Training Adult Dogs: A Guide

Dog training does not stop because your dog is all grown up. On the contrary, dog training is a continuous process with benefits like an obedient dog that is stimulated physically and mentally. There is a lot of dog training equipment, but if you want to start with basic commands, treats for dog training work perfectly as motivation for your dog - so you can teach an old dog new tricks.

In this post, we give good advice on how you can train your dog not to bark with specific dog training exercises, and we also give you inspiration for which exercises you can start with when you want to teach your dog tricks.

How to train your dog to stop barking

It might sound a little crazy, but in order to train a dog not to bark, you actually have to teach it to bark - on command. Before you start dog training because you want to teach your dog to stop barking, you should review the dog's breed and its challenges. There is a big difference in which dog breeds are easier to get to stop barking than others, as they are coded by nature (and in some cases bred) to bark as a signal to the "pack" - in this case you as its owner.

In addition to the difference between breeds, there is also a difference between individual dogs - they have their own special personality. This means that some things may not work on your dog, while they work on others. A good tip to remember is that you should try to understand what your dog is trying to communicate to you with his barking: Is it because he doesn't like being alone at home? Does it protect its territory? Does it want to play, or is it perhaps hungry? Whatever the reason, your dog isn't doing it to bother you - it's communicating.

If your dog acts to defend its territory, i.e. the garden or the house, you should not leave it out alone in the garden, but rather go for a walk with it or activate it through play outside on the lawn. As the owner, you must take the leadership role in the "pack" and thus control that your dog does not bark. When you have to train your dog to stop barking, you have to change this behavior to another kind of behavior - for example, with dog training you can teach your dog to bark on the "woof" command, after which you teach it to stop at " shhh” command.

Keep calm and continue with dog training

When dog training, it is important that you remain calm and consistent. You should control your temper or frustration when training does not go as planned, as your dog reflects your behavior - an unbalanced leader equals an unbalanced and restless "pack". For good reason, you can also reward your dog when he stops barking to get your attention. However, this requires a certain amount of patience and energy on your part, as it may take time for it to stop - but it pays off in the end.

Is it difficult for you to stick with regular training, or perhaps you have tried everything but the dog still barks uncontrollably? If this is the case, you should seek guidance from either your vet or start with a professional dog trainer. It may give you peace of mind when you get certain targeted exercises and a helping hand in your dog training.

Quick dog tricks - keep your dog mentally and physically healthy

There are a lot of dog tricks you can teach your dog - it just takes patience and practice. Some basic dog training exercises are tricks like "give paw", "roll around" and "high five". After practicing these, you can start training the dog with more advanced exercises such as "play dead", "backwards", "zigzag between the legs" and many more. Learning dog tricks is not only fun for you, but also for your dog.

When you want to teach your dog new tricks, it is important to have treats for dog training. You can get different kinds of treats, but preferably choose training treats as these are small, soft and easy for the dog to chew and move on to the next exercise. In addition, it is also essential that your treats for dog training are tasty and motivating. The reward principle plays a big role when you have to do dog training exercises. If you use motivating treats and positive learning, you can go a long way with your dog training and dog tricks.

If you want to train your dog in the command "give paw", your dog must first have learned the command "sit", since with this dog trick you start by getting your dog to sit. You then squat down in front of the dog and hold out a flat hand. With your other hand, you pick up one of the dog's paws on your outstretched palm, and as soon as its paw touches your palm, you say the "give paw" command. Then you immediately give a dog treat. You should train this command with your dog several times a day (with breaks) until the dog knows the command without help.