Dog training without stress – here’s how!
Training a dog isn’t always easy, but it should be fun too. To make sure you and your furry friend don’t lose the joy of working together, we’ve put together some valuable tips for you:
Focus on what matters
When everything gets too much, it can help to focus only on the essentials. Maybe you and your pup are working on too many things at once, which leaves both of you totally stressed out from training. A simple rule of thumb says that a dog shouldn’t learn more than three things at the same time. Walking nicely on the leash, staying calmly in the basket, learning a new trick – sometimes we forget how much we’re asking of our four-legged friends. Slowing down and focusing on the essentials will definitely do you both good.
Don’t compare yourself to others
All the dogs in the park listen better than yours? So what, it doesn’t matter. Those people also started dog training at some point. Comparing ourselves to others can be motivating, but it can also cause stress in us. Especially when your furry friend is tuning you out again. Put your blinders on and focus only on yourselves instead, because nothing else matters.
Who’s stressed – you or your dog?
Did you know that your mood affects your dog? If you’re relaxed, it’s easier for your dog to relax too. If you’re stressed, your dog will also get nervous and be more easily unsettled. Next time you feel stressed, take a deep breath and try to take some pressure out of the situation.
How do I know if my dog is stressed?
If your dog is stressed, he’ll show you very clearly. The first stress signals in dogs are:
Yawning
Licking lips
Drooling
Shaking
frequent shaking off
shallow panting
In dog training, stressful situations can occur more often for your dog. Especially when you’re working on bigger challenges. Our →Relaxation Tabs calm your dog in everyday life and in special stressful situations like when traveling, at the vet, or during New Year’s celebrations.
Enjoy training together
Besides making progress, the most important thing in training is to have fun. Surely you didn’t get a dog just to walk through the park stressed and sad. Try to structure your training steps so that your dog will always experience success. That way, your furry friend will enjoy working with you, be more relaxed and the two of you will grow into a real team.
Rewards are very important in trainingrewards for your four-legged friend. They motivate him to work with you and give it their all during training. Praise can be a pet, a “well done,” or a tasty treat.
