Do not make initial training too difficult; give the dog confidence

Good confidence brings significant benefits to a dog's life or training. Some dogs like to bark, which may be a sign of timidity or lack of confidence. Many dogs choose to back down when facing obstacles; if there is a "chasm" ahead, the dog will hesitate. These are all signs of a dog lacking confidence. Once a dog overcomes this psychological barrier, many obstacles will no longer be a big problem for them.

1. Make the dog have good trust in itself

Recovery from setbacks often requires the owner's support so the dog can trust without hesitation. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the trust relationship with the dog regularly, play with the dog often, spend some time accompanying the dog, and appropriately pet the dog to promote its trust in you.

2. Act within your ability

Honestly admitting when something is beyond capability is wise; persistently doing something impossible is foolish. Some owners become jealous when seeing other dogs perform certain skills but fail to consider their own dog's physical condition. Some tasks require a dog to have a strong physique and certain speed. For many small dogs, no matter how you train, they cannot meet these demands. Criticizing the dog will not help complete training and will instead frustrate the dog's confidence, causing more harm than good.

3. Appropriately adjust pressure

Training dogs should avoid causing excessive pressure but also not allow complete freedom. Providing some pressure during training is beneficial.

4. Create a good environment for the dog

We should strive to create scenarios where the dog is likely to succeed, offering appropriate stages for the dog to perform. This makes it easier for the dog to overcome obstacles and provides great motivation. For example, when allowing the dog to cross obstacles, start by controlling it at a level the dog definitely can pass. Then reward the dog's success. Gradually, this invisibly boosts the dog's confidence and later the difficulty can slowly increase.

If repeatedly failing, then rest for a while

5. Encourage properly

Once dogs have some confidence, owners should avoid overprotecting them and instead encourage the dog to accept slightly more difficult challenges. Even if the dog fails, as long as the owner acknowledges the dog's efforts and progress, comforts their emotions, reflects on any overlooked points themselves, and learns from the experience, both owner and dog can develop more trust and growth.

6. Pay attention to the number of training sessions

If a dog repeatedly fails to meet the owner's expectations, even without punishment, the accumulation of failure experiences can negatively impact the dog's psyche. They may begin to avoid training. Therefore, it is important to control training duration. If the dog fails many times during one exercise, it is best to stop and let the dog rest. Choose other easier tasks and praise the dog promptly if it performs well, which reduces negative emotions considerably. After a rest, try the previously failed task again without rushing.