Common mistakes in training a dog

The education and training of a dog are two very important aspects, which can cause problems if they are not done in the right way. That’s why in the following article we will list 6 common mistakes made in training a dog, and we will explain how to avoid them.

Ask for help from a pseudo-expert

The first time your 4-legged friend enters the house, especially if it is your first animal, you  will panic and ask for help from those who seem to have more experience than you. To that friend who has read books, or to the neighbor who has had a dog for years and thinks he knows everything.

The best thing  is to contact a veterinarian. It will evaluate the health of the animal and tell you how to behave. He may also recommend professional trainers.

Harass the puppy with sweet words and cuddles

One of the most common mistakes made in educating a  puppy  is to treat it as if it were a newborn, asphyxiate it with hugs, caresses and sweet words. 

Instead, let him explore the environment that surrounds him: the house is new to him, there are countless places to smell, new smells, new flavors and much more.

Start late with training

You must leave the dog free to explore, but do not postpone his education :  there are those who say that up to 6 months a dog does not assimilate anything, when in reality the learning process begins immediately and never ends. If you don’t train him from the beginning, you will make a big mistake, and remember that persistence and patience are essential.

Punish mistakes

According to a popular saying, more flies are caught with a drop of honey than with a barrel of vinegar, and that’s right. Punishment will not promote better learning in a dog,  but it will be less effective than positive reinforcement, and it will also generate fear and distrust.

If instead of hitting your dog with a rolled up newspaper when he does his business around the house, you reward him when he does it on the street, you will get better results.

Don’t correct him when he bites

It is said that it is normal for a puppy to bite to play since it has teeth and uses them, in the same way that it uses its paws and tail. A very common mistake is not to correct it when it bites, and to allow it to become an adult dog that cannot control itself.

This is one of the few cases where negative reinforcement can make sense. However,  a punishment must never be hitting or screaming, or mistreating an animal.

If the dog bites you while playing together, (a very common thing) you have to stop him if it hurts. An example would be when two puppies play and one bites the other harder than it should, and the dog being bitten makes a painful sound and stops play.

To be either too permissive or too authoritarian

It is well known that finding a middle ground is not easy, and many pet owners are either too permissive or too authoritarian. Therefore,  you don’t have to subdue your dog, but you don’t have to allow everything. 

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