Like any other dog, the Australian Shepherd must be trained to fit in well with your home life and in public. Training helps them to learn manners and curb bad habits. There are many methods to prepare an Australian Shepherd, and it should be started as soon as possible! But how do you train an Australian Shepherd?
Follow this training guide for everything you need to know about training your beloved pup.
Initially bred as a herding dog, the Australian Shepherd needs to be trained to manage and control its herding instincts and redirect its energy into something more constructive. Training will give them mental stimulation and ensure that these high-energy pups understand your household rules and exhibit good behaviour throughout their lives.
The Australian Shepherd breed is easy to train and loves to please its owners. Being both intelligent and athletic makes them keen to get to work and achieve goals.
Training should begin as soon as possible; as a puppy, they are impressionable, which would help manage their inherited habits. They need a firm and consistent owner. Skills that a novice dog owner may not have.
Like other dogs, the Aussie needs to be trained and should start as soon as they enter your home as puppies and carry on into adulthood. Training sessions should be kept short. It can be both physical and mental stimulation, and with short training sessions, you can ensure that they are not getting bored.
Knowing when is the right time and how to toilet-train your puppy is very important. Let’s take a look at the best way to go about doing so!
You can start teaching them to use designated areas as soon as they enter your home. Aussie pups can be trained as early as seven weeks old. It can take about four months to get them used to it.
Do not overfeed your dog, especially by leaving food out when you are not there. Feeding them high-quality puppy food and fresh water at specific times will ensure that they are not relieving themselves more than they need to. This is also going to ensure that their pee and poop are healthy.
According to the American Kennel Club, crate training is the best way to toilet-train your dogs. To use a crate successfully, you should familiarise yourself with when your dog needs to go. Your pup will typically indicate by scratching or barking. Let them go outside or on the pad or paper as soon as possible.
Puppy pads and paper should be placed in particular home areas, especially for pups and dogs who cannot go outside to relieve themselves. Doing so teaches them that the pads or paper are the only places they should be using.
Aussie puppies typically need to relieve themselves every hour. An adult Aussie must go at least 3 – 5 times daily. If you use the crate method, let them out at these intervals to go outside or on a puppy pad or paper. Create their schedule around when they need to go in the morning, evening, after eating, drinking and even after playing.
Like toilet training, crate training your puppy will make the process easier.
Crate training not only gives your dog a space of its own but is also a way for them to get used to being in one while travelling. It helps to stop the damaging things in your home and is also a way to introduce the housebreaking process. It requires patience as a pet parent and should not be used to cage them!
It should start when your Aussie is at least eight weeks old but can also be introduced to adult dogs.
A crate should be large enough for your dog to lie down, stand up and turn around. Most crates these days are adjustable to fit them as they grow. If their crate is too big, they can see use it to potty in, which is not what you would want!
A crate should be seen as a safe space for your Aussie. A confined space can be terrifying for your pup, and forcing them to be in it can ruin their experience. You want to introduce them to their crate slowly, so have patience. Put it in a room you and your family frequent, like your living room or bedroom. This way, they can see that you are near them.
Adding a bed, toys, and even blankets to their crate will make them want to enter it. Like humans, dogs love a cosy place to relax, so up the comfort level and see how quickly your Aussie gets used to using its crate. Comfortability can also be in the form of how you approach crate training. You do not want to shout at them but instead, use basic commands to enforce.
Use treats as a reward for entering their crate on command or when they sleep in it overnight. Aussies love positive reinforcement and will do anything to please their pet parents.
Ensuring they get enough exercise before and after they are in the crate will make it easier for them to use it. Aussies have high energy and need to get all their energy out so they do not act out. They could exhibit destructive behaviour if you force them into the crate without letting them get their energy out first.
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Of course, you can teach your Aussie to do tricks! This breed is energetic, intelligent and loves to please its owners. By using verbal commands, your Aussie can do many fun tricks.
Aussies need consistency. Training sessions should continue throughout your dog’s life.
Rewarding your doggo with a treat will always be the best way to get them to listen to you.
Other ways to show that your pets are doing a good job are by using your words or showing them affection.
This is another way to show that they are doing a good job! Use a clicker whenever your Aussie does what you tell it to do.
Every training session should allow you to bond with your dog. It should never be boring and should always be a way for you to mentally and physically stimulate them.
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