How a dog raises its puppies. What is the proper upbringing and socialization of a dog? Punishment takes precedence over reward

Alexandra Lychko

Raising a puppy or adopting an adult dog is not enough. It is important that the relationship between the animal and the owner develop correctly, “communication” brings pleasure to both. If you know how to raise an obedient dog, then in the future you will be able to instill all the skills that are required.

How to raise a dog correctly

If you ask the owner what he wants from his pet, the answers may be as follows:

• obedience;
• help;
• protection;
• the ability to amaze others with interesting tricks.

Almost all owners dream of their four-legged pet being a good friend.

Puppy

The easiest way to start training is from puppyhood. You should start with the basics - accustom him to the toilet, place, commands.

You need to create a daily routine - the dog must clearly know when to go for a walk and when he will be given food. Games and activities are also held at the same time.

The dog must know that it is not the leader in the family. To teach a dog to follow the rules, you should... accustom your family to them. It is not so difficult to explain: first the owners enter the house, and then the dog.

You should never feed the dog first, then yourself, or be distracted from eating. If there is a child in the house, he should also be placed above the dog. First respond to his requests, then to the dog’s. The remaining concepts: friend - enemy, the dog will understand as it is trained.

The owner starts all games and ends them. You can’t allow yourself to be defeated – even as a joke. The puppy must know its place, and it must follow the command given to the dog from the first word.

Adult dog

The way to raise an adult dog differs from raising a puppy only in some nuances - adaptation takes longer. For the rest, you should act the same way: teach the place and daily routine, teach commands.

If a dog was taken from the street out of pity, then he must be given the opportunity to adapt, gradually accustoming him to himself and the place, but at the same time not allowing him to get the better of him - the methods of education are the same as when raising a puppy.

It is necessary to analyze what kind of character the animal has.

• Intimidated animals crouch at every shout and sharp gesture; it will be difficult to train them;
• Aggressively intimidated people recoil, press themselves to the floor and immediately try to attack - in a state of panic they become uncontrollable;
• A dominant aggressor, who silently attacks not only the owner, but also those around him while walking, can only be tamed by a dog handler.

Animals with similar psychotypes are difficult to raise.

A strange adult dog will easily adapt and make friends with its new owner if, at the first meeting, it shows calm interest: it sniffs it, lets it pet it. You can take a dog even when he ignores you at first contact - this is how self-confident animals behave.

Contact with a stray dog, even if it is taken into the home when sick and nursed, can pose a danger to family members when it recovers. Therefore, it is better to first entrust it to the veterinarian, and only then, having studied its behavior, analyze whether it is worth taking it home or whether it is better to leave it in the nursery.

It sounds cruel, but safety comes first.

Nuances of dog education

How to educate if a dog snaps at its owner?

The animal demonstrates this behavior in several cases:

• tries to take a leading position;
• behavior is based on fear;
• the owner is in clear danger, and this is a warning.

In the latter case, the animal tries not to cause pain to the owner - it drags with its teeth and barks, and other cases need to be corrected from the first attempt at disobedience. A dog becomes angry due to mistakes in training.

The animal must not be allowed to:

• showed aggression during food when the owner approaches the bowl;
• occupied the “upper tier” - sat or lay above the owner and snarled when he was placed on the bedding;
• growled when putting on the collar;
• did not execute commands.

When adjusting behavior, you cannot:

• to beat an animal - it is enough to hit it once on the thigh with a leash;
• shouting at him - only metal in the voice, and no hysterics, such behavior is a demonstration of weakness;
• leaving without food or water - this can completely embitter the animal;
• locking him in a cage or leaving him alone for a long time - these measures will completely upset the dog’s psyche.

If you cannot extinguish aggression on your own, you should contact an instructor. If he fails to correct the owner’s mistakes, he will have to give the animal into “good hands”, otherwise it will pose a danger.

Sometimes you have to solve the opposite problem, how to raise an angry dog. If you want to escalate aggressiveness, to ensure that the dog attacks the enemy when expressing aggression and protects him from strangers, you need to contact an instructor.

You cannot set the animal on yourself or your family.

The main condition for such upbringing is that the owner must be able to stop aggression with a shout. To make a dog angry, you must first achieve complete obedience, otherwise aggression will manifest itself towards “pack members”.

Very often, a pet, without any training, displays fighting qualities and protects the owner and family members from danger. If only positive emotions come from the owners, it shouldn’t be any other way. For her, her owners are family members.

