Why is training needed?
To understand how to train a toy terrier at home, you need to understand the dog’s behavioral characteristics. The breed has a gentle and friendly character, but lack of education can give rise to aggression and anger. Training allows you to instill in your pet a sense of self-control, calmness and submission.
These dogs are very energetic, so you should decide in advance whether you should get a toy terrier.
Important! Before you start learning, you need to be patient. Any breed of dog requires regular lessons and a serious approach from the owner.
Basic rules of training
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Training a toy terrier at home begins from the 1st month of the pet’s life. If the dog came into the family later, then classes can begin at 2 or 3 months.
First of all, the basic rules of family life are studied. For example, a terrier must know places to toilet and sleep. It is important to immediately stop your dog from asking for food from the table. Starting at 6 months, commands can be taught. It is best to conduct lessons outside and involve them in play so that the puppy feels comfortable.
During training, the owner should not raise his voice, shout or hit the dog. Patience is the key to successful training and a good relationship with your pet. At first, you will have to repeat the command to the animal many times and show what is required of it.
Daily training requires 30-40 minutes
Note! As a punishment, you can be denied play or deprived of attention from the owner.
Establish your authority
Particular attention should be paid to the rule of who is in charge in the house. The pet must feel the authority of the owner in all situations. This is especially important during training. If the owner indulges the dog’s wishes, the animal will feel power and stop obeying altogether. In this case, it is very difficult to re-educate the toy terrier.
Important! From childhood, it is necessary to accustom the puppy to its sleeping place so that it does not climb into a person’s bed.
Establishing your authority has a positive effect on the further training and education of your pet.
How to wean yourself from bad habits
A well-trained dog is distinguished not only by instant execution of commands, but also by the absence of “bad habits”. Beginning owners often have a question: how to stop a toy terrier from barking continuously? Use the command “Ugh!” for this. or “Be silent!” If the dog does not obey, spank him with a newspaper or spray him with water. If he barks outside, you can use a gentle tug on the leash. This needs to be done as early as possible, since raising an adult dog is much more difficult, and constant barking will get on the nerves of both you and your neighbors.
Under no circumstances try to calm the dog down by stroking or talking kindly to him, otherwise he will perceive the affection as encouragement and will be even more zealous. At the same time, you cannot completely prohibit a dog from barking - this can lead to neuroses. In cases where barking is justified (someone is fussing under the front door, etc.), do not punish the dog.
Another important question: how to stop a small toy terrier from biting? A puppy that bites should not be hit. You can either scream, showing that you are in pain, or sternly say “Ugh!”
Puppies wean themselves from biting relatively quickly, if the owner immediately stops playing after them and leaves the room - this shows the kids that the action was wrong.
It is important to wean your puppy from urinating in the wrong place. At first, take the baby to the tray as soon as you notice that he begins to sniff the floor, spin around and sit down. Praise and encourage your dog when he does something in the litter box, especially actively if he goes there on his own initiative. As the puppy learns to stop shitting in the wrong place, reprimands for mistakes should become more severe, but only immediately after the offense - in no case should you scold the baby at the very moment of relieving himself. It makes no sense to punish him even if he “messed up” some time ago - the puppy simply will not connect the two events.
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Where to start education
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Training and education of a toy terrier should begin with teaching simple commands. Dogs of this breed are able to master them in 2-3 months of regular training. Puppies up to one year old need to be trained through play. First you need to give a command. If the dog does not understand what is required of it the first time, the owner must repeat it or show it again.
For each successful completion of a task, you need to reward the dog
For your information! You should not give up if the training process does not produce results. Each pet is individual, so the training time may vary. It is necessary to continue studying further and be persistent.
How to successfully train a toy terrier to a litter tray or diaper
Since the breed is very small and sensitive to cold and rain, a toilet for it is often built at home. A tray or diaper can serve as it. Many owners are interested in the question of how to stop a toy terrier from crapping at home. To do this, you need to follow several rules:
- You can cover the entire room with diapers or absorbent paper. Remove one every day until a couple remain. It is in these places that the puppy should defecate. The advantage of this method is that the pet gradually gets used to the toilet without stress. Training usually takes 2 to 4 weeks;
- The following method is suitable for those who want to train their dog to use the tray. Owners must carefully monitor the dog. When the puppy begins to sniff the area and sit down, he must be quickly taken to the tray. When the dog has emptied into the tray, it must be praised and given a treat. This method requires attentiveness on the part of the owner and patience.
