dog is based on learning just a few basic rules of coexistence so that it can live with the family without entering into conflicts.
These can be especially important if the dog lives in an apartment, as it will need to know when and where to do its business and if there are any spaces it is not allowed to enter or places it cannot lie down in. In the case of a pet that has a kennel or a free green space to enjoy, it will have more freedom.
Educate them when they get home
As with children, the most effective way for them to learn is to instill the rules of education in them when they arrive home. This normally happens when they are small, that is, when they are puppies. This way we will avoid them becoming complacent and then having a harder time following the rules.
If you adopt the dog when it is older, it may have already been trained by its owner and you will have already done part of the work. It is more complicated when it is a stray dog or one that has been in hostile environments because it will be difficult to eradicate certain habits that it has acquired.
Train your dog to avoid unnecessary problems
But at the same time, you must be able to make him understand that he is not doing well when he has done something wrong. You should not resort to physical punishment, but you should show him with gestures and the tone of voice that he has made a mistake. Although it may seem that he will not understand you immediately and will know how to differentiate when you are scolding him from when you are congratulating him or playing with him.
Start with your name
Although it may seem that it is not related to its education, one of the first things you have to do with your pet so that it learns to behave is to give it a name. When it hears it, it will respond, pay attention, and come when its owner calls it . Obviously, it needs time to adapt, but the truth is that dogs are quick learners.
Learning must be continuous and constant. In the first few days in your new home, you must make an effort to find a few minutes a day to educate him. Nowadays we all have schedules derived from work or classes that we have to comply with and the dog will have to adapt to them to play or go out. Remember that you are the one who commands and he must obey.
One of the most basic mistakes is to allow your pet, especially if it is a puppy, to sleep in your bed or in your children’s bed. If you allow it at the beginning, it will be more difficult to prevent it later, so it is important that from the first day you show it its sleeping place. Be inflexible so that it learns faster.
Blockages and quarrels
When you don’t want him to go into a certain room or access a piece of furniture, the way to teach him not to do so is to block his way. Just do this by placing your own leg as a barrier and using an authoritative tone. He will soon learn that he cannot go everywhere or go outside at any time.
Your dog has to know how to live in coexistence
This also applies when the dog lives with several people and some scold it for doing something wrong and others don’t, or even pet it after doing it. There may be someone who acts as the pet’s trainer if the others don’t feel capable. What they can’t do then is to always pamper the animal, because they will ruin its learning.
Education on the street
When we take our dog out on the street, it is so that he can let off steam, stretch his legs, and do his business. It is his time to relax, but always with a certain amount of control. If there are a series of rules at home that he must follow, he must know that the same thing happens on the street.
So, you can’t let him loose, without a leash, because he can end up fighting with other dogs and even attack some people if he feels cornered or sees them as a danger. He must also understand some commands that you give him, such as running or stopping, which are basic when you go out on the street.
Dogs are not toys, although when they are puppies they may seem like cuddly toys to us. They are animals that do not receive any education and will act as they see fit. They can bite whatever they want, attack someone they consider a threat or defecate in the middle of the living room. To avoid this type of behavior, you have to teach them what they can and cannot do.