There is not a dog owner alive who doesn’t want a well-behaved dog. But having a well-behaved dog doesn’t just happen. You have to train your pet to achieve this. For dog training to be successful, there is some basic information you should probably be aware of before you even start. Here are 9 of the most important tips on dog training.

1. Start informal training just as soon as you bring your new puppy home. Routines are crucial and establishing them right away helps to head off problems later. For example, if you don’t want your dog to get up on your couch, get down on the floor with him. Never bring him up on the couch to sit on your lap. Doing that teaches him that he can be on the couch. This is a really hard difficult habit to break because the couch is ever so comfortable.

2. Your dog needs to learn who is in charge and of course that should be you. But it’s also important to be fair in your treatment. Don’t have expectations that your pet is not ready for. But once he’s taught, expect him to obey. For example, don’t toss him scraps from the supper table one day and then scold him when he begs for food another time.

3. One of the first things to do is to get your puppy to accept a collar and lead as soon as you bring him home. You will have much more control when he is trained to accept a collar and lead.

4. Dog training should be fun for both of you. Be sure to celebrate his accomplishments with a reward. You can reward him with a pat on the head, by praising him or even giving him a small treat. He’ll work much harder if he knows a reward is waiting for him, so you’ll be able to accomplish way more in a short time.

5. You need lots of patience if you are going to be able to successfully train your dog. Progress will be slow, with lots of repetition needed before the behavior will be truly learned. And remember to reward each success as it occurs to reinforce the behavior you are targeting.

6. If you have to discipline your dog, don’t use the command “come”. This word should only be associated with positives. Instead go to the dog to deliver discipline. And by the way, discipline doesn’t mean hitting. Don’t hit your dog. This only instills fear in him and is a good way to damage your relationship.

7. Whenever you start a new training session, quickly review some of the behaviors your pet has already mastered. Like always, reward him and then move on to something new. Never make the training session too long. If you see that your pet is getting tired or losing interest, end the session. Have him carry out a simple command to finish, give him his reward, and then spend a few minutes just having fun with him.

8. Teach your dog some basic commands like sit, stay, down and come. Once he’s learned these commands and responds consistently to them, you can work on teaching him more complex commands or tricks.

9. You’ve probably noticed that rewards are used a lot when training your dog. It’s so important to only reward when a command is executed correctly. If he gets a treat whether or not he listens to your command, there is no real reason for him to listen to you.

By following these tips on dog training you will be successful at training your dog. And isn’t a well-behaved dog a lot more rewarding to have around.

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.