Mary Allen
Dogs play an important role in the lives of their owners: they are the best friend, protector, playmate – family member. For this to work without problems, the consistent upbringing of the four-legged friend is especially important.
What Does Consistent Dog Training Mean?
The sequence may sound negative at first, but it doesn’t. Austere and loving care goes well together. Dogs do not understand human language but must react correctly when told to them something.
For this to work, it is very important that you are consistent. This means that at the same moments, you must always react the same way. For example, if your four-legged friend only once notices that you are weakening when he begs for alms at the dinner table, he will do it over and over again. On the other hand, if you are consistent and persistent, after a while he won’t even try.
Does My Dog Still Love Me When I’m Strict?
Definitely – maybe a little more. Your dog is very obsessed with you. The more consistent you are, the more reliable you are to your four-legged friend. It gives him a sense of security when he can appreciate you and understand what you want from him.
You have to give the dog clear boundaries, but you can also give it freedom. For example, if he always has to listen to you for a walk, over time he may learn to let off steam freely in your garden. Raising from a carrot-and-stick adage is very important – the reward if your dog reacted correctly is of course included.
Important: The Person is in Charge
The notion that you should treat your dog in a dominant way in order to reinforce a clear hierarchy has, in the meantime, been disproved by many scientific studies. You don’t have to oppress your dog to make it obey. However, over time, he will understand that it makes sense to follow you.
Therefore, your four-legged friend should respect you, not be afraid. This can be done with a clear line and consistency in following your rules. Dogs are smart animals. If you set reasonable rules and manage to reward at the right time, your four-legged friend will quickly notice that this is always the best way to obey you. If he is not sure about certain situations later, he will focus on you.
You Should Think About It
To you, “No”, “Stop”, and “Off” may mean the same thing in some situations, but not for your dog. You must make sure that you always use the same expression when your dog should or should not be doing something specific. Your body language should always be the same.
If your dog reacts immediately afterward, you have to reward him. It is also a reward for your dog if you are clearly happy or pet him.
But if your dog is reacting incorrectly or disobeying, he should feel that you cannot tolerate this behavior: bring him closer on a leash, do not pet him, but simply repeat your command again more vigorously. There is no need for real punishment — the punishment for not having a reward is enough. It is only important that your dog understands what he is doing wrong and what happens next. This is the only way to achieve the learning effect.
How Long Does Parenting Take?
For people, as for a dog: learns all his life. It takes a lot of patience and trust, but it’s worth it. The sooner you start training your dog, the faster you will succeed.