Basic Dog Training Tips Teach Your Dogs to Be on Their Best Behavior!

The first issue you'll need to deal with is potty training your dog. Apart from the fact that you'd like to keep your house clean and relatively germ free, potty training your dog will make him happy, too.

Dogs are creatures of habit, and it's in their nature to maintain a schedule as pack animals. This fact will actually work in your favor when training your dog to do just about anything.

The ideal age to start potty training your puppy is when they reach 8 to 12 weeks old. The older they get, the more difficult it will become.

Midwest 1636DD Life-Stages Folding Double-Door Metal Dog Crate

Most dog trainers suggest that crate training is the easiest way to housebreak your puppy. It's in a dog's nature to avoid eliminating near their sleep area, so using a crate for potty training purposes is ideal.

This may seem cruel to some, but dogs will grow to feel secure within the confines of their crate. Of course, the crate should be large enough to accomodate the size of the dog with room to move around comfortably. It should be seen as a doggy bedroom.

As a general rule, puppies around three months old need to go potty every two to three hours. It's best to not confine your dog for more than two hours at a time.

Leaving a puppy in a crate for longer time periods than they can hold it will force them to relieve themselves in the crate. So never use a crate to punish your dog because this will backfire.

If you consistently lead your dog to a specific place outside every two hours or so, they will learn the schedule and be able to regulate when they go to the bathroom outside.

As they grow older, you can increase the time between their potty breaks. The more routine you can make this dog potty training process, the easier it will be on you and your dog.

For example, go outside through the same door each time, lead them to the same spot each time, go out at the same time each day, etc. Pretty soon your dog will be able to tell YOU when it's time to go out.

Do you ever wonder what causes your dog to bark? Sometimes it seems like they're barking at the wind. But even when you know the reason they're barking, they don't seem to stop even after the trigger is gone.

Excessive or chronic barking is one of the top annoyances reported by dog owners and their neighbors.

Dog & Puppy Training DVD:
Correcting Naughty Behaviors! Stop the Biting, Digging & Barking!

So what causes your dog to bark? Just like a baby cries for attention, a puppy barks for attention. When a dog gets older, their instinct is to protect their territory.

So they may bark at a stranger that's in or near your home. This is generally a good thing, because that's why many people get a dog in the first place.

The problem arrises when the dog doesn't know when to stop barking. The longer a dog is allowed to continue this behavior, the more difficult it will be to correct.

And remember that a dog relishes your attention - even if it's negative. So even when you yell at your dog to stop barking, that just reinforces the behavior.

Try these 5 tips to break your dog of their barking habit:

1. Even though it's cute to hear a puppy barking, once the grow up, it's no longer cute - but annoying. It's best to start training your dog not to bark at the wrong times when they're a puppy.

When they bark at a stranger that comes into your yard or up to the house, praise them immediately. After one or two barks, command them by saying "Stop" or "Enough" and give them a chew toy or a treat to distract them from further barking. It's important to praise them again when they take the toy or treat and display quite behavior.

Cesar's Way:
The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems

2. Spend time with your puppy and provide plenty of attention to them when they're quite. This will help them learn that they get attention for being quiet. Never yell at the puppy for barking because this will raise its anxiety level and encourage more aggressive behavior like biting or running away.

3. Using a spray bottle filled with plain water can be a deterent to a barking dog. This should not be your first method, but used only if using command words and praise don't work.

4. Dogs often bark when they're bored. If you have a problem with your dog barking while you're away, one solution could be to supply them with more toys and activities to do while you're gone. Make sure they're toys that are safe for them to chew on when you're not there to watch them.

5. A dog that is well exercised has fewer behavior problems. It's essential that you walk your dog daily and provide them space to run and play often. The ideal time to do this is before you leave for the day. They will have expended some energy and will be less likely to bark the entire time you're gone.

As with all dog training techniques, be as consistent as possible with these methods. Respond to their barking in the same way and they'll know what to expect.

Address any excessive barking that you notice and don't allow it to continue without proper instruction. These tips should help you curb your dog's urge to bark inappropriately and give you some peace and quiet!