5 Tips to Becoming a Leader

For many of us, it is hard to describe to the joy of bringing home your new puppy – particularly when little kids are involved. There is such excitement when you hold them for the first time; the fulfilment you achieve when your puppy runs to you for comfort. Along with these joys, there's also the eagerness of teaching him tricks right away. You want to start puppy training so you can boast to your fellow pet lovers the skills that your beloved pet can do.

But what if your puppy is too hyper and does not listen to you.Well, this is where problems begin to arise. With such behaviour, you will find it difficult to train them to be submissive, loyal, obedient, and behaved.

So what do you do? Here are 5 tips for beginners, when it comes to training your pet.

1. Understand how canines behave.

First of all, you need to understand that dogs need a pack leader – a leader figure that they can look up to. As they are used to being followers, looking up to their mothers after birth, it is essential that they see someone taking charge all the time. If not, their instinct will tell them to fill the vacancy of a leader; and from there they tend to become more aggressive, superior, and in some cases, even destructive. When this happens, they start to not respond to orders which is something to avoid.

2. Establish an assertive yet calm demeanour.

Now that you know how dogs behave, it is time to establish yourself as the pack leader. This mean that you are required to have an assertive yet calm demeanour. By being firm yet loving, you can ensure that your puppy will grow to be an obedient and well-trained one. But you might ask, how do I project assertiveness?How do I ensure that pet will follow me and respect me?

Now here's the secret. Just imagine an authoritative figure that you admire and try to follow how they act. Confidence is the key here. Remember to exude an assertive attitude, to stand tall with heads up but with a relaxed nature as well.

3. Take note on how your dog reacts to your behaviour.

Since you already have an idea on how to project yourself in front of your puppy, do not forget to check (subtly, of course) how he'll react with your newfound confidence. You will notice that your dog sees you as a leader when he begins to follow you around and to pay attention to you. This is when he begins to respond with calmness and respect to you. Remember, communicating with your dog entails a lot of body language so be careful with the type of energy and projection that you show to him each time.

4. Consistency is key.

With the amicable relation and great communication that you have built with your puppy, you can begin to train him to follow commands, to behave properly, and later on to practise tricks that you both enjoy. Stick to a fixed schedule, say 15 minutes per day, to train your pet. It is essential to give the same rules and to use the exact words so your pet will remember. By following these tips, you can be certain of the development on your dog's personality.

5. Never fail to praise your dog for a job well done.

Dogs are sensitive and they respond positively or negatively on whatever you say. So to keep your dog happy and to make him follow your commands, reward your dog with a verbal praise every time he does the right thing. A simple “Good dog!” and a rub on the neck will do the work. You can also treat him with a healthy homemade treat.

Master these tips so you can be ready to train your puppy. Watch out for our next blog post on common commands that you can use on your dog. Until next time!