How to raise a guard dog?

First of all, you should choose the right breed - the animal must have a stable psyche.

The dog will have to master the following skills:

• distinguish strangers from your own;
• do not take food from the hands of strangers;
• be able to grab onto an arm or leg and disarm an armed enemy.

The best guards are shepherd dogs of all types. They easily comprehend science - “let everyone in and no one”
release". But Caucasians and pit bulls can break loose and kill an uninvited guest. It is advisable to learn to attack a possible enemy and disarm his guard dog with the help of an instructor.

We all admire trained dogs that faithfully look into the eyes of their owner and follow all his commands. And, do you know that your dog can be so devoted, faithful, and obedient? Don't believe me? The secret to such ideal behavior lies in... raising the dog. And how competently and correctly you raise your pet will determine how obedient your dog will grow up. Ready? Then go ahead and get acquainted with the rules of raising a dog...

A dog that does not listen to its owner simply does not respect him. In order for a dog to become flexible and obedient, you need to gain authority in its eyes and earn its trust.

It is noteworthy that a dog of any breed is a descendant of the predator wolf. And, we are talking not only about representatives of large and aggressive breeds, but also about lap dogs, such as a pug or Pekingese. Therefore, in the behavior of any dog ​​one can trace the behavioral traits of a predatory wolf, which sacredly observes the rules of the wolf pack and respects its elders. This elder can be called whatever you like, the leader, the alpha male and the leader - the meaning does not change from the name, this is an individual who has all the privileges and sets the rules of behavior in the pack. Some may say, but my poodle is not a wolf, and I am not an alpha male. Perhaps... But, regardless of whether you accept the rules of behavior, communication and raising a dog according to this principle or not, these rules apply. And it is simply impossible to impose human dogmas of education on an animal. Another thing, learn to dictate rules to the dog in a dog language that the dog understands. Take the place of leader in your pack, which consists of you and your dog, whom the animal wants to respect. Ah, obedience, it will come after respect. It is noteworthy that if you adhere to this line of raising an animal, you will not have to resort to violent methods, beat the dog or cause it physical pain. Extremely humane methods aimed at the consciousness of the animal.
Very often, beginning dog breeders confuse concepts such as education and training. And this is their mistake.

The dog may not know all the nuances of training, but it must be educated, because it is your face, it is a member of your pack.

So, how to raise a dog(not to train is another topic)? First of all, you must be consistent. Having once accepted these rules, you, as the leader of your small flock, must adhere to them constantly, regardless of your mood and circumstances. Some may say that you need to raise a dog from childhood... Perhaps. But you can also raise an adult dog (it’s actually much more difficult). But difficult does not mean impossible!
So here are these rules of education:

Difficult? Cruel? But good upbringing requires sacrifice, and the victims in this case are the whims of your animal and your weak character. After all, you want to see an animal next to you that will not betray you, that respects you? Then, be patient and...train your dog.

Shevtsova Olga

Video about raising a dog:

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Many people get a dog for various purposes. But in order for the animal to bring joy, not cause problems and fulfill its purpose, the puppy must be properly raised. The principles of training depend on the breed of the pet, but there are basic points that apply to any animal.

Basic principles of education

Typically, the dog's breeder is the one who trains the dog. It is to his voice that the pet reacts most, so it is important to establish a trusting relationship with the animal. Raising a puppy should begin with establishing close contact. To do this, you should adhere to the following principles:

• study the pet’s character traits;
• taking into account the puppy’s age, set feasible tasks for him and ensure their unquestioning fulfillment;
• to make the activities exciting, it is necessary to provide him with toys and often walk him in the fresh air;
• resort to the help of conditioned reflexes and create conditions for their development;
• develop clear commands, gestures and other conventional signals (it is not recommended to change them);
• for completed commands and exemplary behavior, reward with treats and stroking;
• during the lesson, the owner always plays the role of the boss, whose orders must be carried out;
• at other times it is necessary to play the role of a friend with whom you can play.

Raising a puppy is possible only after establishing trusting contact. If the breeder managed to achieve this, then the animal will fully follow all the owner’s instructions.

Behavior at home

Raising a puppy is not just about following commands when asked. A significant role is played by the behavior of the animal at home and its communication with other household members. Therefore, if the owner does not want the dog to sleep on the bed, jump on the sofa or run from the street into the living rooms, then this should never be allowed. Otherwise, the habit will become firmly ingrained in the dog’s consciousness and it will be difficult to eradicate it.

