There are people who believe fear is the best motivator. Their method? Hit first and question later. If it is their desire to have someone or something behave in a certain way, then they punish if it doesn't happen. Only after hitting does the person explain what it is that is wanted and if it still doesn't happen or if it happens too slowly, the big stick comes out again.
Some people take this approach when it comes to dog training. If the dog doesn't do what is expected then it is punished by striking with a device, usually a stick or a boot. It used to be that a rolled up newspaper was the 'stick' used to beat a dog. Thankfully, there is enlightenment about dog training which shows that negative motivation results in a cowering or aggressive response. The dog may do as directed but its attitude is such teamwork is lost and dependability vanishes. If a beaten dog has a choice, it will flee and if cornered, may actually bite.
Think about it for a moment. Would you respond better to a threat or a reward? The same is true for your dog.
Training is a three step procedure: show, repeat until learned and then proof. When I say show, I mean to actually lead a dog into the correct position. As an example, if you want your dog to learn to lie down, take a positive motivator like a small piece of freeze dried liver, and move it from under your dog's nose toward his feet. Do it slowly so that he can easily follow the scent. As his head drops toward his feet his front end will dip. Hold the treat at his feet until he sinks into a down position. When he reaches the down say your command; "down," "platz," "lay"... whichever verbal cue you decide to use. Say the word only once or your dog will quickly learn a repeated command is his cue. Just as he reaches the desired position, say the word and give him the treat.
Three things must happen simultaneously: the dog is taking the position, the command is said and the reward is given. The word is quickly associated with the treat and the dog understands he is to lie down. As he makes the association, begin to reduce guiding with the treat.
When the dog downs from the spoken word without the guiding, then you move to the second phase which is training. This may take a bit of time since there is a lot more involved: your position in relationship to the dog, the unexpectedness of a command and fewer treats as reward.
The final phase is the proofing. This is where you introduce distractions. A distraction may mean a change of location. If you have done all your training in the living room, perhaps you move to another room or outside. If you have done the training with no other people or animals around, then slowly introduce another person at training time or even another dog.
When you can get the position every time you ask, without a treat, you have done excellent training and it is time to do more. You can teach more than one command during a session; just make sure that you are very clear as to what you are asking. Take a small break between, for instance, the down and the sit. Make sure your sessions are brief, no more than 10 minutes. Do some playing after a training session and have, optimally, two to three sessions a day.
Above all, have fun. Happy dog training!
Some people take this approach when it comes to dog training. If the dog doesn't do what is expected then it is punished by striking with a device, usually a stick or a boot. It used to be that a rolled up newspaper was the 'stick' used to beat a dog. Thankfully, there is enlightenment about dog training which shows that negative motivation results in a cowering or aggressive response. The dog may do as directed but its attitude is such teamwork is lost and dependability vanishes. If a beaten dog has a choice, it will flee and if cornered, may actually bite.
Think about it for a moment. Would you respond better to a threat or a reward? The same is true for your dog.
Training is a three step procedure: show, repeat until learned and then proof. When I say show, I mean to actually lead a dog into the correct position. As an example, if you want your dog to learn to lie down, take a positive motivator like a small piece of freeze dried liver, and move it from under your dog's nose toward his feet. Do it slowly so that he can easily follow the scent. As his head drops toward his feet his front end will dip. Hold the treat at his feet until he sinks into a down position. When he reaches the down say your command; "down," "platz," "lay"... whichever verbal cue you decide to use. Say the word only once or your dog will quickly learn a repeated command is his cue. Just as he reaches the desired position, say the word and give him the treat.
Three things must happen simultaneously: the dog is taking the position, the command is said and the reward is given. The word is quickly associated with the treat and the dog understands he is to lie down. As he makes the association, begin to reduce guiding with the treat.
When the dog downs from the spoken word without the guiding, then you move to the second phase which is training. This may take a bit of time since there is a lot more involved: your position in relationship to the dog, the unexpectedness of a command and fewer treats as reward.
The final phase is the proofing. This is where you introduce distractions. A distraction may mean a change of location. If you have done all your training in the living room, perhaps you move to another room or outside. If you have done the training with no other people or animals around, then slowly introduce another person at training time or even another dog.
When you can get the position every time you ask, without a treat, you have done excellent training and it is time to do more. You can teach more than one command during a session; just make sure that you are very clear as to what you are asking. Take a small break between, for instance, the down and the sit. Make sure your sessions are brief, no more than 10 minutes. Do some playing after a training session and have, optimally, two to three sessions a day.
Above all, have fun. Happy dog training!
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