Most dogs enjoy listening and are proud of the knowledge and skills they acquire. Untrained dogs are seldom as happy as trained ones, and lead much less interesting lives. Many dogs also get a sense of security from obedience and discipline, especially the more intelligent ones.
Every observant dog owner can see for himself that his dog gets greater satisfaction from the praise rewarding a well- executed command or good behavior than he does from the momentary excitement of disobeying, which is usually followed by the evident guilt feelings, (ears back and avoiding eye contact), even when he has not been punished.
Owners vary in their training talents just as dogs vary in their train ability. Some people are born animal trainers and accomplish remarkable results with little effort. But even the best trainers are seldom equally successful with every breed of dog. The training procedures that are highly successful with one type of dog may be totally ineffective with another.
A basic mental affinity, even a certain type of personality seems to be necessary when training a dog. All good trainers possess authority, patience, and self-control. Brilliant ones possess an additional indefinable “x” quality that is probably a combination of love and respect.
Dog training techniques have been so well systematized in recent years that the least gifted owner can achieve reasonable good results with effort, persistence, patience, and understanding. Dogs have a much higher understanding intelligence than most people give them credit for. They can and do learn, but we have to give them our time and patience.
All pet dogs should be given basic obedience training as a matter of course, and not only when they develop bad behavior. Today s dogs live in a much faster paced world, just as we do. Even though we may be with them when they are out in public, they can still “stray” or disobey. While training cannot completely compensate for poor breeding, a bad environment, or poor upbringing, it can surely help. They world will teach them how to misbehave, but it’s up to us as pet parents to teach them how to behave.
Specialized training isn’t necessary unless the dog is to perform or be seen, such as the purebred show dogs. This level of training and behavior requires much more time and labor and usually requires a higher aptitude on the part of the dog, and much more skill and patience on the part of the trainer. Training of so called “champion” show dogs usually begins when they are puppies and continues through most of their lives.
Training your dog is the basics of behavior and communication with you can be very rewarding. What you may lack in experience, equipment, facilities, etc. is usually compensated for by your dogs desire to please the person he loves and lives with, which is his strongest motivation.
Showing posts with label patience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patience. Show all posts
Understanding Your Dog A Guide Every Pet Owner Should Read
Problems between dogs and their care givers arise from a multitude of reasons, most of which could be easily avoided. Inconsistent training, expecting too much too soon, harsh or inexperienced handling, and negligence are responsible for the majority of ongoing canine behavior problems. Understanding your dog will help.
Pet owners who take the time to become knowledgeable about their pet’s needs, and who build a solid foundation of love and trust with their pet, rarely experience serious behavior problems once training is complete.
Pet owners who fail in these areas, however, are likely to instill fear, confusion, lack of confidence, and even depression in their pet. Reading this Savvy Dog Lover article will go a long way in helping persons to understand the unique needs of their canine companions.
A Dog’s Unique Personality
Dogs are a lot like most people. They may goof now and then, but they invariably try and do their best. They truly want to please their care givers. A sensitive dog owner will realize this.
Sensitive dog owners will also realize that, like people, some dogs catch on more quickly than others; others are slower to learn. Some dogs are also more easily distracted. Some are naturally more aggressive, others more timid – requiring extra patience and encouragement during training.
Understanding your dog is vital, for both you and your dog. This is especially true when it comes to training.
Guidelines for Successful Training
There are ten important factors to remember if you desire training success:
1.) Patience is critical. Forcing a puppy or young dog to do more than he is capable of doing, losing control and yelling or striking out at the dog, or ending a training session on a sour note all sabotage training success and build confusion and mistrust in the dog.
2.) Keep training upbeat and fun for your dog. Sessions should begin and end with success. Start the session out by “reviewing” a feat or accomplishment your dog already does well. End the session in the same way, with plenty of praise.
3.) Structure is important, so be consistent. Training sessions should be performed regularly. Sessions should be timed to end while your dog is still enthusiastic and attentive. They should last about 15 minutes for puppies, 30 – 40 minutes for adult dogs. Sessions should also be conducted in as distraction-free a location as possible. That means no audience of onlookers for the sake of showing off your “skills” as a trainer.
4.) Be lavish with praise. Reward each success with plenty of verbal and physical praise. Not only will this build confidence in your dog, and create a stronger bond between the two of you, but it will make him even more anxious to please you when learning other new feats.
5.) Never call your dog to you for disciplinary purposes. This will only make your dog apprehensive and reluctant to approach the next time you call. Instead, order him to “sit,” and “stay,” then approach him.
