We all dream of training the perfect Australian Shepherd, a pup that is a CGC or canine good citizen and is very well behaved and trustworthy at all times. Well dreams do come true when the teaching is performed with kindness and commitment. Never forget pups learn from the first day and really need to be shown what is correct, what is wrong, and appropriate interpersonal skills.
Pups act like kids, they want to have continuous supervision and instruction. Training a pup needn’t be a nightmare, all you have to bear in mind are a few basic principles:
Top Ten Tips For Training Your Australian Shepherd
- Up until your pup is trained, you must keep an eye on him at all times. If you are unable to then you will need to crate him. Make a schedule for the pup, this will help him to settle down very quickly. The calendar will need to incorporate things such as regular potty breaks, feeding times, sleep times, walks, play time, exercise, etc. A pup that has a hectic day has no time to get bored and misbehave.
- Train the pup to heed you. Australian Shepherds live in packs and naturally need a leader. Once you establish your leadership in no uncertain terms then teaching will come easy as the pup will comply with orders at all times and not challenge your power.
- Use only encouraging training methods. Don’t yell at, whack, or abuse your Australian Shepherd. It is not just harsh but may cause behavioral issues. Using electrical shocks, prong collars, sprays, and so on could hurt the animal.
- Teach the pup “absolutely nothing in this life is without cost.” This is a system that is generally regarded as a valuable coaching method. When you emphasize this, the pup will discover that to experience anything like love, a walk, or snack, he will need to act properly.
- Show the significance of “No,” from the first day. Do not reinforce actions like leaping, mouthing, tug-o-war, barking, or running out of open gates and doors. Applaud proper behavior and just ignore or leave when there is bad conduct. The pup will learn that if he acts up he will lose his companion/playmate.
- To improve a behavior you must catch the Australian Shepherd in the process and startle her by shaking a canister of pebbles. Once you have done this help him deal with his behavior and instantly give him a snack and praise. Australian Shepherds do not call to mind what took place prior so reprimanding him after an occurrence is futile.
- Always call/use his name favorably. Do not say “Bad TOM,” or “No Tom,” this will trigger confusion and the Australian Shepherd will believe that if you call his name then it is something negative. The pup should identify his name with happy things like hugs, petting, strolls, snacks, and such. If this happens he will come happily if you call his name.
- Make a training routine that is short and sweet, about 10 minutes 3 times a day. Lengthy recurring trainings can be boring and the Australian Shepherd is going to lose interest in the learning session. Make lessons interesting and use trick training sessions to demonstrate commands like sit, down, come and so forth.
- Bond with the Australian Shepherd and both of you are going to appreciate your lessons. The pup must wait to spending quality time with you and not stay clear of you by turning tail or taking cover. Make sure to socialize the puppy quickly. Socialization is one of the most critical lessons. The Australian Shepherd will need to master how to coexist with other animals, people, sounds, vehicles, and other activities. And so, gradually introduce the doggy when he is small to day-to-day activities and sounds. Take him to the shopping centre/ playground, introduce him to children and other pets, and make him unafraid of the vacuum cleaner and garden hose.
- Master all about potty training, leash walking, house breaking, and also food training. These are kindergarten lessons that every Australian Shepherd puppy should learn. Know about all the mannerisms as well as peculiarities of the breed. This will give you useful information on how to properly train the doggy.
As a Australian Shepherd owner you have lots of options. You could certainly decide to train the Australian Shepherd on your own or enroll at a qualified professional training school. Training a Australian Shepherd has numerous phases: kindergarten, obedience training, dog sports, presenting and conformation, along with other components like therapy dogs, hearing dogs, and more. What values you decide to teach hinges on you along with the learning abilities of your Australian Shepherd. As you recognize, various dogs, like people, have different talents. Choose well and both you and your Australian Shepherd pup will have exciting times together.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Australian Shepherds.
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