Dogs are basically descended from current day wolves. While domestication has dampened or taken out quite a few attributes, some key normal instincts even now continue to be. Like wolves, dogs are pack animals. What does this imply? Well, you will find several traits that derive from being a pack animal. The important ones when it comes to training are dogs are naturally sociable, they are used to routine and they are used to a social structure (i.e. the alpha male). As communal animals k-9s thrive over a interaction with other dogs. A dog does not consider you as being a human being but fairly a funny looking dog. Therefore, dogs thrive on the interaction with you. Much like a wild wolf, rejected by the pack, when you starve a dog of this interaction, they’ll become unhappy and very agitated.

However, there are some situations when you do need to reprimand your canine. One of the biggest things that often confuses people with regards to dog training is when to reward your dog and when to reprimand him. You’ll want to determine when to reprimand him or compliment your dog throughout dog training. Bear in mind to be patient because your dog is learning and trying his best to please you, which is another free dog training tip.

Another very important free dog training tip is to make sure everyone in your home acts consistently whenever you are training your dog. It is very important that you make sure that everyone in the house knows what you are doing during the dog training, and how to provide supportive measures whenever needed.

One of the factors that you may ought to take into consideration whenever you are trying to train your dog is how does he act whenever he is around you? Is your pet speedily distracted every time there are other dogs all-around? You will need to teach your dog to target you and everything you are trying to teach him. Also how does your canine react whenever you can find other people around? Does he allow a different person to handle him? Again is he easily distracted around other people? One more free dog training tip is to start the dog training at quiet places that are familiar to your dog. Be sure that there are very few things and people around that would distract him. Then once you feel that your dog has learned to focus on what you are trying to teach him, then you can gradually move the training to places with more and more distractions so he will learn to obey your commands despite those distractions.

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There are basically two schools of thought at the moment when it comes to dog training. The one belief is that you need to replicate as far as possible the wolf pack ethos, and the other is that you don’t. We know that all dogs originated as wolves and selective breeding has developed all the different types of dogs we see today. It is assumed that all the basic instincts of the wolf are still there somewhere in your dog. The “pack” school of thought believes that you have to establish yourself as the “leader of the pack” and your dog will follow and obey you willingly. As far as possible they believe in holding themselves aloof from their dogs, encouraging an element of respect bordering on fear. An experiment done with tamed wolves shows that when a wolf gets into trouble or difficulties, even though he has accepted human authority, he does not go to a human for help but rather struggles himself to sort things out.

A dog, on the other hand, looks immediately for help to his human owner. I believe that the relationship between dog and owner is unique, and nothing like that between a wolf pack leader and the wolves. The more loving you are to your dog, the more he loves you. If he disobeys you it is from misunderstanding, or lack of bonding. Get the bond right and the respect will come by itself. He needs to know without doubt what you will not tolerate, and with absolute clarity what you do want of him. In return, you have to know and understand his needs. There is indeed a lot of the wolf still there and you need to respect that. Whatever your personal philosophy is about packs and dogs, your dog training follows a similar route. As early as possible, start working with your dog. Handling, playing and gentle brushing can be done when he is just a few weeks old. Once he starts eating, a whole new leverage opens up to you. Most dogs love food and unless you live somewhere where there is a threat of poisoning, you should encourage him to take food rewards.

Also particular areas of their bodies where they love being scratched, such as between the neck and the shoulder blades. These things can be used as rewards to show that you are pleased with them. Never use them in conjunction with displeasure or punishment, though. Time and again I have seen a dog scolded for doing something wrong and then patted. How confusing is that! You have to find ways to communicate. This is the way you build up a common language with them. Your different commands should sound different. Your tone of voice and movements are more important than the words themselves. Even a really intelligent dog understands relatively few words. But he is a sharper reader of body language than even you are! Be consistent at all times. Dogs, like all animals, don’t like surprises. They like to know what to expect, and for you to be entirely predictable. This is the basic building block of trust. When dogs know, trust and love you and they understand what you want of them, they are almost unbelievably anxious to please. Once this basic relationship has been established, you can go on to whatever discipline of training you prefer. There are many. Basic home dog obedience, protection and police dog work, tracking, sniffing out dangerous substances or trapped or buried people, sheep herding, flyball, jumping and agility, blind dog training and other disabled helper functions, to name just a few.

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