From the very beginning, the puppy should have its own place in the house, its own bowl, toys and other equipment. The pet must clearly understand that all household members are the main ones in the family, including children.

Education depends on the owner

Experienced dog handlers advise starting training a puppy from the very first day it arrives in the house. At first, you should show him a place to relieve his natural needs. If an animal makes a mistake, then only a stern voice and indications of the mistake will lead to a positive result.

At the same time, all dog handlers agree that you should not shout at a puppy. Animals are great at detecting changes in the intonation of a human voice, and a loud scream will only scare them. It is also not recommended to use physical force. In this case, the pet may become embittered, and there will no longer be a trusting relationship.

If it is necessary to punish a puppy for an offense, then this should be done immediately. In the future, the animal will forget about the mistake and will not perceive the punishment as a lesson.

Puppies often show genuine joy when meeting their owner. It is recommended to pay attention to the dog, do not push away or scold. In this way, the animal shows its affection, and the owner can demonstrate the joy of the meeting.

But you shouldn’t spoil your puppy and allow him things that are prohibited for adults. After all, when an animal grows up, it may demand the same treatment, and it will be more difficult to prohibit.

It is impossible to imagine raising a puppy at home without the use of toys. It is necessary to provide the dog with access to some objects that can be chewed and frayed. This way you can satisfy natural needs and protect shoes and other personal items.

The owner is an unquestioning authority

When raising a puppy, it is important to orient him toward complete obedience. Dogs are pack animals and, like wolves, look for a leader. They are ready to follow a strong personality and obey commands. Therefore, you can often see that animals unquestioningly obey only the owner, and obey all other family members to a lesser extent. Therefore, when raising a dog, it is important to fully control the process and prevent the pet from leading the children.

Breed-specific training

Each dog is individual. Her temperament and character depend on her breed. Some are naturally affectionate and sociable, others are aggressive or strive to be a leader. Therefore, education has its own subtleties, depending on the breed.

Working breed dogs

The main purpose of such animals is to help humans. They serve in the police, guard objects, search for drugs, and accompany the blind. These smart animals can bring a lot of benefits, but first you need to properly raise the puppy. It is best to take special courses where trained people will reveal all the subtleties.

Raising a German Shepherd puppy requires some knowledge. After all, all service breeds are highly dependent on their owner and are attached to him. With the right approach, the animal will follow a person anywhere, and most importantly, will unquestioningly carry out his commands. The animal may not move and wait only for its breeder.

Raising a German Shepherd puppy is quite a difficult task. It is recommended to take special courses in service dog breeding. After all, the approach is very different from training other breeds. It is important to develop complete trust in the pet, compliance with all commands and obedience.

Features of raising a shepherd dog at a very early age

Raising a shepherd dog (puppy) must begin from the very first days and be done as a game. Here are the main steps:

• It is necessary to accustom him to his nickname. To do this, during feeding, you should say the name of the animal several times and stroke the pet.
• From the age of two months, the puppy is taught the command “Come to me”. To do this, use a treat.
• It needs to be accustomed to its own place. To do this, the litter is located in a quiet and peaceful corner. They bring the puppy in, pet him and say “Place.”
• Raising a German puppy is unthinkable without the commands “No” and “Fu”. As soon as the dog begins to perform an inappropriate action, it must be pulled back and lightly spanked. But you can’t hit him too hard; the animal may become embittered or cowardly.

German Shepherds are naturally eager to please their owners. It is important to conduct training classes daily and play with the dog regularly. Temporary difficulties may arise, but they are fixable.

Subtleties of raising a Labrador

Raising a Labrador puppy begins from the first day it arrives in the house. After all, at first the puppy looks like a fluffy ball, but soon he will grow into a big dog. Therefore, all offenses should not go without appropriate punishment.

First of all, the puppy must clearly understand the boundaries of what is permitted, know where his place, bowl and toys are. In education, routine is important, so you need to feed by the hour.

The main command for a Labrador is the word “Fu”. This should mean stopping any prohibited action - from “attacking” slippers to growling at loved ones. The command will become especially relevant at the age of 4-6 months, when the dog begins the stage of teeth replacement and he may begin to bite.

Praise is important in raising a Labrador. The puppy loves to be petted, spoken in a gentle voice and played with. In this case, a friendly dog ​​grows up who loves to interact with people.

