Make Dog Training Exercises Enjoyable
Sponsored linksDog training should never be something you don't enjoy doing although it ends up being just a chore for many. 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.
Just like us, dogs get tired too. And they most likely won't work for reward if they don't feel like it. So you need to make training a positive experience for best results and one of the ways to do that is by using play or a game to reinforce association with a command and a behavior.
Consistency in responding to the come command is very difficult to achieve - even though learning the command is fairly easy. The world is full of amazing sights and smells and your dog will be very tempted to explore new things than respond to you when you call. The only strategy you can use to ensure appropriate consistency is by continual practice of the recall training exercise. That can't be fun? 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!
Use Games in Your Dog Training
Get some chicken chunks or whatever your dogs favorite treat is and make sure he's hungry. Give the stay command and go hide in 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. It may take a couple of minutes for your dog to figure out where you are if you've really hidden. It's a lot of fun watching them run into a room and start sniffing around for you! And give him [her] that peice of chicken dog he's [she's] working so hard for as soon as he [she] does find you!
The kids love playing this. The laughter is infectious and is great for the kids, the dogs and us. It's fun and when his [her] name is called, the conditioned response of coming is actually being re-enforced. An added bonus of getting the kids to do this as well is that your dog is learning to come when all members of the family call – not just you. Feeling silly shouldn't be a worry for any adult - it's a great exercise for us as well. You might feel a bit silly at first, but you'll laugh when your dog catches you standing in the closet with a chicken dog in your hand! You'll feel young again!
Training Should Progress Logically
Of course, this isn’t the first dog training exercise you need to master. Teaching them to focus on you comes before everything 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. Not just for you, but for your dog and your entire family.
Related Stuff:
Related posts:
- Dog Training Exercise – Come When Called
- Training Your Dog and Your Family
- Dog Training Tips That Work
- Get Your Dog to Come On Command
- Dog Crate Training
Tags: dog obedience training, dog training books, dog training exercises
