
Planning to enter your adorable pet in one of those cute dog shows sometime soon?
Well, why not? If you think your furry little pal has got what it takes, then go for it! But before you go rushing to enter the next contest, you should know that some owners are really competitive about these things. Like, seriously. They would go to various lengths just to make sure their little doggos would win the whole thing. Yours may have the looks, the fur, the adorableness, and all those other things! But if he doesn’t have the skills and the tricks, then you’re not getting anywhere. You’ll just be paying that expensive registration fee for nothing.
But does that mean you shouldn’t be entering your pets in these types of contests?
Definitely not! In fact, this should give you all the more reason to get your sweet canines out there! I believe that there is no greater pride for an owner than witnessing his four-legged pal’s success. I mean, don’t you think you’ll just tear up a little bit when you see good old Spike or macho boy Bruno walk up that first place pedestal? It’s a proud moment for any dog parent. It’s like you’re telling the whole world “That’s my dog! And I love him to bits!”
So instead of thinking your little pet can’t make it, give him a chance. He or she can amount to greater things – much more than you know. And when they get up that stage to fetch you their very first medal of recognition, it will become your proudest moment. Surely, there will be many more to follow too! The question, how do you get this all started?
Well, you can start by training the little (or humongous) tyke.
How To Train Your Canine The Right Way
I know that your initial reaction is probably “What? I’m no trainer! What do I know about training a dog for a competition?” or something along these lines. Well, to be really honest with you, I’m no trainer myself. Like, I literally don’t know the first thing about teaching dog tricks or skills when I first started. I can’t even teach my dog how to sit for Pete’s sake! But somewhere along the road, I found a way to do it – effectively, at that. And the best part is that my four-legged friend is having the best time of his life training with me. This reminds me of something:
Don’t hire a dog trainer.
Yes, they are skilled. Yes, they are experienced. And yes, they can train your canine way faster than you.
But still, they are not YOU. Your dog doesn’t dream of spending his or her days with them. They want to be as close to you as possible and spend more time with you as much as they can. I tell you, canines are capable of the most amazing things if you let them grow in an environment they’re comfortable in. And that means any place with you in it.
Be your own dog trainer – even if you don’t know how or where to start. That’s why we’re here today in the first place, right? My journey to becoming my pet’s personal trainer wasn’t easy but that’s because no one was there to help me – except for a few awesome lessons from http://www.trainyourcanine.net/. I had to go through everything and learn all those things by myself. This time, however, you have me. So you can bet that we’ll have your canine ready for a contest in a month’s time!
But first, let’s get to know your dog.
Getting To Know Your Canine
There are all sorts of adorable little paws. We’ve got toy types, guard dogs, fighting dogs, and etcetera. If you want to win at anything, you have to personally research everything there is to know about your dog’s breed. You have to learn their inclinations, their dislikes, their strengths as well as their weaknesses. Once you get this down, you’ll know exactly what your dog’s hidden capacities are – and you might find out many more along the way!
Choose Your Battles
It is important that you choose the right competition for your dog to enter (check this out). You can’t just have him or her listed in random contests. For example, toy pets are often entered into cutesy and fashion contests. You can’t have them compete in brawny competitions meant for bigger dogs! They’d lose right away (or at least probabilities would tell you so). Anyway, be appropriate when it comes to choosing the right contest for your dog to enter. Winning on the very first try is an unforgettable experience, I tell you!
Violence Doesn’t Solve Anything
I’ve seen many owners raise a hand on their pets during their training. And while it is normal to lose your cool sometimes, excessively punishing your dog still isn’t right. In fact, that is illegal in many states and countries. That falls under the animal abuse law. Your pet may be a little too playful sometimes and their poor listening skills can really get on your nerves but that’s exactly why they’re pets and you’re the human. You should be bigger than your anger. Resorting to violence will not train your canines faster. It may only do the opposite.
Reward Good Behavior
Behavioural psychology would tell you then when good behaviour is rewarded, your pet tends to exhibit the same behaviour again. This rewards system is a good thing to note when teaching your canines skills and tricks. Get them a pack of dog biscuits (I always get a real Scooby-Doo vibe from doing this) or give them a belly rub whenever they follow instruction. Rewarding them is better than punishing them. It’ll help you sleep better too – knowing that they won’t gnaw your head anytime soon.
how do you train your canine?
photo credit: Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels
Photo by Anton Atanasov from Pexels
Interesting argument! I like your reasoning on why it’s best to train your dog yourself. Definitely made a tight bond with my dog training him myself:)
Considering I had a crazy beagle… I did try, but I first went to a trainer, and then I built on that. But the bonding was amazing when I did! Thanks for sharing