It should be remembered that puppies usually walk small after sleep, and large after eating. Therefore, it is necessary to take the dog to the tray when it wakes up or eats a heavy meal.
Important! You should not force your toy terrier into a litter box and keep it there for a long time.
Accustoming to hygiene procedures
Raising a toy terrier also includes teaching hygiene. From an early age, the dog must be patient with ear cleaning, nail trimming, bathing, and grooming. Regular procedures will become the dog’s habit, so the animal will react to them much calmer.
How to wean yourself from bad habits
How to stop a toy terrier from biting is a question that worries many owners. Often this habit develops during games with the owner. Having played too much, the dog begins to bark and bite the person’s hands or feet. From an educational point of view, this type of dog behavior is unacceptable and should be stopped.
To let your pet know that the person is uncomfortable, you need to scream a little and show that the dog hurt you. The dog will understand that it did something wrong and can’t do it again. If the animal continues to bite, the owner should get up and leave the room. Thus, the person points out to the pet that the dog is behaving incorrectly.
Another bad habit of many dogs is chewing furniture. In this case, you need to hide all valuables away and buy special toys for the puppy.
How and what to play with a toy terrier
Reaction to the combination “nickname + team”
After the puppy appears in the house, it must be taught its name. Whenever you interact with a dog, you must say his name with a special intonation. The first training to remember a nickname should take place in a calm environment. It is best if at this moment only the puppy and the owner are in the house or on the street. Otherwise, the baby may get distracted. While the pet is getting used to the name, the nickname cannot be changed or distorted.
Note! One form is selected and pronounced until the dog begins to calmly respond to it.
Barking control
Learning to control your pet's barking is an important and necessary skill. A puppy should not bark without a reason, so you need to teach him to use his voice in the right situations. If a dog barks just like that, then the owner should ignore him. You can learn the command “quiet” and say it when the puppy simply starts barking.
The sooner bark control is mastered, the easier it will be to deal with an adult dog in the future.
When and how to educate
The process of raising a Toy Terrier dog should be based on consistency and patience. It is highly not recommended to “break” this dog with hard pressure - this will only ruin its character. Training and education up to six months should be as gentle as possible.
In the first days, it is better to leave the toy terrier puppy alone; excessive attention will scare him. Don't scold your baby even when he goes to the toilet in the wrong place. Let him get used to his new home and understand that the new owners are not dangerous. After this, you can gradually begin to train and educate him.
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Care and maintenance of a toy terrier at home
An important stage in character development is socialization. At first, it is advisable to hold Toy in your arms while walking, but gradually you can lower him to the ground more and more often. You need to get used to the collar gradually. Put it on your dog for just 10 minutes at first, gradually increasing this time. If the puppy tries to take it off, do not scold the baby, but distract him with play or hold him in your arms.
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Contents and basic principles of dog training
Gradually you need to get used to the leash. After attaching it to the collar, at first just follow the puppy. After a few days, begin to gradually direct the movement yourself. When training a toy terrier, be persistent, but never shout: this will not give results, it will only make the dog nervous. Do not show aggression, even if your pet bites, and especially if he makes a mistake during training.
Always ensure that commands are followed, no matter how much the dog tries to overrule you. The puppy must understand that you will not leave until he follows the order. Otherwise, the dog will grow uncontrollable. Don't forget to reward for correctly executed commands.
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You need to train a toy terrier both at home and on the street. Learning new commands should first take place at home, in peace and quiet. They are then repeated on the street. A dog is considered well trained if it obeys without question, even in noisy and distracting environments.
Take into account such nuances of the breed’s character as restlessness and activity. Avoid long training sessions and frequent repetitions: the dog will quickly get tired and bored. Please note that puppies quickly remember commands and at first forget them just as quickly. This must be taken into account and systematic training must be continued. When training your toy terrier, reward him with treats for the first 2-3 months, then increasingly replace them with praise, although do not eliminate them completely. It is advisable that the dog does not receive these “special” treats outside of training, as it will become more difficult to train him.
Please note that too generous rewards reduce zeal - they lose value in the dog’s eyes, and besides, the baby may simply get full, losing interest in the activity. Occasionally, you can give your puppy a “feast,” but only at the end of a flawlessly completed training session, and not every time.
At first it may seem that your efforts are not achieving anything, but consistency, confidence and perseverance will eventually help you achieve your goal. Do not change the “rules of the game”: if you decide that your pet should not sleep on the bed, do not allow this because you are in a good mood. Likewise, all prohibitions must be indicated immediately.
