Help! I am Struggling With My Dog's Behaviour

A Comprehensive Guide to Dog Training in Leicestershire

Introduction

Dog training is an essential part of owning a pet. It not only helps in maintaining great behaviour but also strengthens the bond between you and your furry friend. However, it can be quite challenging, especially for first-time dog owners.

This guide will provide you with some valuable insights on how to train your dog to behave, focusing on the best practices for dog training in Leicestershire.

How Do I Handle Behavioural Issues With My Dogs?

Before diving into the training process, it's crucial to understand your dog's behaviour. Dogs have different personalities and temperaments, just like humans. Understanding your dog's personality will help you tailor a training approach that suits them best.

Your dog's behaviour is shaped by their breed, past experiences, owner influence, parents' temperament, health and diet and their environment. 

Your dog's behaviours are linked to their emotions. Before you can begin to work on training your dog it is important to understand that every action is a reflex response to the environment.

Dogs communicate through their body language. Paying attention to their signals can help you understand what they're feeling or trying to communicate. For instance, a wagging tail often signifies happiness or excitement, while flattened ears may indicate fear or anxiety.

You can help your dog manage their behaviour by understanding what they are communicating ensuring that they have space away from triggers and using desensitisation and counter-conditioning their behaviour. 

What To Do If You're Struggling With Your Dog?

In Leicestershire and beyond, successful dog training is based on consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement. Here are some basic steps:

1. Understand your dog's body language and prevent escalation of adverse behaviours by giving them space away from triggers

2. Your dog isn’t being naughty they are behaving normally. Unless you teach them to behave how you want them to, they will act like dogs! 

3. Puppy classes are essential to teach behaviours that you want to see them repeat as they grow.

4. Use Positive Reinforcement: Reward your dog whenever they do anything that you want them to do. This could be in the form of treats, praises petting or toys.

5. Be Consistent: Consistency is key when it comes to dog training in Leicestershire and anywhere else in the world! Ensure everyone in the household uses the same words, exercises and rewards system.

4. Keep Sessions Short: Dogs have short attention spans; hence it's advisable to keep training sessions short but regular.

5. Be Patient: Training takes time. Don't expect overnight results and never punish your dog for not understanding or following what you want from them.

Effective Socialisation - An Essential Aspect of Dog Training

Socialisation is an integral part of dog training in Leicestershire and elsewhere. It involves exposing your dog to different environments, people, and other animals to help them become more comfortable in various situations.

Start socialising your puppy before they have their vaccinations. But take care, use a special puppy bag or a pushchair and build happy and safe situations, allow them to experience different sights and sounds safely and securely so that they are not scared.

Once vaccinated, take them for short walks in different settings – parks, not too busy streets to begin with, quieter neighbourhoods would be beneficial when they first go out, let them see different people (but remember they don’t have to meet everyone!) and encounter other animals at a safe distance.

 Socialisation is not about meeting all dogs, people, loud sounds and other animals. It is about building a great confident dog.

Doing this correctly will help them become well-rounded, confident dogs who behave well not just at home but also when out and about.

Is It Normal To Get Frustrated With Your Dog?

Yes. However, it is not helpful. Being patient and making training fun is the best way to train your dog. If you feel frustrated then your dog probably will feel the same. Take a break or stop training for the day and take a rest.

Sort sessions of 3-5 repetitions of one exercise will be better than a 15 minute session where the dog is getting tired and not performing well. Dogs may try to avoid training if they don’t understand what you want, or they become tired or frustrated. Some displacement behaviours you may see are sniffing the ground, looking away or scratching their necks. They are avoiding training because it is too stressful.

How Do I Stop Being Angry At My Dog?

Anger is a negative emotion which creates stress and negative behaviours. Ask yourself why you are angry at your dog. Are you making it easy for your dog to understand what it is you want or is it too hard for them? Is your reward valuable enough for your dog to do the behaviour? Is the environment too distracting for your dog?

Only train when you and your dog are in the right state of mind to do it. Do small sessions of 1 minute, maybe a few times a day to avoid stress and create a successful training experience.

Take a look at what you are training. 

Take the time to understand what your dog is communicating to you and listen and put things into place to listen to them.

Professional Dog Training in Leicestershire

If you're struggling to train your dog or don't have enough time to do it yourself, consider hiring a professional dog trainer. Check out what we have to offer for you on the website.

Professional dog trainers have the necessary skills and experience to help you understand your dog and how to use reward-based training to develop your skills to train your dog and transform their behaviour.

Rovers Return Dog Training can provide tailored training programs that suit your dog's specific needs and behaviour. Moreover, I can also offer valuable advice on how to maintain discipline and continue the training at home.