Be Creative to Make Dog Training Exercises Fun For You and Your Dog
Dog training sessions should be quality time with your dog but unfortunately, many dog owners see it only as chore. Dog training exercises should be fun and satisfying – both for you and your dog. And as long as you approach things properly they can be.
Dogs get tired just like we do. And if they are tired, they probably won't be too motivated to do anything for reward. However, if you can disguise some of your training exercises as a game, training will be more effective and you'll both enjoy it a good deal more.
Consistency in responding to the come command is very difficult to achieve - even though learning the command is fairly easy. Dogs will normally come to you when you call them provided nothing else has their attention - but the world is full of stimulating things for them and without training they won't come if they've found something more interesting. The only sure way [method] to acheive consistency in recall is through re-enforcement. That could lose its excitement factor quickly? Well, it's fun in our house ever since the kids discovered [found] a great way to get our dog to come every time he's called. And that, is hide and seek!
Make Dog Training Fun - Use Games
Get some treats ready (we usually use peices of chicken dog or cheese) and make sure he's got an appetite. Give him the stay command and then go to a different room. Be crazy and have fun - hide in your bedroo closet - climb into the shower - get behind a curtain - be entertaining for your dog. Nex, call him [her]. He'll [she'll] come as fast as he [she] can. If you’ve really hidden, it may take a minute or two to find you. It's extremely entertaining to watch them charge into a room and get confused when they don't immediately see you! And of course, make sure you give him [her] a treat when he [she] finds you!
The kids have a blast with this. The laughter is great for them and our dogs. Your dog is re-enforcing the conditioned response of coming when her [his] name is called and its FUN. The other benefit of making this game a family activity is that your dog is learning to respond to the come command from all members of the family. And don’t worry about feeling silly – this is a good exercise for adults as well. The first time you stand in your closet with a piece of hot dog in your hand you may feel a bit silly, but you'll laugh when your dog pokes his head in looking for you! You'll feel young again!
Training Should Progress Logically
Of course, this isn’t the first dog training exercise you need to master. You have to teach them to focus on you before proceeding with anything else. And you should probably do some homework and consult one of the better dog obedience training books. However, the training is going to be fun if you look for ways to make it fun. For your dog, your family, and you.
Aug 28, 2009 | 0 | dog care tips
