The hardest question that faces every new dog owner is how to train a dog to be obedient and well behaved.
Most people love dogs, but hesitate when considering owning one as a pet because they fear that they might not be able to train their pup correctly or that they may have to employ a qualified pet trainer for this purpose which could prove to be very costly.
In reality it is relatively easy to train a dog and this article will tell you the basics.
The truth is, although it takes time and persistence to train a new pup it is not really a very difficult task.
If you want to learn how to train a dog, the most important thing to do is to introduce regularity and patience in your own behavior.
Dogs feel more comfortable when they know what is going to happen.
For example if you feed your dog at 6 o'clock one night, don't feed him at 7 o'clock the next.
Dog's have an inbuilt body clock that is accurate to a few minutes, this means that they will know the exact time you arrive home and will be waiting for you.
You should also try and take them for walks around the same time of day.
Introducing regularity into your dog's life will make training them a whole lot easier.
Dogs are very intelligent animals and learn very quickly from the behaviors they perceive.
Before you bring your dog home all the members of the family have to agree on a predefined set of rules which must be implemented throughout the first few months of dog training.
For example if you don't want him to jump up onto the sofa every member of your family must not allow them to.
If someone lets him on the sofa he will think it is alright to get on it, but if the next time your dog on the sofa you chastise them.
This leads to a very confused puppy.
This is probably the most important pre-requisite of learning how to train a dog.
It is the same with commands.
For example if you use different commands to get your dog to sit they just will get confused.
You cannot expect to train your puppy successfully if all the people in your house aren't treating it in the same way.
The initial step in learning how to train a dog is to teach your dog to react to basic commands such as "sit", "stay" and praise like "good dog" and "bad dog".
To get your dog to sit, hold a treat above your dogs nose and move it upwards and back towards your dogs head.
Whenever your dog does something you want you must reward them by saying good dog or something alike.
For the first few weeks you should try and keep the range of words the same throughout.
You may change your words once your dog has learnt to understand the tone of your voice, but it is imperative to be completely consistent to start off.
The second step in learning how to train your dog is to educate your dog where to relieve themselves.
There is nothing worse than a pup urinating all through your house.
This could be both unclean and dangerous.
This training must also be started from the very first day of your dog's arrival.
There is no easy way to do this you must simply take your dog to the place you want to be the permanent place for him to go to the toilet whenever they need to relieve themselves.
This is usually after mealtimes, after they wake up from a sleep, or after exercise.
The next step in learning how to train your dog is to get it comfortable with its resting place.
You could use a kennel or a crate.
Both work the same however kennels usually cost more to buy.
If you cannot find the money for a kennel, you can always use a crate.
However, you need to scrutinize the crate carefully to check if there are any areas that could hurt the dog or possibly hook there collar.
Secondly, you might want to place in some blankets and your dog's favourite toys to make it a fun place for your dog to be.
Placing blankets will make it look warm and snug just like a den.
Having a place that your dog can feel safe and secure in will make training a lot easier.
If you follow these simple steps you will see dramatic changes in your dogs behavior, and as a result they will fit in perfectly with your family.