Many Chihuahua owners want to train their new dogs. A heart can’t help but gush when these cute little dogs sit up, fetch, shake or “speak” on command. New owners interested in training their little dogs themselves will buy literature on Chihuahua training, pour hours into researching the topic online, take their dog to a training school to “get the basics,” or might even consult a Chihuahua training specialist on how to train their dogs.
One topic that does not seem to get much time in the spotlight is giving a dog that has learned a new trick a reward. This is a subject in training, especially Chihuahua training, that can be vital in teaching your little dogs tricks. A reward can go a long way in reinforce the knowledge you are passing to you dog.
Giving your dog a reward for learning a trick makes the process of Chihuahua training more exciting for both you and your animal. If your dog knows that it is going to get a reward for learning a new trick, it creates a positive effect for the dog, and will make it want to learn. Not only this, but it is a way to show how proud you are of your Chihuahua for working so hard.
Any literature or videos on Chihuahua training will only touch on treating your dog, telling the trainer to “give it a treat” for doing a good job. However, there are usually no specifics mentioned about what to give it. The truth is that there are many rewards that you can give your Chihuahua for learning a trick. The following are just a few examples.
The Doggy Treat
A doggy treat is the typical treat that trainers give their dogs. They can be found in pet stores and almost all grocery stores that carry pet food items, and are usually found in small bags. These simple little doggy treats are an inexpensive way that you can make your Chihuahua training go much more smoothly.
Not only can a doggy treat be used as a tool for Chihuahua training, but it can also be used to reward your dog for being good, or to just give it a treat every now and then to show that you care about it.
Petting or Praise
This may sound very basic, but petting or praising your dog for learning a new trick make the Chihuahua training process go more smoothly, and build a relationship between you and your dog.
Developing a loving relationship with your dog is vital in your role as the dog’s caregiver. If your dog knows that you care about it, it is not only more willing to learn new tricks, but also builds love and trust between you and the dog.
Petting or praise is a free way to facilitate Chihuahua training and to show the dog you care.
A Gift Related to the Trick You Taught the Dog
This might sound very odd to some, but getting a gift for your dog for something that it learned during Chihuahua training is a creative way to reward your pet for working so hard.
For example, getting your dog a colorful, plastic toy bone or ball for learning the “fetch” trick shows the animal that you are proud of it for working so hard and gives you both something fun to play fetch with in the future. If you teach a dog to “stay,” make or buy him a small bed so it will have somewhere special to stay.
These little tricks can make Chihuahua training enjoyable for both you and your dog. You’ll be surprised how much easier it will be for your dog to learn that trick to impress your friends and neighbors.
One word of caution, do not reward your dog too much. If you make rewards commonplace, then the process of Chihuahua training actually becomes more difficult because your animal will demand a reward before it does anything. Make sure to only give your Chihuahua a reward for hard work, and there should be no problem.
