Owning a dog comes with great responsibility, but is nevertheless a rewarding experience. You get a very good companion that will stay loyal and true until their very last breath. Not only will you gain a pet, but a family and a friend for life.
When you’ve finally decided to welcome a dog into your home, you’d want to make the best out of the experience. One of your first agendas would be to housetrain your dog and teach him basic commands. But with all of the myths and misconceptions surrounding dog training, which ones should you ignore?
Good Read: The 10 Health Benefits Of Dogs (And One Health Risk)
The following reveals the truths behind the most common myths and misconceptions about dog training. Find out more about effective dog training methods.
Make sure to take down some notes!
Only a professional dog trainer can successfully train your dog.
While you may already know that this statement is not 100% true, one can not deny the fact that it takes an incredible amount of time and patience to do dog training. Dog trainers are professionals who are passionate about handling and training dogs. Dog trainers are professionals who are passionate about handling and training dogs. When you sign up for your furry friend to be trained by a professional puppy trainer, your dog can learn different commands without you needing to invest too much time and effort. Delegating such tasks makes sense if you have a busy lifestyle, more so if your dog already shows behaviour that needs expert help.
You can train puppies once they reach the age of 6 months.
A dog’s brain is an incredible organ. Before, many people believed that the best time to train your dog is once they are six months old. Nowadays, experts claim that dogs can be taught no matter their age. Adult dogs have more self-control than puppies, thus making it easier to train them. What’s important is consistency and to never stop training so your canine buddy can remember basic commands.
It’s too late for old canines to learn new tricks.
We all know how the saying goes but is there truth behind it? Many already proved that you could teach an adult dog new tricks. However, it would take more time as they already established certain manners which may need help correcting. With a lot of patience and determination, one can eventually turn even the most ill-mannered dog into an angel.
Using treats when training is bribing.
Many think the use of food is more like bribing your pooch to do a specific command rather than teaching them good manners. However, using treats is one great way to compensate a good behaviour with something most dogs enjoy – which is food. Just like in the corporate world, you get a bonus for a job well done, so why can’t you do the same for your canine buddy? It is important to note that there are other ways to reward your pup like a good of tug-of-war and an exciting game of fetch.
Good Read: Training Your Dog With Rewards And Positive Reinforcement
To speed up training, you can use special chains and collars.
It is a common misconception that different training collars can help speed up and correct certain dog behaviors. However, this only works while your pooch has the collar around its neck. Once you take it off, there is a big chance the bad behaviour will return. Instead of using special collars, lean towards positive reinforcement. Your buddy will find it easier to learn proper behaviours rather than teaching them not to do a particular act.
