Expert Dog Training Tips for Houston Pet Owners

Congratulations on your new furry little bundle of joy! You’ve just gotten a new dog and are ready to get them acclimated to you and your life, so what is one of the big steps you need to prepare for? If you guessed “training” then you’d be right! Whether you’ve gotten a puppy, and old friend, or anything in between, you’ll need to know how to train your dog to get the best results. Who better to learn from than the experts at Prestonwood Kennels, right here in Houston? We’ve got some of our top tips for dog training ready to go here for you, so let’s jump in!

#1 – Keep Training Short and Sweet

Dogs don’t have the worlds largest attention span, so keeping your training exercises quick (under 20 minutes) is the best way to help them stay engaged in their training time. You’ll also need to make it exciting for them! Just remember to have these little sessions often to keep it consistent.

#2 – Rewards Get the Results

You don’t work for free, right? So why should your dog? Using various treats in your training practices is the fastest way to get results. Find out what your dog values (could be treats, toys, play time, or snuggles), then set those rewards accordingly. A simple skill can earn a simple treat, while a more challenging one (or a critical one) can earn something more high value.

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#3 – Let’s Get Physical

Dogs are often visual learners. While learning the audible commands, teach them motions along with those! Along this same note, you should also make an effort to learn dog body language. This will help you gauge how they’re feeling with their training.

#4 – Consistency is the Key

Just like with any other kind of learning, being consistent is the key to successful dog training. If you reinforce the good behaviors and rules that you’re taking all this time to teach them, then that’s how it’ll really stick. This is especially important for key commands, such as coming when called, staying in place, etc. Make all of this a part of their daily routine.

#5 – Know When to Reach Out

The last tip we’ll leave you with is this: know when to let a professional hand into the mix. If you feel like you aren’t quite up to the task or you just want some extra help, attend a training class at a nearby kennel or facility. Or you can let one of those trainers take on the whole job. Just remember that you need to reinforce this training at home. If you find that your dog has some particularly challenging behavior that you can’t handle, let a pro take over. They know what they’re doing and how to get the job done.

Training your dog should be a fun process for both of you, and we hope that these tips can help provide a good guideline to get you started. If you need another hand, reach out to Prestonwood Kennels today!