Having a dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences you can ever have. It can also be one of the most frustrating experiences of your life. That adorable bundle of love can easily develop plenty of bad habits if you indulge him too much. All aspects of the dog's life must be carefully planned beforehand, to establish sleeping, eating and play times etc.
Owning a well-trained dog will be a great experience, but the process won't be a breeze. It's rather clich, but the training is a journey you and your dog have to take together, in gradual steps. Firstly, you must ensure your family is involved in the training and plays an active part in the process.
Secondly, come to terms with the dog's role in your family. Agree on where the dog will sleep, where in the house it's not allowed, the feeding times and place, who's responsible for dog walking etc. To make sure everyone in the family is known to the dog and a bonding takes place, it's compulsory to involve everyone in training the dog.
Dogs rely on routine. They need a good, solid routine to feel secure, and a secure pet is a happy pet. It is much easier to train a happy pet, after all. For starters, decide where the dog will sleep in advance, and take it there at bed time. And do not let those big eyes blackmail you into letting it sleep in bed just for once - once it is established, a habit like that is very hard to break.
Feeding times are very important. Do not feed it outside those times, though the occasional treat is fine. The dog needs a fixed schedule it can depend on, regarding when it will be fed and when it will be let out or taken for walks. If this routine is broken, you cannot really blame the dog for making messes it is not supposed to make.
Once the essentials are taken care of, you can move on to simple commands. Here, nothing works as well as bribery - be lavish with praise, and fairly generous with treats, and you will be amazed at how quickly he learns.
Every time your dog does something right, encourage and pet it, and let it know that it did something right.
Please remember that you cannot get a dog trained properly through fear. Praise and encouragement is what works and it can be a rewarding experience for you, as well. There is nothing quite as uplifting as a pair of doggy eyes looking at you adoringly as if convinced that you are perfect - be patient and you will see that it is worth it.
