How to Train Your Small Dog

 

Training is just as important for small breed dogs as it is for larger ones. Dog owners don't always put as much time and energy into training their small breed dogs, often writing off any bad behavior as inevitable.

Unfortunately, a lack of training actually can lead to a number of behavior problems, including aggression and incessant barking. It can also be dangerous for your small dog; if it doesn't learn to come when called, for instance, it could get lost or hurt. And no matter its size, a well-trained dog is a much more pleasant companion than one with bad manners.

Try the "Nothing in Life Is Free" Philosophy

Their size means many small dogs are afforded privileges that larger dogs are not. For instance, small dogs are more likely to be allowed to sleep in your bed and sit on your furniture.

While this is fine as long as it is acceptable to you, it can lead to pushy dogs who think owners are there to cater to their every whim. In other words, allowing your dog to do as it pleases all the time can lead to sharing your home with a tiny tyrant.

To let your small dog know you are in charge, get it started on a Nothing in Life is Free program. This type of program, which many dog trainers follow, is designed to teach your dog that it has to work for things.

Give your dog a command which it must obey before it gets access to anything it enjoys. For example, ask your dog to sit before it gets fed and to get down before being allowed up on furniture. Your small dog will quickly learn that pushy behavior gets it nowhere.

Train on Your Dog's Level

Training a small dog can be hard on your back and scary for your dog. Especially in the early stages of training basic obedience commands, it can intimidating for your small dog if you are towering over it.

To put the dog at ease (and to save your back), start at the same physical level as your dog. You can do this by getting down on the ground with your small dog or bringing it up to your level by putting it on a table or step.

Once the dog is comfortable with training and learning new commands, you can begin to work on training while you are standing and it's on the ground.