Training a dog takes time and patience. It is important to start learning from an early age so that he acquires good habits. The use of positive reinforcement, based on the reward, is to be preferred. In any case, do not hesitate to seek professional help if you encounter any difficulties.

The education of a dog begins at an early age. It is not necessarily about teaching him to sit or lie down immediately, but rather to teach him to live in your home. A good education will then allow him to learn potty training or even walking on a leash. He must also assimilate the limits that you give him, a ban on getting on the bed or entering a room for example. Socializing your puppy by having him meet various people and animals in various situations will help him get used to it.

The principle of positive reinforcement learning

It is important to promote positive reinforcement learning. This method consists of rewarding the dog with voice, petting, play or even a treat as soon as the dog does what you ask him to do. It is better to use this method rather than basing the dog’s learning on punishment which is negative reinforcement.

The principle of positive reinforcement is to reward his dog with caresses, treats or other according to his preferences, as soon as he correctly realizes what is asked of him. He will then positively associate this action with a reward. At the beginning, the reward will have to be systematic and the action repeated so that the puppy assimilates well what is asked of him. The reward may subsequently be reduced once the dog has understood correctly.

For example, as part of potty training for a puppy, it will have to be given a reward as soon as it defecates outside. Take him out as often as possible and reward him as soon as he needs it. Having a puppy locked up for several hours increases the likelihood that it will defecate indoors. Potty training therefore requires time and patience while taking your puppy out as often as possible at the start, especially after eating, sleeping or playing.

Learning an order should be done gradually through small exercises repeated regularly. It is preferable to choose beforehand the words to associate with an order that you want to teach it. Indeed, these are the same words that must be used each time for the dog to understand the order. It is also important to choose words that are short enough, more easily assimilated by dogs. In addition, these orders must not be alike so that the dog does not confuse them, such as “sit” and “here” which can lead to confusion.

The tone is also to be taken into account. Of course, we use a different tone when addressing our animals. They will then quickly learn to distinguish the tones of voice that you use when you speak to him but also when you are happy or upset.

As we mentioned earlier, learning must be done in a positive way, on the principle of reward. Several commands can thus be taught to his dog, for example:

• “Sitting”: several methods allow the learning of this command which is quite easy for the dog who sits quite often on his own. For example, you can take a treat and slowly move it around in front of him and up above his head until he sits up on his own while repeating “sit” to him. Give him the treat and reward him with voice and hugs. Repeat this exercise every day until he assumes this word and you no longer need the treat to sit him down;
• “Lying”: In the same way as before, you can ask your dog to sit down and then move the treat towards the ground so that he lies down on his own while repeating the word “lying” to him.

Teaching your dog commands also means teaching him what the limits are. So, learning the “no” is just as important so that he understands what he should not do.

A dog can easily engage in unwanted behavior such as a dog that gets into the habit of jumping on you and potentially other people. These behaviors are nurtured when you pay attention to your dog. For example, if your dog jumps on you, you shouldn’t petting him or showing him that he has caught your attention. He will take this for a reward and will tend to repeat this action.

Thus, it is advisable to ignore your dog when he engages in unwanted behavior. Don’t pay him any attention, don’t look at him, and wait for him to calm down. Reward him as soon as he comes to you calmly.

In any case, if you encounter a problem during the education of your dog, do not hesitate to speak about it to your veterinarian who can give you advice.