Fundamentals

Things You Should Teach Your Dog

In the world we live in, there are a few facts set in stone that will not be changed no matter what. One of those facts is the inarguable cuteness of dogs, especially when they are puppies. No one can stand the amount of disarming and fuzzy cuteness that they bring, which is only one of the many reasons why label them as man’s best friend. But dogs are not only known for their charm but also for their behavioral uniqueness – how they tend to act like kids and carry on their happy lives bearing their hearts on their sleeves.

As a dog lover, chances are you probably have got a pooch of your own or at least you plan to in the not-so-distant future. Whether you’ve got one already or you plan to, you will be faced with the task of helping them get acquainted with their new home, showing them their new living quarters and establishing a routine that works for both them and you. Yet the most important aspect of having as a permanent resident in your home is teaching them key things that would make living with them possible.

This short read provides insight on the various things to teach your dog and a few ways in which you can do that quickly painlessly. Let’s dig in!

Fundamental commands and instruction

As a pet owner, one of the things you want to do is teach your pet the basic commands that you’ll be using at home. Fundamental commands and instructions are essentially commands that come in handy when you know your dog’s behavior will need to be moderated in some way. Typically, when they are excited or need to do something that they would rather not do. An example of such commands is “Come” or “Stay”. These will help you get the attention of your furry friend easily and serve as a great command prompt that will take them away from the present activity that they are engaged in.

You can train your pet to follow these commands by simply practicing with them often. Dogs learn by inferring what you mean and gauging your facial countenance. So, you can guide them to responding the right way by being consistent in your use of the command, gestures and being patient with your pup.

Teach them to be comfortable alone

Everyone knows that dogs are one of most social domestic pets on the planet. Research has highlighted this fact with the many supporting findings gathered over time. An example of one of such social scientific studies carried out on canines was for wild dogs. The study showed that they opted to be in the company of other dogs of their own kind in loosely knit social groups rather than go on individually. Which means that you can be sure that all those long hours you leave your pet to their own devices is sure to take its toll on them after a while.

The social nature of dogs makes it all the more imperative that they are trained on how to be comfortable when they need to be left by themselves all day. The best-known way to teach your pet independence is by inducing your absence gradually. Denying them more and more of you. Also, remember that separation anxiety is best addressed when your dog is still a puppy, so if that is possible, teach your pup to be independent of an early age.

Housetraining

We also need to reiterate the importance of house training your dog. The repercussions for not taking the time to teach your pup the house rules are clear and undeniable. If you know you’ like to return to a home that is still in clean and one piece and that doesn’t carry odors you don’t appreciate, then you should house train your pet as soon you get them. While doing this, you might want to confine your dog to a crate overnight and take him outside each time he is about to relieve himself. Continue this treatment but change the confinement to one that is slightly larger and larger during the day.

You can also use trigger words that will help prompt your dog to do what you want them to do. Doing this with hand gestures can also help. A few of the trigger words you need to teach your pup include words like “go” and “outside”. If these are accompanied by a reward for a cooperative performance, then you are already on your way to having an intelligent, house trained pet.

To chew or not to chew

Dogs will be dogs. They like to play, wag their tails and chew on things. And with careful management of the environment of your pet and the introduction of legitimate chew toys and other dog-friendly playthings, your dog will stop chewing anything he can get his teeth on.

Another way of getting them to chew the right things is by giving them chew toys that come in flavors they like. Every dog has its preferred flavoring from bacon to cheese. Initially, this would require that you make a wide variety of flavors available to your pup in order to figure out what they prefer. But once you know what your dog likes you will be well on your way of stopping your pup from chewing anything in sight.

And final precautionary measure you can introduce which will save your valuables and other objects that aren’t chew-proof is to limit the area of the house they can freely roam around in at least until they are about one year old or properly trained. Just make sure that when you finally do allow them to walk through the whole house, it should be for short periods of time and with supervision. And don’t forget to reward your pup when they go through the whole house without chewing on a single thing.

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