Is your dog on the smart list?
Researcher and author Dr. Stanley Coren put together his list of smartest dog breeds based on a survey of dog obedience trial judges.
Dog Training
Training your dog takes time and effort. And it needs to start the day you bring your puppy or dog home.
Dog training should be a lifelong project for you and your dog. Make it fun and mix playtime with dog training.
To be successful, use these dog training tips: Be a leader, be firm, humane, and praise.
Be a leader
Dogs are social, pack-oriented animals who respond best to a leader figure, whether dog or human. The best pack leaders are the ones who are the most consistent. Dogs react to consistency because they know they can trust the consistent leader. Consistent leaders don’t invite the dog onto the couch one day and punish him the next when he jumps on the couch without permission.
Be firm
Good leaders are firm without being harsh. A good leader tells the dog to do something. He or she doesn’t shout at the dog, plead with the dog or scream at the dog to obey. The punctuation at the end of a good leader’s command is merely a period.
Be humane
Third, a good leader is compassionate. He or she doesn’t punish the dog for mistakes made by the leader.
Give praise
When the dog does something praiseworthy, deliver approval immediately. A good leader does not praise unwanted behaviors, no matter how unintentional the recognition may be.
If the dog shows fear, aggressiveness, or timidity, the good leader either ignores the behavior or tells the dog to knock it off. The good leader doesn’t praise and, therefore, encourage the response by stroking the dog, telling him it’s OK, you’re a good boy, etc., while the dog is acting out.
Prevent resource guarding: Help your dog learn to share toys
Teach your dog new skills, like how to share toys. Unfortunately, dogs may exhibit resource guarding. Use fetch games to encourage sharing.
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