When you are a dog owner, you know that you have a companion for the entire life of the animal and his only goal in life is to make you happy. It is your responsibility as a pet parent to train your furry friend in basic obedience so that he becomes a good canine citizen.
If your dog knows basic commands as well as some advanced behaviors, you can rest assured that you and your pet will have a happy and healthy life together. But learning those commands takes time, patience, and reinforcement on pet parents. From potty training to positive behaviors around other dogs, dog training is a life-long endeavor.
Good dog training can improve you and your dog’s overall well-being and build a very strong bond between you as you work through all the different lessons you need to teach your furry friend. Entrust our best dog trainers in Winchester, VA, to assist you with your dog training needs. At Ridgeside K9 Winchester, our experienced and skilled dog trainers are here to help dog owners like you learn the right ways to train your dog.
Why Is Dog Obedience Training Important?
Dog obedience training is an invaluable activity because it helps to ensure that your pet becomes a good canine citizen of Winchester, VA. Excellent dog training also reassures you that your dog will be trustworthy when out in public so that you can always have the best possible experience.
When you and your dog work closely together to learn the basics (sit, stay, rollover) as well as the most necessary things like where to go to the bathroom and how to act around other people and animals, you become closer and more connected. There is a trust that forms, and your pet will continue to show you even more, love and affection when he is successful in dog obedience training.
Mistakes to Avoid During Dog and Puppy Training
Many pet parents want to tackle dog obedience training on their own rather than relying on the expertise of skilled dog trainers such as ours at Ridgeside K9 Winchester. When you do not learn the latest dog training techniques at private lessons or in group classes, you may make some of the most common mistakes during training and set your progress back.
The following are some of the most common mistakes that all pet owners should avoid during their dog obedience training in Winchester, VA:
Using Aversive Training Methods
Aversion training methods such as shock, prong, or choke collars and leash corrections are largely ineffective because they only use positive punishment or negative reinforcement. Basically, the dog learns that something unpleasant will happen if he does the wrong thing or that unpleasantness will stop when he stops doing the bad thing.
Rather than punishing the dog during his obedience training, using positive reinforcement in a dog training class is much more effective and will strengthen your bond with your dog. Also, you do not risk inducing fear, anxiety, stress, and aggression in your dog through the training methods.
Over-repetition of Training Cues
A common misconception is that repeating a certain training cue will eventually get the dog to complete the action. Unfortunately, this is not usually the way it works. Repeating a command to sit over and over again will simply frustrate you when the dog does not comply.
Rather, state the command once and wait for your dog to obey. If he does, he gets his treat. If not, there is no reward, and you will have to continue to work on this from an easier stage of your dog training.
Punishments Instead of Rewards
This does not always have to be something that we (as humans) would consider a punishment. Obviously, you do not want to do anything that harms your dog or makes him scared of you during the dog obedience training.
However, something as simple as calling the dog to you and immediately putting his leash on him may seem like a punishment. You are taking your dog away from the fun he is having. Even if you do need him to come over to you so that you can leave, you should reward his action first with a treat or a pet (if your dog enjoys being petted).
On occasion, a dog owner should also give the command, reward the action, and then let the dog return to his previous fun. That will demonstrate that he is not being punished, and it is not always time to leave when called.
Invest in Dog Training Classes in Winchester, VA
Dog obedience training and puppy training are not always as simple as they may seem. Dogs are unique and individualized, so their training will not always be identical from one animal to the next. A well-trained pet takes time and patience to achieve. It also takes the owner or trainer a good deal of time to learn how to train a particular dog effectively.
That is why it is wise to invest in professional dog obedience training such as ours at Ridgeside K9 Winchester. When you bring your dog or puppy to our facility, we will work to understand your pet’s needs and develop a plan for his training.
Bringing your dog to an expert dog trainer in Winchester, VA, also takes a lot of the pressure off of you. As the owner, you can trust that our trainers know the most advanced training techniques, how to employ them, and what will work best for your pet.
Contact Our Professional Dog Trainers in Winchester, VA
Our trainers in Winchester, VA, know that dog training can be tough, and we are here to ease the stress from you and your pet! We are here to help pets’ parents train their furry friends and strengthen their bonds. Contact Ridgeside K9 Winchester today to learn more about our dog training and boarding services.