It is a common misconception that training your pet is an excruciating process. One of the best tactics for making the experience as enjoyable as possible for both you and your furry friend is to utilize positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is a method in which you encourage desired behavior from your dog, while disregarding poor behavior. Encouraging positive behavior might include giving rewards in the form of treats or using verbal praises. Positive reinforcement is known to boost your pets confidence while establishing a sense of trust and safety when around you; whereas choosing to repeatedly punish your pet may result in your dog suffering from a broken spirit.

Here are Ultra Oil’s Top 3 Ways to Encourage Positive Behavior:

1. One Word Commands

It is important to make the training process as simple as possible for both you and your dog. Before teaching your dog how to behave around certain people and places, start by training your dog to follow one word commands such as: sit, stay, come, eat, kneel. Be sure to have a few treats on hand when practicing in order to promote faster learning and reward good behavior.

2. Quality Time Together

Spending time with your dog on a regular basis is extremely valuable. When you set aside some of your personal free time specifically to spend with your dog, your pet will feel a sense of love, safety and trust. Similar to people, animals dislike feeling forgotten or neglected. Dogs often mirror the energy they receive, so in response to feeling cared for, your pet will most likely exude affection and joy.

3. Mental Stimulation

A crucial aspect of your pet's growth is their exposure to mental stimulation. Obedience training, command practice, playing fetch or going on walks are all excellent ways of providing an enriching lifestyle for your dog. Each day should include several opportunities for your pet to explore and be curious.

No matter what, always remember to keep things fun and consistent. Include every member of the family in the process of positive reinforcement training. Request that your chosen training techniques be used even while you’re away. Be sure to always have treats in hand, smiles on faces, time in the schedule and love in your hearts for your dog, and you will soon see positive behavior become second nature to your pet.