by Alicia Kryklywyj

Created on: April 16, 2008

Everyone out there has an opinion on the best way to train a dog, but everyone out there has a dog that is a very unique individual from yours. No one dog can be trained using the same methods. Any training method you use has to be specially tailored to fit to your dog and his individual personality. That does not mean there are no specific rules that are beneficial to helping your dog become the best he can be. I have worked with many dogs, from Shih Tzu's to Border Collies, to Akita's. Neither of these dogs are anything like the other, but the same rules still help to produce the same amazing results.

Consistency. I would say this is rule number one. Without consistency your dog will never learn what you are trying to teach him. If you are not consistent he can become confused and non-compliant because he does not know what to do. Consistency means your dog will always know what is expected of him. Consistency is even more important when your dog hits his adolescent years. He will be trying to push his limits and see how far he can get. If you are not consistent it will take much work to get your dog back to where you want him. This is why many people believe they have 'stubborn' dogs.

Calm and Collect. This is very important to dogs. A person who is all over with their emotions are not seen as very stable by the dog. The dog will be more leery, and not fully trusting because they never know when you are going to snap. This will hurt your relationship with your dog and keep you from forming a tight bond. In the end it can hurt how far along in the training process you can go. Always be calm when dealing with your dog, even when you feel like ripping his head off because he ate your couch. If you find yourself at this point, walk out of the room. Go scream and yell in the garage, beat the walls, what ever you have to do. Even talk down to your dog in a happy upbeat voice if it is going to make you feel better saying it to his face. If you lose your cool to often you will not be seen as a confident leader and your dog will lose his trust in you.

Exercise. Have you ever wondered why during your training sessions your dog runs away, or picks up a ball or stick to play with? It is probably because he has not been properly exercised before beginning the lesson. An exercised dog is a happy dog and a dog that is calm and ready to concentrate. Without being exercised first he is not going to be able to focus and your training session is not going to be very successful.

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