How To Prepare Your Dog For Obedience Training
Is your dog getting ready to go for obedience training? If your beloved pet is ready to take the plunge into obedience training you might be a bit nervous. This is understandable but if you take some time to prepare your pet, everything should go smoothly. Here are some suggestions to help you get your pet ready.
Take the Edge Off
Dogs can get very restless and this can work against their progress in the class. The best way to deal with this is to take your dog for a short walk and a short run before class. Think of it as a warm-up that will get them alert and ready to receive instruction. You should also make sure that your dog goes potty before you take them to training.
Take the Necessities With You
You will need to take your dog's vaccination records with you to prove that they are healthy enough for the training and to be around other dogs. Take a bag of treats with you, when your pet starts mastering various activities these will be used to motivate them. You want to make sure that the treats are not too big. Your dog should be able to chew the treats quickly and get back to training. Make sure that your dog has a small bowl of water as well since they are likely to get very thirsty from the training and the treats. You can make sure that there are no spills by buying a portable bowl.
After Training
Once training is complete, it is best to let your dog take a potty break. This is necessary because your dog would have had a lot of treats as incentives and lots of water to wash it all down. It's best to let them go potty before you have an accident in the car on the way home. Don't be in a rush to leave either because your dog will need time to rest. All the activities that they did would have been very stimulating to the brain, so give your dog some time to unwind.
If your dog is about to go to obedience class, you may be nervous, but the best thing you can do is try to stay calm since your pet will sense your anxiety. Remember that the first lesson is always the hardest. You will relax a bit more as your dog becomes more seasoned in the training, so try to stay positive.
For more information on dog obedience lessons in your area, reach out to a local pet training facility.