The Importance of Dog Training and What to Avoid
Training is a crucial part of the process when raising a dog. During this training period, there are certain behaviors that must absolutely be avoided. Accidentally triggering these mistakes can harm your dog and even damage the trust between you.
Understanding what not to do is just as important as the training itself. Avoiding these pitfalls helps ensure your dog grows up healthy, happy, and well-adjusted, while strengthening the bond you share. Let's take a look at these 4 major taboos!
1. How to Properly Correct Your Dog
When scolding your dog, avoid calling their name directly. A dog's name is an important signal. If the name is frequently associated with reprimands, the dog may become fearful or reluctant to respond whenever called.
Instead of using their name during correction, speak in a calm and steady tone with phrases like "That's not okay" or "No." This helps the dog clearly understand that the behavior is unacceptable without associating their name with negative feelings.
2. Effective Dog Training: Trust Over Fear
Yelling loudly or resorting to physical punishment: true training should be built on a foundation of safety and trust. When dogs are silenced by shouting or hitting, it may only be temporary—not because they understand the rules, but because they comply out of fear.
This approach damages the dog's trust in its owner and can, over time, lead to more serious behavioral problems. Building a relationship based on mutual respect and security is essential for effective and lasting training results.
3. Understanding Your Dog's Behavior
Dogs only understand the "present moment" or events that have just happened. If you come home from work and find the sofa chewed up, then scold your dog harshly, your dog won't know what they did wrong. They will simply feel that "their owner suddenly got angry," which can cause anxiety and fear.
If your dog urinates inappropriately or destroys items around the house, the important thing is to take measures to prevent these behaviors from happening again. For example, you can protect the sofa with a cover or have your dog wear diapers, rather than blaming them for their actions.
4. Why Teaching Dogs to Toilet Only Outdoors Isn't Ideal
Teaching dogs to toilet exclusively outdoors is not the best approach. Harsh weather conditions like cold fronts and heavy rain, or situations where the dog is ill or has mobility issues, can make going outside to relieve themselves a burden for both the dog and the owner.
Developing the habit of toileting indoors from an early age offers greater flexibility and safety in daily life. Even if an adult dog has already become accustomed to toileting outdoors, with patience and the right methods, it is still possible to gradually adjust this behavior.
Training Your Dog at Every Stage of Life
Dogs do not only need training during their puppy stage; even when they grow into adults, they may need to be retrained and adjusted at any time.
Making training an enjoyable experience is essential. This way, trust can be built bit by bit through daily interactions, fostering the deepest bond between you and your canine companion.
