MANY pets loved lockdown with their owners at home 24/7.
But what knock-on effect did that have on their behaviour?
If you’re struggling with your pooch, you don’t have to spend a fortune on training — there are some simple tricks to get your furry friend up to speed.
I spoke to the experts at pet supply store Animed Direct for their top tips.
DROP: This is an important command to teach as it could prevent your dog from eating something that could cause them harm.
Wait until your dog has their favourite toy in their mouth. Then grab a few training treats and put them right in front of their nose.
When your dog drops the toy or chew, praise them and give the treat as a reward. Offer your dog the toy or chew they have just dropped.
You want to make sure they know they won’t lose it. After you have practised this a few times, you are ready to add in the command “Drop”.
My tip: When it comes to training rewards, I’m a fan of the Wagg dog training treats, 75p, at fetch.co.uk, down from £1.
STAY: Ask your dog to lie down (your dog will need to know this command before moving on to “Stay”).
Give your dog a hand signal, like a stop sign with the palm of your hand.
Wait a few seconds and say “Stay” and then reward with a treat. It’s important to reward your dog while they are still lying down and not if they are standing.
Next, you can start to increase the distance between you and your dog. Start by only taking one step back before giving them the reward, and so on.
GET OFF: Teaching your dog to “get off” is useful if you don’t want mucky paws on your sofa. If you see your dog on your settee, say “off” and encourage them to come to you. When your dog comes off, reward with calm praise and use the other basic command “sit” instead. This can also be rewarded. Consistency is key.
TOILET TRAINING: Your dog’s toilet habits are more likely to be regular if you feed them at regular times. Give your dog a 30-minute window to eat their food, and then remove it. They will learn to eat it in time.
Let your dog out every 30 to 60 minutes when you first begin house training. This means that they won’t have a chance to have an accident.
- For more information about Animed Direct and for cut-price pet healthcare, go to animeddirect.co.uk.
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