You should start dog training as soon as your dog is in the house. Not only can you start training with a new dog, it is never too late for an older dog to learn!
If you have a new one, then this takes some getting used to; both for you and your family, but of course also for the dog. If your new dog is a puppy, it will require a different approach from you than if you have an older dog in your family.
Your puppy is away from the mother for the first time and will miss her. If other puppies were present, your dog will also miss them. Your dog is alone for the first time at night and will have to get used to it. Toilet training will also play a major role.
Read up on these things well in advance.
Even with a somewhat older dog there will be some start-up problems: the environment where the dog comes from plays a part in your approach and the habituation process of the dog. What is the reason for the dog’s out-of-home placement? is he traumatized? Furthermore, any other animals in your house also play a role: In particular, learn more about the ranking of the dogs: Who is in charge and why?
Also pay close attention to the combination of (small) children and the new dog: A small child will be able to scare the dog in his or her enthusiasm or ignorance. This can cause a bite reaction towards the child.
Whether or not to train with the new addition? You probably wondered before the dog came into the house whether you are going to follow a training with the dog. You may think you can educate your dog yourself.
Please read the tips below carefully before making a choice.
What should a dog be trained in: This question depends on whether your dog is a puppy or an already adult dog:
The puppy:
A puppy has yet to learn everything: living without his mother, listening to you, living in a completely different environment than his mother’s safe environment, dealing with children, dealing with other dogs, walking on a leash, dealing with unexpected situations, social formation, etc. Also, because a puppy is still small, the duration of a course meeting should be much shorter than that of an older dog. A puppy is tired after an hour and will not like much anymore. A good trainer takes this into account.
The older dog:
Training an older dog can include learning to listen better, walking on a leash without pulling, hunting, looking for things interacting with the owner, hunting, searching. Furthermore, it depends on whether there are problems that the dog suffers from, such as being afraid of other dogs or the vet. Problem behavior in dealing with children, barking, running away, aggressive behavior. In the latter case, it can even be brought in and a behavioral therapist who guides your dog and you and tries to find out where and certain behavior comes from. With both a puppy and the older dog, training will help you understand your dog better and that your dog will be properly raised.
Do you want to give training to your dog or follow a training? If you read the above information, you may already be thinking about following a training.
This is a good slogan: The trainers are trained in a dog’s behavior and can provide solutions that you probably haven’t thought of. In addition, it is often pleasant to meet fellow students. Nice contacts can develop between the dogs (and the owners). In some cases, especially with problem behavior, it is better to follow a 1 to 1 course, adapted to the behavior of your dog. You can of course discuss this with the person who gives the course.
Dog training
What types of training are there and which is suitable for your dog? In addition to whether your dog is a puppy or a somewhat more mature dog, it depends on your dog’s behavior which training you want to follow:
Is your dog panicked at every vet visit? There is a course for this. Is your dog very dominant towards other dogs or afraid of other dogs? There is also a training for this. A good dog school also offers the opportunity to come to your home if there are any problems with your dog. He or she can observe the interaction between you and give tips from the home situation that help improve contact between you and your dog.
A good dog school offers tailor-made training: group training, individual training and training at home. If you see certain behavior in your dog but you don’t know exactly what kind of training there is for it, you can follow some dog school websites and step-by-step plans to get to the right training. Of course, almost every dog school also has the opportunity to have an intake interview to discuss the problems and wishes.