Big Mistakes You're Making When Training A Dog

All dog owners know how energetic their dogs can be. Dogs typically enjoy running and playing and generally do more high-energy activities than cats. Some dogs, according to WAG, are livelier than others — Border Collies and Siberian Huskies are noted for their exuberance. But even less energetic dogs like the Great Danes and Greyhounds require a lot of attention which ranges from going on walks to playing fetch amongst other activities.

No wonder why you're likely to find pet owners referring to themselves as pet parents. Caring for pets is almost as much time and energy as caring for a child, iHeartdogs noted. Think of an active dog as a small toddler but with sharp teeth and boundless verve, and you can just imagine the devastation it could have on your shoes, couch, and pillows. That provides a little insight into why dog training is necessary.

Trained dogs have an easier time interacting with other dogs and are generally easier to have around than untrained dogs. Training your dog will help lessen its aggression towards people, and even other dogs. Training will also help dog owners develop a better understanding of their pet, but only when done right.

So if you're wondering why your dog is not adhering to training just yet, it may be because of any one of these mistakes you're making.

Although many think that it's an easy task, training can be dog is intense, Companion Animal Psychology noted. One reason for this is how errors during training could teach your dog the wrong lesson and nullify your efforts.

While dog training should often require the use of positive reinforcement to get the canine to respond to certain cues, rewarding them with only treats won't be effective. What's the alternative to this, you ask? Have a variety of things as rewards — toys and walks, for example.

You can't focus only on the reward system though, as it is necessary to take punishments seriously as well. Never use disciplinary methods that will inflict pain on your dog, advised Chewy.

One humane way to discipline your dog is to place it on a time-out, which means to temporarily deny them access to something they'd normally like, such as a toy. By the way, not all dogs are the same. So you should watch your dog closely to find out what works. You should also avoid being inconsistent with its training, according to Daily Dog Stuff, as this can confuse your pet.