Dogs are adorable and cute and all that – until they start chewing on your furniture and jumping on to you with their muddy paws. Like people, it’s always a good idea to start them young, as far as training is concerned. Unfortunately, many people either go too far with their training, expecting too much, too soon from their pets, or go about their dog training using incorrect methods. To make it easier for all of us, here are the three rules you and your dog must abide by in order to facilitate your dog’s proper training.

1. Set the rules.

It may sound easy, but it’s far from that. As earlier mentioned, it would be more ideal to start with your dog’s training earlier in his life – although you may have to make some adjustments like shorter but more frequent training periods for puppies, as they, like children, have short attention spans. Teach your dog the rules of the house, and make sure he understands that he has to abide by it if he wants to stay inside. Keep him away from the furniture and the shoes he’s likely to nip on. Don’t let him on the bed. No jumping on anyone. Make the rules and make it clear.

2. Be consistent.

There is nothing that confuses dogs more than inconsistency. You tell him off for chewing dad’s shoe the other day, and you all laugh at how he nibbles at mom’s shoes the next. That’s not going to help anyone. If one thing is wrong today then it should be wrong tomorrow and the day after that. Make sure everyone in the house is on the same page regarding the dog following the house rules. The last thing you want is for you to reprimand your dog for jumping on to you, then learning that one of your children encourages the habit.

3. Reward Good Behavior

I have always advocated against hitting the dog as a form of punishment. It accomplishes nothing, makes the dog more aggressive, and makes him more confused, thus impeding his progress in your training. Rather than punishment, think of reward: for every good deed that the dog does, make it a point to reward your dog. It doesn’t have to mean you’re giving food every time he does something good; after all you’re not training dolphins in Sea World. Acknowledge and praise him for being a good dog. Sometimes, a good ol’ tummy rub is enough to send the message that he did something good.
Don’t forget: rules, consistency, reward are sure fire strategies of training the dog. These three are keys in order to successfully train your dog.