Twelve Steps To a Good Mannered and Well Behaved Canine Companion

General information for successfully training your dog using positive methods of rewards and praise.

Advertisement

.

1. Start training your puppy early. While older dogs can be taught new tricks, what is learned earliest, is often learned quickest and best. Moreover, in older dogs, bad habits will have to be ‘unlearned’. Remember “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

2. Train your dog gently and humanely, wherever possible teach him using positive, motivational methods. Keep sessions enjoyable to all. If training is a drudgery, rev things up and try “play training” for a while by incorporating constructive games like ‘go find’, hide and seek into sessions.

3. How well your dog responds to you at home affects their behaviour outdoors as well. If your dog won’t respond reliably to commands at home (where distractions are relatively minimal) it won’t respond to you properly outdoors where it is tempted by other dogs, birds, people, cats, or many scent tracks it may pick up.

4. Avoid giving your dog commands that you know you cannot enforce. Every time that you give a command that is neither complied with or enforced your dog quickly learns that commands are optional, meaning that the dog has the option to decide ‘will I’ or ‘won’t I’.

5. One command should equal one response, give your dog only one command then gently enforce it. Repeating commands tune your dog out (just like nagging) and teaches your dog that the first several commands are pretend. Telling your dog ‘sit, sit, sit’ is not efficient or effective. Simply give your dog a single ‘sit’ command then encourage your dog into the sit position then ensure you praise and reward.

6. Avoid giving your dog combined commands like sit-down, these are long, confusing and often incompatible.

7. When giving the dog commands avoid using a loud voice. Even if your dog is non-responsive or very independent your tone of voice should always remain calm.

8. Whenever possible use your dog’s name in a positive way rather than in conjunction with reprimands, warnings or punishment. Your dog should trust that when it hears it’s name or is asked to ‘come’ good things are going to happen, never with hesitation or fear

9. Correct, or better yet, prevent misbehaviour. Teaching and communication is what it’s all about, do not undermine your relationship with your dog. Discipline after the fact does not work – coming home to find holes in your yard is unfortunate but punishing the dog at this time helps no-one, the dog will not know what it is being punished for and you risk weaken the relationship you are working hard to develop.

10. While training your dog good timing is essential. The best time for correcting is as soon as the unwanted behaviour starts, likewise the praise and reward the dog receives should happen as soon as he has done as asked.

11. Often owners reinforce bad behaviour by giving the dog lots of attention when they misbehave. Example is when the dog jumps up you give the dog lots of attention (scolding, pushing down or away) so the behaviour is reinforced and likely to be repeated.

12. Never train when you are impatient or grouchy. Earning your dog’s respect is not accomplished by yelling, hitting or harsh handling. Studies have shown that fear and stress inhibit the learning experience.

To read more, please visit: http://disq.us/url?url=http%3A%2F%2Feasternshoredogclub.com....