Good Example Of Essay On How To Train Your Dog

It is important that a dog kept as a domestic pet is properly trained, for a number of reasons. The first and important one is to get a puppy “house-trained.” Because puppies need to urinate frequently, beginning when they wake up in the morning, the owner will need to be up early each day to take the dog outside, and then take it out frequently during the day. The puppy will soon learn the routine, so that it does not use the house as its toilet.
A dog must also be taught to recognize its owner as its master or pack leader and to be obedient to the owner’s instructions or commands. Further, it should not bark unnecessarily (thereby being a nuisance to the owner and neighbors), and that it should not be aggressive to other dogs and people. In the latter case, socializing the dog as much as possible with other dogs and people while it is still young is the most effective method.
The process of training should begin when the dog is still a puppy, so that it learns what behavior is acceptable and what is not, before it develops bad habits. Dogs – like children – have relatively short attention spans, so keep individual training sessions short, perhaps 15 minutes or less. Remember when teaching words like “Sit” or “Walk” to a dog, that while an intelligent dog will soon learn to recognize those sounds, dogs do not actually understand English. So, if the key word is “buried” in a sentence, the dog may not pick it up. For example: “Are you going to sit for me?” may not have the desired result.
Consistency is key in all dog training. Don’t confuse the dog by using variants of “Sit” like “Sit down.” The dog listens for the sound it recognizes as a command. Keep it simple! However, to help the dog understand the commands, accompany each verbal command with an appropriate hand gesture, giving the dog a visual aid to support the spoken word. While there is a school of thought that advises training a dog by punishing it for disobedience, by far the most effective method is to reward the dog for doing what it is told. Initially, reward the dog by giving it a treat (a dog nibble or biscuit or similar) accompanied by an effusive “good boy!” or “good girl!” With time, the dog will not need the treat on every occasion, but the verbal congratulation and a pat on the head should always be given. Let the dog know it has pleased its master – that’s what a dog wants to do.
After the dog has mastered the “Sit” command, the next stage is to follow that with “Stay.” Work progressively on this one; start off with making the dog stay in the “Sit” position, and build up over time with longer durations and increasing physical separation distances. Remember to reward with treats – especially in the early stages.
When walking a dog, always have the dog on the left side, and teach it to walk closely alongside, with its head adjacent to its master’s leg. A dog’s natural instinct is to be in front; curb that tendency by hauling back on the leash each time it tries to lead, at the same time saying “Heel” in a firm tone. Eventually – local bye-laws permitting – the dog should maintain that position, even if walking it without a leash.
The more basic commands that a dog can be taught, such as “Down” to get it lie down, and “Fetch” to retrieve an object – like a ball, the more controllable it will be. Owners of well-trained dogs will have a much easier time as a dog owner and will earn the respect of others, especially in public situations where other (less well-trained) dogs are around.