Nuances of raising huskies

Raising a husky puppy involves obedience. If mistakes are made, more brutal measures will be required to ensure order. It is necessary to understand that animals have an innate hunting instinct, so raising a husky puppy involves a lot of time for walking and playing.

Animals must be accustomed to a collar and leash. Once the puppy gets comfortable, you can teach him to follow commands. It must be remembered that hunting skills will not go away, and when meeting another animal, the husky can be aggressive. Therefore, when raising her, they pay attention to the relationships between other pets. Dogs are freedom-loving, so freedom of action should be limited only by commands and less often by a strict leash.

Raising small breed dogs

Raising a terrier puppy should begin immediately after its birth. Despite its small stature, the animal can cause a lot of trouble if you do not deal with it. You can often hear bad reviews about this breed. All of them are associated with poor upbringing.

Therefore, it is important to clearly set priorities and not allow the puppy to do all the things that a large animal cannot do. All family members should be the main ones in the house, and the puppy should obey their commands. Despite his small stature, it is better to determine his place and not give him access to the bed. Otherwise, you can end up with a “sofa” animal that you can’t drive out of there.

There are situations when training dogs on your own does not bring the long-awaited results. The owner tries, spends a lot of time, but the dog does not want to master even the simplest commands. In this case, you need to switch your attention from your pet to yourself, and think about whether you are doing everything right? After all, training dogs at home always means working on mistakes that even an experienced dog handler sometimes makes. Below is a list of the most common mistakes that prevent your pet from developing the necessary skills.

Wrong teaching method

Overestimating a Dog's Talents

You can often hear a similar phrase from a dog breeder: “My Shaggy knows and can do everything, he doesn’t listen simply out of spite!” The owner sincerely believes that the dog understands what is required of it, but due to some of his own convictions, he is in no hurry to obey. In fact, such cases are extremely rare (if they exist at all). The reason for disobedience is the dog’s lack of skill that is necessary to carry out the command (or insufficient practice of the acquired skill). Shaggy doesn't take revenge or be harmful, he just doesn't know what they want from him. The owner objects: “But look at his guilty look! He understands why I scold him, but he’s just stubborn!” In fact, the dog only looks guilty, but does not experience this feeling, since the level of its rational activity is not so great.

This is interesting: To confirm the above, we propose an experiment. Does your dog often throw trash out of the bucket? Try scattering the trash yourself, then call your pet and start scolding him. Provided that you are convincing enough, the result will follow immediately - the dog will take on a guilty look and will try to make amends (or run away, if that is what he usually does). If your dog pees at home, you can spill water on the floor. Steals clothes - take a pair of socks to the sunbed, etc. If a dog reasoned along the same lines as a human, it would not look guilty, but would be sincerely indignant in response to an undeserved dressing down. By the way, a guilty look is just a demonstration of submission coupled with a bit of cunning: four-legged pets quickly learn that a person forgives faster if they make sad eyes and press themselves to the floor.

The owner humanizes the pet, attributing to it our emotions and expected human reactions, forgetting that this is an animal. To avoid training your dog on your own for many years, adequately assess your pet’s abilities. If the dog constantly refuses to follow commands, start training again, after soberly analyzing your actions.

Underestimating a dog's abilities

While some people consider dogs to be very smart, others, on the contrary, are convinced that their pet is stupid. Sometimes you can hear an owner say: “I know how to raise the perfect dog, but Shaggy is absolutely clueless! It is impossible to teach him even the simplest command. It’s probably hereditary or they gave us a defective puppy...” Unfortunately, only a small part of people who reach a dead end in the process of training dogs at home turn to professionals. The majority, being convinced of the correctness of their actions during training, stop any attempts at education. After all, sometimes it’s so difficult to admit that you’re wrong; it’s much easier to convince yourself that the reason is your four-legged friend. But completely incapable dogs simply do not exist. Yes, some make progress quite quickly, while others have to spend a lot of time training. However, any pet can be taught basic commands. Even the behavior of animals that have experienced stress or suffer from mental illness can be corrected. Does not work? Look for a different approach, change your behavior, study your dog’s psychology. Start with yourself.

Excessive training

Adequate load during training is of great importance! Some owners believe that because their dogs can run around the park for hours, they have enough energy for a 3-5 hour workout. Sometimes dog owners simply find this schedule convenient – ​​there is no time for a pet on weekdays, but on weekends we can make up for it! However, we must not forget that the positive result of training directly depends on the dog’s interest. What dog likes to perform the same actions for several hours in a row? Be smart and don't overload your pet. One lesson with an adult animal should last a maximum of two hours (with rest breaks). You can exercise with a small puppy for only 5-10 minutes (2-3 times a day if desired).

