8/8/2018
Let's Get Back to Basics
When your dog knows a few basic commands, it makes your time together much more relaxing! Taking the time to train your dog is a great way to bond and spend time together. Having a well-trained dog helps to stop bad behavior, like jumping up, and helps create a happier, less stressful home. Training also helps keep your dog safe. When your dog knows to stay or come here, you can help keep them near you and away from potential danger. Plus, if you take training to the next level like teaching them to fetch the newspaper or playing dead, you could even impress your friends with how smart your dog is!
Whether you’re training a puppy or a mature dog, keep these tips in mind:
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Be positive and don’t yell. Just smile and try again! Most of us don’t learn something the first few times we try it, so it’s important to be consistent and patient.
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Focus on training one skill at a time. Once your dog has that down, then you can start a new skill.
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Start with basic skills and build from there. For example, start with house training. Once you have that down try sit, then stay, then down. It would be difficult to teach down if your dog doesn’t first know how to sit.
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Practice makes perfect! Be consistent. Use the same commands and/or hand signals when you or someone else in your family is teaching your dog. And spend only 5-15 minutes a day training that one skill. Short training times are good to keep your dog fresh and alert.
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Bil-Jac® Little Jacs® Training Treats are smaller in size and have a taste dogs love. Showing your dog some love with a hug or a nice pat on the back or scratch on the ears goes a long way as well!
Not sure how to get started? You can check out our training videos from, Hollywood Dog Trainer and TV Show Host, Joel Silverman here. You can also attend a local training class through a local pet store or reputable trainer. You can even get a good book on training to start with key behaviors.
Spending some time together learning the basic skills will be something that will benefit you and your dog for years to come!
