Training a well-mannered dog is about leadership (yours) and respect (his). If you want your dog to behave perfectly for someone else, have someone else train him. If you want him to respond obediently to you, YOU need to learn to manage his behavior yourself. Earn your dog's respect by being a confident, competent leader that he can look up to. He will automatically be more attentive and obedient. A strong leader is exactly what a dog is looking for - someone to trust and follow. While obedience training and specific commands can be useful in creating your leadership image, they are not critical. Even if you don't have time to go to classes or practice, you can still develop leadership skills and control your dog's behavior.
Consider these tips when you are training your dog:
Determine What
You Want
Which of
your dog's behaviors are acceptable, which unacceptable? Bring the family into
the discussion, but don't be afraid to set high standards.
Communicate
the Rules
When your
dog breaks one of your rules, give a loud, stern "NO!" and let him know what he
did was unacceptable. When he stops the bad behavior, immediately reward him
with a happy "YES!" and plenty of additional praise. By discouraging bad
behavior and rewarding good behavior, you communicate your rules and mold your
dog into what you want him to be. This is how wild dogs learn the rules of their
pack.
Be
Consistent
Don't change the rules. If Dad doesn't allow Spike on the
sofa, there's no reason Rover should be allowed to. Don't change the
definitions. If your command for lie down is "Down", don't use that command when
your dog jumps up on you. Use another word, like "Off".
Follow
Through
Enforce the rules - always. If you tell your dog to do
something and he walks away instead, go get him and insist that he comply. If
you don't follow through, your leadership will be fatally undermined.
Don't
Get Angry, Stay In Control
When your dog disobeys, don't get angry.
Anger is a loss of your own emotional control, and a true leader never loses
control. At best, anger will confuse your dog; at worst, it may result in
confrontation. Calmly take control of yourself and your dog, correct your dog's
behavior, then praise him for getting it right.