The Most Common Errors in Puppy Training

Every competent puppy or dog trainer follows certain principles to make their training effective. However, some do not succeed in training their puppy. I will discuss with you the most common mistakes they make when training their puppy.

1. They don’t set themselves up as the leader of the pack.

One effective method of dog training is based on our knowledge of the instinctive behavior of dogs within a pack. Dominance is an integral factor in the dog pack. There is a hierachy within the pack. At the head of this is the alpha pair, a male and a female.

They are the first to eat, they lead the hunt and when they sleep, they take the higher ground.

To be successful in dog training, we need to position ourselves as the leader of the dog pack. It is best to be on a higher level than your puppy to emphasise your dominance. It is also important that before you give your puppy its food that you take a token amount of your own; this is so that he can see you eat first clearly.

We need to have a calm and assertive manner. As the leader of the pack it is important not to be nervous or indecisive.

2. They don’t understand the concept of positive reinforcement.

We must clearly understand that we must reinforce desired behaviors in our dog by giving treats or praising the instant our dog engages in the behavior. We can associate a verbal command with the behavior as it occurs and give a treat immediately after it.

Negative reinforcement such as shouting at a dog or punishing him in some way is nevertheless giving the dog attention and since he wants attention, the attention can act as a positive reinforcement rather than a negative one. It has been found to be ineffective. What is effective is to ignore the dog when it engages in an unwanted behavior. We may need to physically intervene if we need to stop some destruction going on, but we should keep the same assertive and cool manner and not interact any more than we have to.

3. They make dog obedience training sessions too long.

Sessions are best kept short so that your puppy’s energy and attention are good. Learning works best in short bouts. We should make the sessions only ten minutes for young puppies and up to twenty minutes for older ones.

4. They do not fully understand the sheer time and energy required to train a puppy.

Puppy training requires a commitment of time and energy in order to be successful. The owner will need to have great patience and to be persistent. He will also need to be very consistent.

5. They think that training only occurs during an organized training session.

Training actually occurs whenever the puppy is with its owner or with any other person. The owner needs to ensure that everyone who comes into contact with the puppy always behave in a consistent manner i.e. always ignoring undesired behaviors and positively reinfornce desired behaviors.

Let’s try to keep training sessions fun and enjoyable for our puppy. They should never become a chore.

For more complete information about puppy and dog training, see my reviews of the best dog training guides.