Always reward immediately
Part of the idea of positive reinforcement is to give your dog immediate positive attention as soon as he does what you want. That way, he will feel encouraged to do it again. Praise him, talk to him excitedly, and give him lots of pets. And, of course, when appropriate, reward him with a training treat.
Ignore bad behavior
Another piece of the puzzle is to reward good behavior but ignore the behavior you don’t want. Dogs crave your attention, and if a certain behavior results in you ignoring him, he’ll quickly learn to do the things that you respond to instead.
Make it a game
Have fun with your dog. Remember, your excitement and enthusiasm are contagious. Your dog will pick up on it and will want to play with you. You and your pooch can engage in fun exercise and activities together while you’re training him simultaneously.
Keep it short and sweet
A dog’s attention span is not very long, so if you make your training sessions too lengthy, he’ll likely lose focus, and you’ll both get frustrated. Instead, keep sessions fun and short. Be excited to work with him and stay calm and focused yourself. That way, you’ll both be able to spend some quality time together while you work on the training.
Be patient
Don’t forget that learning new things isn’t easy for anyone, so be patient with your little guy! He’s doing the best he can and only wants to please you. Be sure to give him lots of encouragement when he makes the right choices, but also show him love and forgiveness when he makes mistakes. It won’t take long for him to start figuring out what you want!
Stay consistent!
Positive reinforcement isn’t just for training sessions. You need to use it regularly, every day, throughout the day, every time he does what you ask. For example, if you ask him to come and he comes right to you on the first command, that deserves a big scratch behind the ear and a “good boy!” If you ask him to stay by the door instead of bolting out, and he does, don’t forget to praise him! These little things will reinforce his good behavior and keep everything fresh in his mind!
