by Sam Janus

Created on: July 02, 2009

Training dogs is more simple than you think, although it does take patience. It is best to train dogs at an early age, but old dogs can still learn new tricks! You have to have a good relationship with your dog and have confidence in him/her. And you absolutely can't use harsh or violent ways to train your dog!

Behavior is the most common problem to solve in dogs. Most dog behavioral problems are from separation anxiety. So don't leave your dog alone for too long, especially if they are young. A lot of behavior problems are also from lack of communication. If you don't communicate with your dog enough, they may bark, bite, dig, or get into mischief. The earlier you correct behavior problems, the better. Puppies are easier to train than older dogs. You have to set boundaries and stick with them. Make sure your dog knows that you are the one in charge! Every time they do something wrong, make sure they know it's wrong. And when they do something good, make sure they know that what they are doing is acceptable. There is always a cause or trigger about behavior problems, so you just have to know them. Make sure you don't reward your dog for the wrong thing. It's sad that most dogs end up in shelters because of behavior problems. Don't give up on your dog! Aggressive and destructive behavior is very manageable. You just need commitment and patience.

Give your dog a small treat when they do something good! Say "Good girl!" or "Good boy!" and pet them nicely so they know they did something good. If they do something wrong, just say "Bad!" and point at them. Dogs learn the word "bad" easily, so if they hear that word again they will know they did something unacceptable. Of course, never ever hit your dog. It can get frustrating at times but just be patient.

Training your dog to go outside is probably the first thing you want to do when you bring it home. At first you're going to have to keep your dog in a crate (a cage that is not too small, so they can at least stand up in.) while you go out. So just put newspaper at the bottom of that. A crate is so they won't go to the bathroom on the carpet or get into something. Put newspaper by the door and whenever you notice your dog start to go to the bathroom, quickly pick them up and carry them to the newspaper. When they go on the newspaper reward them. When they finally get the idea that going on the newspaper is good, move the newspaper outside. Make sure your dog watches you put the newspaper outside. Uh oh! The newspaper is outside! What will your puppy possibly do! It will want to go outside. I know, it's that simple. Some dogs take longer to train than others, so be ready.

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