Insufficient loads

A very common mistake: “I know exactly how to raise an ideal dog and I see that everything works out. There’s no need for manic concentration; when we have time, we’ll work out.” The owner proved to himself that he can, but the dog wants, and calmed down on this. Meanwhile, the pet begins to forget everything that he was taught, and he has to start over. Training should be regular, even if the owner is sure that his dog has learned all the necessary commands. At first, you should practice the acquired skills at least three times a week. Let these be small “lessons” of 15-20 minutes, but they should be! After a year or two, you can relax and repeat the “material” once a week.

Training at the wrong time

“Since I want to raise a dog as quickly as possible, we will train every day, in any weather, no matter what!” Commendable zeal. But we must not forget that the four-legged “student” is a living creature. Bitches are in heat, mild illness, stress, and a hearty meal are factors that influence the effectiveness of training, and they should hardly be underestimated. The dog must be ready for training both physically and emotionally, otherwise practicing skills will be a waste of time.

Underestimating distractions

Most small dogs, regardless of breed or lack thereof, are unable to concentrate attention only on the owner for a long time. And even more so, it is extremely difficult for them to concentrate if something interferes or distracts them. Firstly, small dogs have a more labile nervous system than large dogs. Secondly, breeders do not select producers based on working qualities (after all, we are talking about companion dogs). But some owners, having studied the literature on how to raise an ideal dog, take the concepts of “leader”, “obedience”, “submission” and so on too literally. Don't forget that this is a friend, not a workhorse who will have to look for drugs or catch criminals. If the dog wants to go to the toilet or is very excited by the proximity of a huge mongrel, if it is too hungry or cold, you should not tyrannize the pet. Finish the training with a simple command that the dog is sure to follow, praise your baby and take a break. And most importantly, never give a command if you see that the dog is unlikely to carry it out due to lack of concentration.

Example: a dog is afraid of the sound of passing cars. A car drives by, the pet begins to get nervous, and at that moment the owner gives the command “Sit!” Most likely, the dog will not react, since all its thoughts are occupied with the frightening sound. And the owner will not scold her for disobedience, because he will understand that the command was not carried out due to the fact that the pet is scared. Thus, the owner himself teaches the dog not to obey. Of course, when following a command is vitally important, this rule can be waived (if it is not possible to stop the pet’s actions in another way).

Important: At the first stage, it is preferable to train dogs at home, then in a quiet, deserted place, and only then in an everyday environment, where many distractions will not distract an already experienced dog.

Failure to follow the sequence of skill development

Pay attention to the wording: “failure to follow the sequence production skills." Conditioning is the process of forming a reflex to a stimulus (command/reward/punishment). The order is from simple to complex: first, the trainer teaches the dog the easiest commands for it, and only then adds more complex ones. Usually dogs can easily learn the following commands: come to me, stand, sit, walk, spit, give me a paw. It’s a little more difficult with the commands fu, you can’t lie down, next to you. In addition, the gradual development of skills is important: we practice the command “come to me,” then add “walk.” At the next stage, we work out these commands one by one. When both skills are mastered “excellently,” we add another team and practice three skills one by one, and so on. Do not confuse the dog and teach it all commands at once. And here working off skills do not need a strict sequence (practice - repetition of the lesson, consolidation of the material). On the contrary, alternate already learned commands in different sequences so that the dog does not begin to demonstrate all the skills at once at the first call. Example: favorite link come to me/sit/give me a paw/give me another. The dog gets used to the sequence, on the command “Come to me” it runs up to the owner and begins the usual cycle. This is not true! The pet must distinguish between commands and understand what is required of him at one time or another.

Frequent command repetition

One of the most common mistakes made when training dogs at home is repeating a command over and over again. The pet did not fulfill the owner’s wishes the first time, and the owner tries to get obedience from the dog, behaving like a broken record: “Sit, I said sit, sit!” The result of such actions is the opposite of what is desired - the dog develops an incorrect reflex to the command. The pet either stops responding to the owner altogether (loss of authority), or agrees to fulfill his demands for the nth time. If your pet does not comply with the command, there are two ways to resolve the problem:

• stand for a while without changing your position, without talking and looking intently at the dog until it carries out the command (1-3 minutes). If the command is completed, be sure to praise the dog (after all, in the end you achieved your goal);
• approach your pet and punish him: “Bad!!!” The sequence is followed - the command is not fulfilled, the dog is punished. Physical punishment (click on the nose, holding the scruff of the neck, etc.) is acceptable if the dog has long ago learned the command and did not carry it out under acceptable conditions (that is, when nothing prevented it from executing the command).

