Have you recently bought or adopted a new puppy, and are a little stumped when it comes to training? You’re not alone; this is a very common problem among new owners. Often time, new owners just give up, stop trying and wait until the puppy grows up, hoping it will be more mature and better behaved. The truth is that the behavior of a pet doesn’t depend on it, rather it depends on the owner and what the owner teaches. Because of this, training your dog of having someone else help from an early age is not a bad idea at all. Watching videos on YouTube can help but is not enough. You need specific methods depending on your dogs character, behavior and most important, breed. Training is not easy but here are some great tips to help get you on the right track:

Know where to start: People tend to get lost on where to even start to get help training their dog! Well, the internet is not a bad place to begin searching for answers. Not watching random videos but reading about dog training from experts that have been doing it all of their lives. For example, there are many blogs like, DOGSBYNINA where you can find all kinds of information related to dog training, among others subjects related to the care of your pet. Don’t get lost in an endless sea of information, focus your reading from trainers who have great reviews.

Hire an expert: Take the time to search your area for schools or professional trainers. Be sure to check credentials, read online reviews and ask for references. Get different opinions and do a meticulous comparison of the different options available. Always seek out the one that has the most experience with your breed of dog. Pay attention to what the people have to say but be very subjective, as sometimes people say bad things about trainers because they didn’t say or do what the person wanted.

Find options according to your budget: If you start your dog with a professional but know you can only afford part of the program, you will be wasting your money. You will also be wasting the time of the trainer and most importantly, the patience of your dog. Keep in mind that if you interrupt the training because you can’t afford it anymore, it is very probable that your dog will not behave well. This is because there will no longer be anyone to reinforce good behaviors. You will end up confusing it and may do more harm than good. Instead, find the best option for your budget and if you can’t afford a pro, you can follow easy tips to at least teach basic behaviors.

Reward results: Either with an expert or by yourself, if your dog learns a new good behavior, do not forget to reward it. This is one of the best ways to educate and to reinforce your dogs good behavior. MAny animals work by incentive, so a nice petting or a treat can be your best allies on this quest. Always have treats available in your house, so when your dog obeys or does a good action that you were teaching it, you can give him a prize. That will encourage him to keep doing it right!
Establish an itinerary/program: Be very disciplined with daily activities. Any action like walking, playing and going potty should be programmed at the certain time of the day. It is very important to get the full attention of your pet when you train it; follow a schedule strictly and you will get the best results!