You may encounter a number of major challenges during dog training. Knowing what they are allows you to avoid them and make better progress. The number one danger new dog trainers face, is expecting too much from their dogs too soon.

Even though dogs are extremely intelligent animals, they can’t learn new tricks and commands overnight. Don’t expect too much from your dog from day one. Dog training takes time and your dog will not be the best behaved dog in the park until you put the time in training.

The 2nd big mistake that a lot of new dog owners make is to lose their temper with their dog. This can happen through yelling, or even through lashing out. Physically hitting dogs is wrong, and yelling at your dog won’t achieve anything. For best results, make a promise to yourself that you won’t lose your temper with your dog.

The third big mistake dog owners make is to let their dogs become the Alpha Dog. When dogs think that they are the leader of your family, they become a danger to themselves and to others. Make sure you take the leadership role from day 1.

The fourth big mistake dog owners make is giving up. Dogs are intelligent animals and are capable of learning so much. Dogs love being challenged and love to learn. Furthermore, challenging dogs mentally is actually very healthy for them. Don’t give up on your dog just because it can’t perform your command to perfection after a couple of days.

Lastly, some dog owners are too inconsistent. Being consistent is an absolute must if you want to get good results when training your dog. Practice repetition and always stick to the same commands.

Now that you know some of the biggest mistakes dog owners make, ensure that you don’t fall into these common traps.