The command is spoken once. For inexperienced dogs, one repetition is acceptable in a demanding, more insistent tone than the first time.

Incorrect or insufficient emotional coloring of speech

When reading about how to properly raise a dog, many owners miss an important point - our pets are unable to understand the meaning of words. For them, human speech is a collection of sounds. And for better perception, these sounds must have an emotional connotation. Therefore, develop your acting talent. You should not talk to the dog in the monotonous voice of a falling asleep student - such presentation of information complicates the training process. And don’t forget about facial expressions, this is extremely important: when praising a dog, rejoice with your whole face; when scolding, frown.

Fixing commands (sit, stand, lie down, place, next to) are pronounced in a confident voice in an imperative intonation. Prohibiting commands (ugh, you can’t, spit) - in a demanding, sometimes even threatening tone. You can't start screaming - a strong leader never falls into hysterics. A dog's cry causes either fear (loss of trust) or doubts about the owner's superiority (loss of authority). In both cases, the result will not be long in coming - the pet will refuse to follow commands.

Inconsistency when giving commands using gestures

Many owners reinforce the voice command with gestures. And this is the right approach - during the training process, dogs react not only to intonation, but also to a person’s posture. If you decide that gesturing is exactly what you need, try from the very beginning to remember exactly how you hold your hand, which hand gives the command, etc. Be sure to always use the same gesture for the selected command. If you use different gestures for one command, the dog will most likely cease to understand you.

Using different voice commands to practice one skill

You cannot use the command “Lie down!” today, “Lie down!” tomorrow, and “Lie down!” in a week. An inexperienced dog will definitely get confused. You can choose any word (stimulus) to which the dog should react in a certain way. Do you like "Come to Mom"? Let it be so - let's forget the army "Come to me." But then we will forget him forever!

Excessive food reward

A piece given to a pet as a reward for obedience is a reward, not food! The piece should be small, even tiny, otherwise the dog will quickly lose interest in the treat, as it will simply overeat. Training should be carried out at a time when the dog is not very hungry, but not on a full stomach. A dog that is too hungry or has just had lunch will not be able to concentrate on following commands.

The dog receives pieces that are used during training, just like that

You can often hear from owners: “Well, how to raise a dog when it is always begging for a treat? He jumps and jumps around, what kind of training is there, he doesn’t hear anything! She knows that I have her favorite crackers in my pocket. Well, why not give me a treat?” It’s really difficult to resist - your beloved dog, with a pleading look, jumps funny like that... And the owner gives the baby the coveted piece, the smallest one. Another one tomorrow. And further. Thus, a person forms an unnecessary reflex in a pet: “I’ll jump around and get something tasty.” Next time the dog will beg even more persistently, because last time he was praised for it. But at the moment of practicing the skills, the pet will refuse to follow commands: “Why? I’d rather ask, they’ll give it to me.” To avoid this situation, never give your dog kibble that is intended as a training reward. If you can’t resist, give the simplest command and praise the dog. In this case, the formed reflex will be correct - the dog received a treat for following the command, and not for jumping around the owner.

Advice: To speed up the skill development process, choose a product your dog loves and give it only during training. Store the treat in a special bag, from which you can take a piece only after following the command. In this way, you further motivate the dog - the pet will know that he will only get cheese from this bag, only for obedience, and only during training.

Punishment takes precedence over reward

When the dog has already mastered commands, some owners lose interest in raising their pet. Obedience is now taken for granted: “Why praise a dog for sitting on command if it has been doing this for three years?” But the punishment is becoming more and more severe: “She’s known the command “Sit” for three years and suddenly she doesn’t obey?!! The delight of the dog following a command has passed. And disobedience causes indignation and a storm of indignation. The dog loses interest in following commands (after all, the reward has disappeared), obeys less and less, the owner scolds more and more often, trust disappears. To avoid this situation, always praise the dog for making the right decision, even if it followed a basic command. Let it be a simple “Well done,” but you can’t completely forget about encouragement. The same applies to training at the initial stage - if you forget to praise the dog, but remember about punishments (why, I’m a leader!), the dog will quickly lose interest in training, and after it the close emotional connection between the pet and the person will disappear.

