When it comes to having a well behaved dog, it’s best to start when he’s a puppy. The first step is to get him to accept his collar and leash. You can begin puppy leash training almost as soon as you bring him home.

When you train your puppy to become used to a collar and leash, you are establishing the idea that you are in control. This is a really important point for your dog to understand if your training is going to be successful.

When your puppy learns that he must accept his collar and lead, you will be able to move onto other areas of dog training. Here’s what to do to teach him to accept his collar and lead.

Buy a collar that will fit your puppy now. Adjust it so that you can comfortably fit two fingers between the puppy’s neck and the collar. Be sure it is no tighter as you want your pet to be comfortable.

At first when you put his collar on he’ll need lots of affection and attention to stop him from thinking about the strange thing around his neck. It will take some time for him to get used to it. After he is used to the feel of the collar you will be able to move onto the next step in your training of your puppy. Leash training becomes much easier if you give him time to just get used to wearing his new collar before trying any other training.

The next step is to attach a short, very lightweight leash to his collar. The leash should not be longer than about three feet. Allow him to just drag it around for short periods of time. The idea is for him to get used to the feel of having something attached to his collar.

It’s important to watch him carefully when he is dragging his lead around. You don’t want him to get stuck and become upset or afraid, which might happen if he gets stuck for any length of time. You want this to be a positive experience so it will be enough that he feels a slight restriction very briefly, but no more than that. So be sure to quickly free him.

Within several days, he will become accustomed to the feel of the lead. When he gets to this point, attach one end to his collar and the other end to your belt instead of letting it drag freely. Let him explore freely like before and let him get stuck. This time though, you won’t go and free up his leash.

Try instead to help him rid of the stuck feeling by crouching down and softly calling his name. Entice him to come to you by offering a treat or toy. When he does, praise him lavishly. Continue to do this for short periods of time each day. Release him from the leash after a few successes, but always leave the collar on.

You will know that your puppy leash training has been a success when he routinely comes when called after reaching the end of the leash. With this success, the rest of his puppy training will go so much more smoothly.

A hard training session can be stressful for both you and your dog. To ease the stress for your dog, a warm cozy bed is a must. A cozy cave dog bed is the ultimate in luxury for your hard working pet. To keep his bed fresh and clean washable dog beds are ideal.

If you have ever owned a dog, you know how frustrating it can be when your dog has a mind of his own. A well behaved dog on the other hand is a joy to have around. The way to get a well behaved dog is through training. It’s not hard to train a dog but there are some basics that you need to know about in order to succeed. Keep reading to find out what the top 10 no fail tips on dog training are.

1. Start as soon as you bring your new puppy home. Establishing routines right away avoids problems later. For instance, if you don’t want your dog to climb on the couch, sit on the floor with him. Don’t bring him up on the couch with you. If you do, you are teaching him that he is allowed on the couch. This is a difficult habit to break.

2. Show your dog that you are the alpha male or female in the family so he listens to you. But be consistent and fair. Don’t change the rules on him. Decide on a few things at a time that are not negotiable and stick to them. If he is not allowed to beg at the table, don’t sneak him bits of food.

3. One of the very first things you should do is to get your new puppy used to a collar and lead as soon as you bring him home. You have so much more control when a dog is trained to accept a collar and lead.

4. Training your dog should be fun for both of you. Celebrate his accomplishments by rewarding him. Rewards can be everything from a scratch behind the ear to praise or even a small treat. He will work harder if he knows a reward is waiting for him, so you will be able to accomplish lots in a short time.

5. Patience is a quality that every single good dog trainer needs to have, and lots of it. Progress should be measured in very small steps. Your dog will not learn and remember overnight. It takes lots and lots of practice before the desired behavior will come naturally. Be sure to reinforce the targeted behavior by repeated practice and rewards.

6. If you need to discipline your dog, do not use the command “come”. This word needs to only be associated with positives. Go to the dog to deliver any discipline. Discipline does not mean hitting. Never hit your dog. This only instills fear in him and damages your relationship.

7. When starting a new session with your dog, start by reviewing behaviors your dog has already mastered. Reward him and then move on to new training exercises.

8. Keep lessons short. You never want to drag things out to where the training becomes a chore. So if your dog begins to lose focus, end the lesson with a simple-to-follow command. Then give him a reward and then spend a few minutes playing with him.

9. Always teach basic commands first. Things like sit, stay, down, and come are integral for success with more involved dog training. So be sure he has mastered these commands before you try to teach him more complex commands.

10. You have probably noticed that rewards are used liberally when training your dog. It can’t be emphasized enough how important it is to only reward when a command is executed properly. If you give him a treat whether or not he sits at your command, there is no real reason for him to do as you ask.

By following these tips on dog training, you can be sure of having success in your quest to have a well behaved dog. And really wouldn’t you rather have a dog that listens to you than one who doesn’t?

After a hard training session, reward your dog with the ultimate dog bed for him to relax on. A heated dog bed is a warm, cozy spot for your favorite pet. Another great option is a bolster dog bed with its soft padded cushion and bolster which doubles as a pillow.