6.) Never over-discipline. Once a dog understands a command but refuses to obey, reasonable physical discipline may be appropriate. Discipline should never be violent or executed in anger; it should always be imparted in a calm, controlled manner.
7.) Don’t lock your dog into shame cycles. When a dog refuses to comply, verbal and physical discipline should be controlled, and reasonable. Ongoing verbal reprisals and scolding when a dog bungles an assignment is ineffective and will only serve to strip confidence. It will discourage your dog and make him dislike training sessions altogether.
8.) Understand that learned behavior takes time. Just because a dog learns the “sit” command on Monday while in his own backyard, that does not mean he will be able to carry the lesson over to Friday’s day at the beach. Dogs do not instinctively apply knowledge learned in one setting to another quite different setting. He must be taught how to do that; it takes repetition over a period of time, and patience.
9.) Teach commands in steps. For instance, before a dog can effectively learn the “lay down,” command – which is, in actuality, a three-step command – he must first learn the commands “sit” and “down” (or lay down). Break multi-tasked commands into simple steps.
10.) Factor #1 bears repeating. Patience is critical!
By working with your dog following these guidelines you will soon discover the essence of each. Patience combined with consistency, love, and praise for accomplishments well done are the most important factors of all when it comes to building trust in your dog, and assuring training success.
Pet owners who take the time to become knowledgeable about their pet’s needs, and who build a solid foundation of love and trust with their pet, rarely experience serious behavior problems once training is complete.
Pet owners who fail in these areas, however, are likely to instill fear, confusion, lack of confidence, and even depression in their pet. Reading this Savvy Dog Lover article will go a long way in helping persons to understand the unique needs of their canine companions.
A Dog’s Unique Personality
Dogs are a lot like most people. They may goof now and then, but they invariably try and do their best. They truly want to please their care givers. A sensitive dog owner will realize this.
Sensitive dog owners will also realize that, like people, some dogs catch on more quickly than others; others are slower to learn. Some dogs are also more easily distracted. Some are naturally more aggressive, others more timid – requiring extra patience and encouragement during training.
Understanding your dog is vital, for both you and your dog. This is especially true when it comes to training.
Guidelines for Successful Training
There are ten important factors to remember if you desire training success:
1.) Patience is critical. Forcing a puppy or young dog to do more than he is capable of doing, losing control and yelling or striking out at the dog, or ending a training session on a sour note all sabotage training success and build confusion and mistrust in the dog.
2.) Keep training upbeat and fun for your dog. Sessions should begin and end with success. Start the session out by “reviewing” a feat or accomplishment your dog already does well. End the session in the same way, with plenty of praise.
3.) Structure is important, so be consistent. Training sessions should be performed regularly. Sessions should be timed to end while your dog is still enthusiastic and attentive. They should last about 15 minutes for puppies, 30 – 40 minutes for adult dogs. Sessions should also be conducted in as distraction-free a location as possible. That means no audience of onlookers for the sake of showing off your “skills” as a trainer.
4.) Be lavish with praise. Reward each success with plenty of verbal and physical praise. Not only will this build confidence in your dog, and create a stronger bond between the two of you, but it will make him even more anxious to please you when learning other new feats.
5.) Never call your dog to you for disciplinary purposes. This will only make your dog apprehensive and reluctant to approach the next time you call. Instead, order him to “sit,” and “stay,” then approach him.
6.) Never over-discipline. Once a dog understands a command but refuses to obey, reasonable physical discipline may be appropriate. Discipline should never be violent or executed in anger; it should always be imparted in a calm, controlled manner.
7.) Don’t lock your dog into shame cycles. When a dog refuses to comply, verbal and physical discipline should be controlled, and reasonable. Ongoing verbal reprisals and scolding when a dog bungles an assignment is ineffective and will only serve to strip confidence. It will discourage your dog and make him dislike training sessions altogether.
8.) Understand that learned behavior takes time. Just because a dog learns the “sit” command on Monday while in his own backyard, that does not mean he will be able to carry the lesson over to Friday’s day at the beach. Dogs do not instinctively apply knowledge learned in one setting to another quite different setting. He must be taught how to do that; it takes repetition over a period of time, and patience.
9.) Teach commands in steps. For instance, before a dog can effectively learn the “lay down,” command – which is, in actuality, a three-step command – he must first learn the commands “sit” and “down” (or lay down). Break multi-tasked commands into simple steps.
10.) Factor #1 bears repeating. Patience is critical!
By working with your dog following these guidelines you will soon discover the essence of each. Patience combined with consistency, love, and praise for accomplishments well done are the most important factors of all when it comes to building trust in your dog, and assuring training success.
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