Ignoring disobedience

In some cases, training dogs at home, without the help of an experienced dog handler, is delayed for a long time due to the owner’s too strong love for his four-legged friend: “Well, the baby didn’t want to spit out the shoe on command, that’s okay. I’ll upset my beloved dog because of a shoe.” The pet has formed a reflex: “I may not follow commands.” A small step up the hierarchical ladder. Then the bully decides to tear up the linoleum. “Well, let it be, we still want to lay laminate.” One more step. Then the robber will growl at the owner when he wants to remove the bowl during feeding, and maybe he will tug at the hand. One more step. Now the man decides to take the dog seriously, but that was not the case! The pet has already decided that he is in charge, why obey? To avoid such a situation, always remember about the punishment (which should correspond to the offense). If the dog refused to sit on command, look at it menacingly and say “Bad!”, and if the pet showed aggression, physical punishment should follow (press it to the floor, grab it by the scruff of the neck). Always remember that ignoring disobedience leads to even greater recklessness in behavior, and this is no longer love, but negligence! A disobedient dog can run away while out for a walk, get hit by a car, or otherwise harm itself.

Using commands to restrain the dog before unpleasant manipulations

The owner finds it convenient to give the dog the “Sit” command before brushing his teeth. However, the dog develops an undesirable reflex: “When he sat down, he put a nasty brush in his mouth.” The next time the command is not related to caring for the dog, the pet may refuse to carry it out for fear of being subjected to an unpleasant procedure. Following a command should be encouraged, and nothing else! If you need to clean your dog's teeth (cut his nails, etc.), put him in the desired position with your hands, without using general commands.

Break of the command-execution-reward link (punishment)

And finally - about the most important thing: under no circumstances should you break the command-performance-reward link! A command for a dog is a mechanism that triggers a reflex (a practiced or developed skill). If any element is “squeezed” between the command and execution (for example, the owner is distracted from the dog), the connection will be broken and everything will have to start all over again. Once completed, rewards follow immediately. You need to praise the dog as soon as it has completed the command, gradually increasing the time between the reaction to the stimulus (the dog sat down on command) and praise. This time period is called shutter speed, and if it is completely absent, the desired effect will not be achieved. Example: the owner gives the command “Stop”, the dog freezes and immediately runs on. Lack of endurance makes the team useless.

Any reward must be timely - the dog must be praised at the moment when it follows the command. The correct sequence is: “Sit!”, the dog sits, the dog sits, does not change position, the owner gives it a piece and praises “Well done.” Then either the next command is given, or the dog is released with the command “Walk” (a signal about the end of the training). But often inexperienced dog breeders praise the pet when it has already jumped up (or the dog jumps up immediately when it sees a treat). In this case, the dog receives reward not for following the command, but for jumping up and begging. Of course, the development of the necessary skill is delayed in time, and sometimes the dog does not fully understand what is required of it, carrying out commands partially or “every other time.”

If a puppy has settled in the house, then you now have to teach him everything necessary that an adult dog should be able to do. It doesn’t matter at all whether it’s a purebred or a mongrel. You've probably already read a huge number of articles where you learned the basics of raising puppies for dummies. But it happens that the baby came to you completely by accident, and you have no experience in keeping a dog. So how to properly raise a puppy?

First steps in training

Training is a kind of science, by studying which you will find the answer to the question “How to raise an ideal dog?” Remember that without it the puppy will not be able to become a worthy member of society. There are many ways to train, some of which can be found in the video. But you won’t teach a tiny puppy to commands that are still difficult for him. So where to start?

Meeting the puppy

Raising a puppy begins from the first days of its appearance in the house. Now you are both a parent and a teacher for him. The dog baby doesn’t know anything yet and is not familiar with your household.

As soon as you get home, put your baby on the floor and let him sniff the new territory. He will be scared, but natural curiosity usually overcomes fear and forces the puppy to start exploring everything around. At this time, you should be close to him, talking in a calm voice.

Once your puppy is familiar with his surroundings, squat down to appear smaller and call him. He doesn’t know his name yet, but he will respond to your voice. When the puppy runs up, praise him. If the baby is scared and does not want to approach, then you can lure him with a treat.

After the baby gets comfortable with you, introduce him to your household. At the same time, ask not to make noise - loud sounds will scare the puppy.

