If you are having trouble with your dogs behavior, chances are that you do not understand him or her properly. Dogs only understand dog language. That means attempting to discipline your pet using methods only you understand may just be causing confusion. Fortunately, if you come to understand your dog, training becomes much more simple.

You just have to learn to think ahead and express things in a way your dog will understand. Here are some dos and donts that cover the whole range of dog behavior, and these will assist you in telling your best friend what is ok and whats not in terms of behavior.

Dog training is simple if you think like a dog. Remember that your dog does not understand the things you say. Instead, he or she forms associations with certain sounds and actions. That means it is important to be consistent and pay attention to what you are teaching your pet, from puppyhood onward.

If you use your dogs name or your recall command (come here or similar commands) mostly when you want to punish your dog, he or she will become resistant to it. Who wants to follow a command when they know that something bad will happen? That is why it is vital to encourage your dog to associate important commands like your recall word, heel command, and stay command with good things. The better the associations, the happier your pet will be to obey.

Some situations are easier to correct if you think about the circumstances that are causing them. A barking dog is unhappy for some reason, whether it is loneliness or agitation. Try to find the source of these problems and correct them rather than disciplining your dog. Remember that your pet may not know why he or she is being punished. Dogs do not speak our language!

If your dog has been urinating or defecating indoors, there is probably a reason for that too. Whether it is stress or too few trips outdoors, try to find the cause and eliminate it. Dog training becomes a lot easier when you work with your dog. Simply offering punishment when your dog does something wrong just creates a dog who is scared of you.

If a problem action happened some time ago and you punish your dog when you discover it, your dog may have no idea why the punishment is happening. Remember that associations count. Your dog could begin to associate the punishment with an unrelated factor.

That is why some dogs whose noses are rubbed in their wet spots begin to think you do not want them to relieve themselves! Instead of letting you know when they want to go out, they hide it. This results in even worse problems. Likewise, shouting at your dog will be viewed as a bad thing. Think about the circumstances your dog is in and whether he or she is aware of the so-called crime before you raise your voice.

Remember that you can only really communicate with your dog through associations and training. So be sure to choose your actions carefully to match. Dog training does not have to be a chore if you are willing to think like your pet.