Useful Information That Will Help You Train Your Chihuahua

A properly trained dog will make the ideal pet for you. Dogs that behave well are a pleasure and will fill your days with brightness. So to enhance your relationship with your dog, read on!

Try not to reinforce bad behaviors from your dog. Don't ever reward a dog that is behaving badly. For instance, if you are trying to train your chihuahua to not jump on you, you shouldn't be petting them whenever they do so.

Socializing your dog early in life is every bit as important as obedience training. Your dog must learn how to behave in the company of other dogs as well as humans. This will help in reducing sporadic behavior when it comes to new environments, also.

To train your chihuahua to walk with a leash, you must first have the dog wear a harness during playtime. The pup must become accustomed to wearing the harness in order for you to use its leash. A collar is also necessary for hanging ID tags.

Continue training your dog throughout its life to make sure that its good behavior persists. A dog does not stop learning after puppyhood. Reinforce the positive behaviors, reward your dog for being obedient and punish your dog for its bad behavior.

Call your dog's name when speaking to him to keep him focused. Over time and repetition, the dog will begin to understand their name and that they are being spoken to. It's best to stick with shorter names, one's that are distinguishable from other words.

As you train your chihuahua, begin by providing treats each time proper behavior is displayed. After they get used to it, try giving them treats a lot less.

Familiarity with your dog's food preferences will help you to train your dog. Knowing the right food to give as a reward will get your dog to work harder at his training. Watch how your dog responds when receiving their reward to ensure it is still the best choice.

Consistency is key when housebreaking your dog. When you start housebreaking a puppy, you will want to take it outside as often as possible. When he does use the bathroom outdoors, give him lots of praise. Never yell at your dog for relieving itself in the house. He does not understand what he did and your yelling will not teach him anything. When it has an accident, take it out and show it where it should go.

One of the first commands your dog should learn is "down." This is an excellent foundation to begin your dog's training, and it's extremely useful in times of emergency. If your dog responds promptly to the DOWN command, it will serve you well. It could save his life in potentially dangerous encounters.

Don't send your dog mixed signals. Your dog picks up on your reactions to things so if you laugh at bad behavior they will take that as it is okay to continue what they are doing. Your reaction will be confusing to your dog and extend the time it takes to reach your training goals. Consistency is the key to accomplishing your goals when training your dog.

Don't have unrealistic training expectations for aging or ill dogs. A dog with arthritis won't be able to stand for very long, for example. Training your dog keeps his mind going, and older dogs benefit from this. However, you should make sure these sessions are not causing any pain.

A harness will be more comfortable for your dog, although you will lose some of the control a collar will give you. If you want to use both, you can put the dog in a harness and collar. Then tug the collar when your dog disobeys you. This helps the dog understand that he needs to obey you when in the harness as well.

When dogs bite, it is usually from fear. When a dog feel threatened, scared or trapped, it may bite. Force is not necessary to train a dog, and should never be used. Your dog might snap and bite you. This builds trust in the dog, and he will see you as his faithful master.

You have now taken the initial step in the direction of being a good dog trainer. Being a better trainer and better understanding how to train your chihuahua are as simple as following the advice above. Good advice doesn't have to be complicated.

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