How to Train an Adult Dog
Training your dog to be a well-behaved adult is similar to training an adult human. You have to establish clear boundaries, keep the training sessions short but consistent, and reward good behavior when it happens.
This can get you frustrated because sometimes you want your dog to do something so badly (like stop jumping on people or get off the couch), but they won't listen! However, you can change this with patience and consistency. Here are some valuable tips for training an adult dog:
Introduce your dog to your family
The next step in training an adult dog is introducing him to the whole house. Ensure the dog is comfortable in all rooms of your home, including the kitchen and bathroom. If you have other pets, allow them time together in a controlled environment where they can get used to each other's scents and sounds.
Your dog should also have ample social time with visitors to familiarize them with different people entering and leaving their home. Finally, introduce them to new furniture by placing it outside his food bowl or favorite spot. He gets used to seeing it there before it moves inside permanently!
Get a short leash and collar for your dog
Now that you have your puppy, it's time to get a leash and collar. You don't want a long leash—you probably won't need more than a few feet of extra length for when your dog is off-leash. Ensure the collar is not too tight or loose; you should be able to fit two fingers underneath with room to spare, but no more than that.
The goal here is comfort, not discipline. If your dog seems uncomfortable with the collar on, take it off until they get used to having something around their neck again, and then try again later. This process can up to several weeks or even months as they adjust back into life at home after being in foster care or shelter care for so long!
Choose a room for your training sessions
Choose a room for your training sessions. Be sure to select a quiet room that is free of distractions and has minimal noise so that your dog can focus on you and not be distracted by other activities in the house. If possible, try to choose a room with a door that can be closed so that your adult dog cannot wander off while you are working with them. This will make it more difficult for them to get up and leave while you're engaged in training exercises.
Your chosen room should also be large enough for both you and your adult dog to move around comfortably without feeling crowded or confined. It should also not be too big — otherwise, it might seem overwhelming to them!
Decide on a command word to use with that behavior.
The first step in training your adult dog is to decide on a command word to use with that behavior. You must use a command word different from other words, short and easy to say, not used for anything else, and not used for other dogs. A good example of a command word might be "sit."
Decide on hand signals while training
When teaching an adult dog a new behavior, it's important to choose hand signals that are easy to remember and use. A good rule of thumb is that the more complex or subtle your hand signal is, the better it will be at communicating what behavior you want your dog to perform.
Hand gestures should also be easily visible no matter where they appear on our bodies—we don't want people having trouble figuring out what we're doing without being told first off how many fingers we're holding up because that would defeat any purpose we might have had for trying this whole communication thing in general.
Use your verbal command along with hand signals
Now that your dog has the commands down, it's time to teach him the behaviors you want him to do. You can use a specific word and hand signal for each behavior. For example, you might say, "sit!" while holding up your left hand with your palm facing inwards and fingers pointing downwards (you could also use a hand gesture). Then when you want your dog to sit in general, just use the command word without the hand signal.
Reward your dog
When the dog obeys your command, reward him with a treat.
If he doesn't obey, don't give him any treats. This is called negative reinforcement, and it teaches the dog that when he does something bad (like eating your couch), there are no treats for him! This can be hard at first because we naturally want to reward our dogs for good behavior. But if you don't give the treat after doing a good thing, eventually, your dog will start doing more of what you ask just to get his treat!
You can also use toys or praise as rewards instead of food treats if desired, as long as it's something positive from which your dog derives enjoyment and feels rewarded. For example, playing fetch with a ball or Frisbee makes my dogs happy. Hence, they love getting their 'reward' after they've fetched one back successfully--this reinforces the idea that they should keep trying until they get it right!
Do several repetitions of every process with your dog
The next step is to teach your dog that you will reward him when he does the new behavior. Do several repetitions of each process with your dog by asking him to do the new behavior, rewarding him when he obeys, and using only praise when he doesn't. You should be patient and consistent during this training process, but don't let the dog get away with bad or good behavior.
Step out of the comfort zone
Next, you'll want to move into an area outside the room where there are more noises and people but is still quiet enough that you can get his attention without too much distraction, such as in a different room or hallway. If your dog tends to follow you around, try leaving him at one end of the house and walking to the other several times before returning. This will teach him that it's okay for him not to be with you all day long.
Try adding a few more distractions into the mix before moving outside for lessons
Once your dog has mastered the basics of sit, stay, and come, it's time to move on to more advanced tricks.
Before you start training in an outdoor setting, try adding a few more distractions before moving outside for lessons, such as having someone walk past him fast or jumping jacks near him while he does his trick. This will help prepare him for when there are distractions present during outdoor training sessions.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to teach your adult dog new tricks go out and have fun! The essential thing is to remember not to get frustrated when things don't go as planned. If your dog does not understand a command or hand signal, try repeating it more slowly and breaking it down into smaller parts. If you are frustrated, take a break from training for a day or two, and come back with fresh energy!
Published By: Admin
Published On: 28-August-2022
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