How to teach basic commands
Every owner should know how to teach a toy terrier commands. Basic rules will help make the dog more restrained and obedient, which is very important for communicating with society.
Commands "fu!" and "you can't"
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These two commands are considered the most common and indicate a ban on something. These words must be pronounced loudly and clearly so that the hyperactive toy terrier pays attention. If the dog does not react, you need to put it in front of you and repeat the command while looking into the animal’s eyes. When the dog begins to understand the command, you should praise it with a treat.
At first, it will take a lot of patience to accustom the dog, so the owner must suppress aggression and handle the pet calmly.
Note! Toy terriers are very small and fragile dogs, so aggression towards them can make the animal depressed or scared.
The "sit" command
This command is also suitable for new dog owners and first training lessons. The training goes like this:
- The owner holds the dog's favorite treat in his hand.
- The hand with the treat should be held at the level of the baby’s head, and with the other hand you should apply slight pressure on the lower back. In this case, it is necessary to repeat the command “sit”.
- When the dog sits down, give the pet a treat.
Dogs remember this rule in just a few lessons. In the future, the owner needs to train the pet on how long it can stay in a sitting position.
Commands “place”, “nearby”
It is necessary to show the puppy his bed and say “place”. During pronunciation, you need to pick up the dog and take it in the indicated direction. You can train the skill by standing near your pet’s bed and calling the dog by name, indicating the command “place”. If the animal obeys, it is rewarded.
While walking, you need to repeat the “near” rule and slightly pull the leash towards you so that the puppy is near the owner’s leg. This is done every time until the pet masters the command.
The “near” command is best practiced outdoors.
We teach basic commands
Let's look at how to teach basic commands to a Toy Terrier.
In order for your pet to remember its name, repeat it every time you communicate.
- One of the most important commands for any dog is “Fu!” She needs to train the puppy from the first weeks of arrival in the house. With this command, stop all unwanted actions. The voice should be “metallic”, but not loud. If the dog does not obey, the command can be supplemented with a slap with a newspaper or splashing water from a spray bottle;
- command “Come to me!”: while saying these words, show the puppy a treat or his favorite toy so that he comes;
- “Sit!”: Press on the dog’s rump. It is important to first voice the command, and only then push the pet to the desired action, otherwise it will get confused;
- "Lie!" – press on the back of the sitting dog;
- "Stand!" – push a lying or sitting dog from below. When you accustom your toy to a leash, teach him to stop on this command while walking or running;
- "Place!" – take the puppy to his bed with this word. If he tries to run away, hold him back by repeating “Place!” Another way: after pronouncing this command, you can put a toy or treat on the bed;
- “Be silent!” – clamp your hand over the barking puppy’s mouth;
- When the dog gets used to the leash, teach him the command “Near!”, ensuring that he walks on a par with you, without running ahead or falling behind.
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Treats for training and rewarding dogs
It is necessary to use edible treats in the first few months of training, while the puppy is just beginning to undergo training. Then, instead of giving treats, praise is expressed verbally. However, you should not completely exclude treats.
Note! The surprises that a dog receives during training should be special, which he does not get in ordinary life.
Also, do not over-encourage your dog. In this case, the animal will lose interest in training or simply overeat the treats and will not want to obey the person.
Treats and rewards help build rapport with your dog and get you used to exercise.
How do dogs greet each other?
Dogs that greet each other peacefully avoid approaching each other head-on and looking into each other's eyes. After all, animals consider this behavior threatening. If another individual behaves in a similar way, it will lead to conflict.
Dogs begin to get to know each other from a fairly wide distance. When approaching, the four-legged animals can sometimes pause to slightly reduce psychological stress. They try to leave their scent by marking the grass or nearby bush, signaling safe intentions.
Finally, one of the dogs approaches the other in an arc, trying not to look into her eyes. Then there is mutual sniffing under the tail. And so two dogs, satisfied with themselves and their new companion, set off to explore the surrounding space together.
What a trained dog should be able to do
Trained Toy Terrier boys and girls must have the following skills:
- respond to your nickname;
- control barking;
- do not rush at passing dogs and people;
- go to the toilet in a designated place;
- walks on a leash and understands the command “fu!”
How to raise a toy terrier is an important question for all breeders. It is necessary to train these kids from childhood, so that with age the dog learns to behave correctly in any situation. A person must carefully and responsibly approach this process in order to raise a decent dog.
