Training Tips

Its never too late to teach an old dogor catnew behavior.

Whether your new pet is a puppy or a seasoned feline, you’re going to have to establish some ground rules. Remember, what you do within the first few weeks of adopting will lay the foundation for future behavior.

Dogs

Through training, you can teach your dog what is expected of him. But before you begin, you and your family members need to establish some house rules. Will your new four-legged friend be welcomed on the couch? Will he be allowed to sit at your feet while you eat? Consistent guidelines are required for consistent behavior.

Establish a barking order

Above all, it’s important to communicate to your new furry friend that he has a lower ranking than any human in the house, including kids. This may sound harsh but a dog who knows his place is a happy dog, and one that is ready for more advanced training.

Reward, Reward, Reward

The most effective way to train your new dog is through positive reinforcement. The basic principle is to reward a desired behavior with something pleasant immediately. The timing is crucial—in order to get the animal to associate the reward with the correct behavior, the treat or praise must be given right away. The reward of choice can be anything positive – a toy, a game, petting, praise or the most popular, food—so long as you’re consistent. Never reward for less-than-ideal behavior.

Consistency also plays a role in the command. Get the entire family to agree to simple commands such as “sit”, “down” and “off”. Dogs are very sensitive to tone of voice so use this to your advantage by speaking clearly and with authority.

Cats

Your new cat will require some “basic training” to help him fit into your home. You can teach your new cat not to paw at furniture, jump up on counters or eat plants through consistent training. This does not include yelling at your cat, but rather, rewarding him for good behavior and providing him with an alternative, such as a scratching post.

Once again … reward, reward, reward

Like their canine counterparts, cats like to be praised rather than punished. When it comes to positive reinforcement, the same rules apply: reward good behavior with something pleasant—for example, some pieces of dry cat food— immediately. Since cats like to hunt for their food, you may want to throw a piece for him to chase as part of his reward. Once again, consistency is key – everyone in the family should agree to reward the same types of behavior.

Once your pet displays good behavior consistently, you can switch from rewarding every time to rewarding intermittently. You can gradually cut down the reward until the pet is doing the behavior out of habit and not in anticipation of a reward.