Top Ten Dog Training Mistakes

1. Giving Different Commands to Evoke the Same Action.
   If you want your dog to obey your commands, you must be consistent. If you aren't, you will just confuse your dog and you will both end up frustrated. For example you may issue the command “Down” when your dog is on the couch, but also saying "Get Off!" will only confuse him.
   
   
2. Rubbing His Nose in Urine.
   This has no positive effect on training a dog. All you are doing is burning his nose.
   
   
3. Hitting Your Dog.
   Expert dog trainers have proven that this type of behavior has no positive effect on training your dog and stopping poor behavior. In fact, it may increase it. You are bigger than your dog and standing over him with your hand or an object raised with the intention of striking him is intimidating. Intimidation does not breed obedience.
   
   
4. Shouting.
   Remember that the whole point of verbal commands is to evoke an action from your dog. Shouting only instills fear.
   
   
5. Allowing Your Dog to Eat at the Same Time as You.
   This indicates to your dog that he is your equal. Your dog should eat after you. This teaches him that you are the master and in control.
   
   
6. Long Training Sessions.
   Training sessions should last 15 minutes or less. When beginning to train a puppy, start at 5 minutes and increase the time by a couple of minutes per day until you are at 15 minutes. This keeps it fun for young dogs who have short attention spans.
   
   
7. Training an Older Dog.
   It is obviously easier to train a puppy than an older dog who is already set in his ways. You will have to dedicate more time and patience to your training sessions with an older animal. The help of a professional training school may benefit both you and your dog in this case.
   
   
8. Crate Training.
   It is vital to understand the difference between confining your dog to a crate for the purpose of housebreaking him - and long term confinement while you are away from home. A puppy will usually not soil his sleeping area as long as he is taken out and allowed to eliminate elsewhere. Crate training is intended to teach your puppy to 'hold it' in the crate and eliminate when you let him out. Extended confinement will give him no choice but to eliminate in his sleeping area, which completely defeats the purpose.
   
   
9. Training...And Your Mood.
   Don’t attempt a training session when you are in a bad mood. Your dog will pick up on the differences in your tone of voice and he may have difficulty linking your verbal commands to the action that he should take.
   
   
10. Little or No Praise for Good Behavior.
    When your dog has taken the correct action, be sure to praise him accordingly.