Cairn Terrier Training

About This Breed

Although all dogs tend to give their owners a hard time at a certain stage in their lives by chewing furniture and other objects found around the house, Cairn Terrier training methods have a pronounced need for attention on this particular issue. Terriers are a very intelligent breed and their responses to training are usually excellent. However, before we get to solutions on eliminating excessive chewing, let’s go through the basic commands your Terrier should learn:

The Cairn Terrier SIT command Training in Austin

To teach your Cairn Terrier how to sit, first place a leash on the collar of your dog. This particular Cairn Terrier training requires you to say the command in a firm voice once. Pull up in the leash while pushing down on his back until he is in the sitting position. If your dog won’t sit, keep a firm grip on the leash while pulling upward. After your dog is in the position, praise the dog, but do not let him get up. This enables the Terrier to associate your command with this position. After a while allowing the dog to get out of that position – repeat the command until you get prompt responses every time.

The Cairn Terrier STAY command in Austin

After you teach your dog to sit, you can teach him to stay. First, have him sit. Then command him to STAY while you stand in front of him with the leash over his head. Cairn Terrier training methods are often based on positive reinforcement – if your dog gets up, you should pull the leash upwards until the dog sits again. If he doesn’t, however, praise the dog verbally. Hold the leash high enough that he can’t comfortably lie down. After the Cairn Terrier gets used to the command, distract him with his favorite toy. Work on the command until the distractions have no effect anymore � this repetitive Cairn Terrier training technique will take a few weeks of work until positive results are noticed.

The Cairn Terrier LIE DOWN command in Austin

Command your dog to lie down help your terrier do this by placing your hand on his shoulder blades and pushing down. Do this gently and the dog will respond positively.

After teaching the dog to lie down using this method, the next step is to teach him to lie down without pushing his front down. You should pull the leash diagonally toward the back. The first few times, you should push down on its front so he knows to lie down. After that, he should associate the diagonal pull on the leash and the command with the proper action. Once your dog learns this, you can teach him to lie down by just using words. Training Cairn Terriers is a rewarding task since these smart dogs can show excellent progress in a very short while.

The Cairn Terrier STAND command in Austin

Teaching your Cairn Terrier the STAND is very similar to the methods used for the previously given commands. Hold his collar and give the command while pulling forward on the collar slightly. Have the dog stand still for about 20 seconds. If the dog tries to move, push gently on the collar in the opposite direction until he stands still.

Austin Training For Your Cairn Terrier to Stop chewing your stuff

The first step in eliminating annoying chewing habits is to determine the nature of the problem. Cairn Terrier training methods that rely on communicating with the dog and keeping an eye open for any potential triggering factors are the most reliable forms of training. Puppies chew as a response to teething, and strict training is not required at this stage since this is a natural process. However, when older dogs still have this habit, action must be taken or all your household objects will have teeth marks all over them. Pets of all kinds can be divided into aggressive chewers and non-aggressive chewers. Aggressive chewers annihilate what they chew and sometimes swallow the pieces often in one sitting. Cairn Terrier training methods applied to this particular problem suggest that closely watching the dog and using the NO or OFF command will have the best results, but it will often take weeks until the first positive results are noticed. Non-aggressive chewers gnaw, play and mouth toys without actually breaking them. Praise should never be given for a dog that is not chewing otherwise they will get the idea that they are doing you a favor by not chewing on the furniture.