But it is advisable to get acquainted with other pets on neutral territory or not from the first day the puppy moves into the house. First, accustom the animals to each other’s smell: let an adult dog or cat sniff the baby’s thing and vice versa. After some time, organize a meeting for them under your supervision. Remember, even if an old-timer animal is wary of a new resident, you cannot beat him! This will develop bad relations between them.

Place and toilet training

The key to successful coexistence of a dog and a person in the same apartment is the absence of problems with the toilet. Naturally, at first the puppy will pee wherever he feels like it - it’s difficult for him to control this process. Therefore, it is very important to correctly explain to your baby where to go to the toilet. Use the following method.

For the first time, choose a place for the WC next to the puppy’s bed. Also place several “toilets” in other areas of the apartment. Absorbent diapers are best suited for these purposes. They can be moistened with baby's urine - the smell will help identify the toilet.

In the next video you can learn more about toilet training a puppy.

The key to success in training is your attentiveness and reaction. Observe your puppy after sleeping, feeding, or playing. As soon as he starts sniffing everything around, you need to pick him up and take him to the place prepared for the toilet. When he recovers, praise him. Be patient: some dogs grasp this science on the fly, others will have to be swaddled many times - you cannot beat them for mistakes.

Gradually reduce the number of toilet diapers to one, which you move to the corridor towards the exit. When the baby learns to endure for a long time, it is thrown away, but until 5-6 months there should be a “duty” diaper in the apartment.

Another command that people start learning right away is “Place”. It's easy to learn how to do it correctly. When the puppy has had enough of playing and is tired, take him to the bedding, saying “Place,” put him on the bed and pet him. This is one of the best ways.

To ensure that your puppy grows up healthy and strong, teach him hygiene and veterinary procedures from an early age. Such as bathing, ear cleaning, nail trimming, etc.

We teach you to answer the call

One of the important commands for a dog is “Come to me.” You can easily get used to it while the baby is small. To do this, say the puppy’s name and, when he runs up to you, say “Come to me.” Be sure to praise him and give him a treat. Repeat for a few minutes every day, and turning your practice into a game is a great way to reinforce it.

This video will tell you what a beginner in the world of dog breeding should know about training.

Night cry

At the very beginning of their life together, a puppy weaned from its mother will cry at night. Many dog ​​owners are not prepared for whining and, in order to calm the dog down, they take it to bed with them. If you don't want your dog to sleep with you always, then don't do it! The best way is to move the baby's bedding closer to the bed and lower your hand towards him. This way he will feel your warmth and will not be lonely.

By the way, in no video you will find a demonstration of training a puppy to sleep alone.

How to properly limit the scope of what is permitted

Any crime entails punishment - the great Fyodor Mikhailovich wrote about this. However, when it comes to dogs, things are not so simple. Remember that animals have their own society, rules and orders, they perceive the world differently - many videos and films have been made about this. Our task is to teach them to distinguish between what is good and what is bad. The main thing is to avoid the verb “beat”, because there are many other ways of education.

Learning to prohibit correctly

Raising a puppy is impossible without prohibitions, but remember that you can only scold the baby while committing a crime. If you come home from work and everything in the apartment is upside down, it is useless to make a row and beat the puppy. He will associate punishment with your arrival, but not with a torn pillow.

The most common mistakes owners make

Now you know how to raise a dog, but there are always shortcomings and aspects that you do not know. Unfortunately, no matter how much literature dog owners study, they continue to make mistakes when training a puppy. Let's take a closer look at them.

• Few incentives. When the dog does everything right, don’t be greedy with kind words; you can give him a treat and pet him. Prove that she is the best in the world.
• Poking the muzzle into excrement. The baby should not be beaten for what he has done on the floor. This will only scare him. So just calmly clean up after him and watch him more carefully next time so you have time to take him to the diaper.

• Lack of games. Yes, puppies can ruin things in the apartment. Therefore, it is important to teach the baby to play. He must distinguish his things from the owner's things. Never let him play with shoes; the dog will not distinguish old sneakers from new ones, which may become his next toy.

• Lack of communication. It is also important not only to communicate with the puppy yourself, but also to allow him to contact other four-legged animals, as well as people. This is necessary for socialization.
• Tidbits from the table. A dog drooling at the table is not a pleasant sight. You can wean your animal off being in the dining room using the “Kitchen” command. The method is quite simple: when you sit down at the table, take the puppy out into the corridor and say the command.

Remember that dogs are smart - if things don’t work out right away, then learn to communicate with her, just as she learns to understand you. Proper upbringing of a puppy is the key to a successful life together with an adult dog.