Many dog owners erroneously assume that their dogs will benefit from a flexible environment free of rules. Nothing could be further from the truth. All dogs should have fun, but with the guidance and encouragement of their owners. A regular training routine can help build a proper relationship between you and your dog. Your dog’s anxiety can be replaced with confidence with just a little work! This article has tips to build a solid training routine for your pet.

When you are training your dog, remember to take frequent breaks and not try to teach too much all at once. Your dog will quickly become overwhelmed and refuse to follow directions if the training period is too long. So ensure your sanity and your dogs by teaching in small increments.

Make sure that when your dog does something correctly or when they just happen to act in a favorable manner that they are properly rewarded. Rewards can increase good behavioral changes. Try allowing your dog a treat or a new toy when they act in a favorable manner. They will eventually keep doing it.

If your dog is working through troublesome behavior, be careful about where you send him for boarding or daycare. Many boarding and daycare facilities do not follow through on individual dog’s training programs, so be sure that you put your dog somewhere where he will get the attention he needs. Pet-sitters often provide individual care that reinforces behavior. Ask whatever facility or sitter you’re considering about how they handle a situation like your dog’s.

An important dog training tip is to use the pet’s name whenever you are trying to get its attention. You need to get your pet used to responding to you when you call it by name. Use the pet’s name when you feed it, take it for walks and play with it. Randomly call your pet to you by name several times throughout the day, and then reward it for coming when called. Never call your pet by its name to come to you only to be punished.

When training your dog, try to use positive reinforcement. Instead of harshly scolding the animal when it does something wrong, reward it with a small treat when it behaves how you want it to. Soon enough, your puppy will learn to only do the behaviors that earn treats, becoming perfectly trained in no time.

One tip to keep in mind when training your dog is to never play tug-of-war style games with it. This only enforces aggressive behavior – something that you rarely wish to bring out in your dog. This can involve anything from pulling on a bone in your dog’s mouth to playing with a toy. You also run the risk of injuring your dog with excessive force.

It’s easy to see how a few lifestyle changes can truly benefit your canine friend for years to come. Your dog needs rules, boundaries and guidance to make the right choices, and he depends on you to set him up for success. Your job as a pet owner is to always make sure your pet is comfortable. A solid training routine to build his confidence is the first step to behavioral success.   www.yappypetsitting.com