January is the National Train Your Dog Month!

In 2010 the Association of Professional Dog Trainers began the National Train Your Dog Month campaign. The APDT believed it is time to dedicate a month to bringing awareness to the importance of socialization and training, and most of all, to inform the public that training your dog can be easy and fun! 

January is also the time when most people bring new pets home during the winter holidays.

How to best Train your dog

1. House Training

It is important if you're thinking about keeping your pet indoors. When pets stay inside, they require a housebreaking or potty training to relieve themselves at the right place.

A house training may include;

Crate training dogs and puppies

Crate training is a method of house training your puppy or dog. The crate is specifically used to keep your pup or adult dog confined in a space when you are unable to supervise. Since dogs do not generally urinate or defecate in the same place they sleep, they will most likely try to hold the urge to pee. Use positive enforcement while introducing crate to your pets.

House Train puppies

It requires patience while training the young pups. Set a schedule for everything; waking, eating, playing, and relieving. Check for signs when your pup needs to relieve. Use keywords repeatedly to make them understand the command.

Submissive/Excitement urination in Dogs

Most dogs tend to urinate when being submissive or in excitement. Also known as involuntary urination, it can be curbed by positive enforcement. Use the house training commands to make them understand that it isn’t right to pee inside the house.

2. Leash Training

Leash training is important when the pup starts growing into an adult dog. You will often take it outdoors, hence, keeping them in a leash is important to avoid any accidents or misbehavior.

Teach the dog how to walk properly with the leash. A loose leash walk may teach your dog not to pull or lunge when being leashed, making the experience more enjoyable.

3. Socializing

Socialization is basically the process of introducing a dog or pup to in the company of other animals, humans, places, and environment. Socialization should begin at a young age which helps them to adapt to social circle and behavior. The ideal age is between 3 and 14 weeks of age for puppies.

Socializing with Dogs

• Take your dog out to observe other dogs
• Resist tugging while walking
• Go to dog training classes

Socializing with Humans

• Ignore your dog's unwanted behavior
• Act like everything is normal when he acts out
• Introduce people slowly

Basic commands

Basic commands help to curb dog’s unwanted behavior and keep them safe. Every dog should be aware of basic commands.

Some of the basic commands are;

• Look
• Emergency recall
• Come
• With me
• Leave it
• Drop it
• Sit
• Lie Down
• Stay
• Wait

Proofing behavior

Proofing is the last step in training your dog to do any new behavior. Learn how to proof behaviors so your dog will be as obedient at the park or a friend's house is he is in your own living room.