Looking After Pets

The use of reward training and positive reinforcement for dog training has long been recognized as both extremely effective for owner and a positive experience for the dog.In today’s entertainment industry, positive reinforcement training is the only method that is used to train dangerous animals.

Proponents of positive reinforcement swear by the effectiveness of their methods, and it is true that the vast majority of dogs respond well to these training methods.

Reward training has become increasingly popular in recent years, but chances are some sort of reward training between humans and dogs has been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years.

One reason that positive reinforcement training is so effective is that is uses rewards to teach the dog what is expected of it.  When the dog performs the desired behavior, he is provided with a reward, most often in the form of a food treat, but it could be a scratch behind the ears, a rub under the chin or a pat on the head as well.Always consistently reward the dog for doing the right thing, this is key.

When understanding what makes reward training so effective, some knowledge of the history of humans and dogs is very insightful.Years ago, wolf pups were tamed and used for protections from predators as alarm systems and later for herding and guarding livestock. 

 It is possible that the wolf pups that made the best companions were the most easily trained, or it is possible that these early dogs were orphaned or abandoned wolf pups.  Whatever their origin, there is little doubt today that the vast variety of dogs we see today have their origin in the humble wolf.

 Wolf packs, like packs of wild dogs, operate on a strict pack hierarchy. Since wolf and dog packs hunt as a group, this type of hierarchy, and the cooperation it brings, is essential to the survival of the species.  Every dog in the pack knows his or her status in the pack, and except in the event of death or injury, the hierarchy, once established, rarely changes.

Every dog, therefore, is geared by nature to look to the pack leader for guidance.  The basis of all good dog training, including reward based training, is for the trainer to set him or herself up as the pack leader.The pack leader is much more than just the one who directs all the subordinates, or is the dominant dog.  More importantly, the pack leader provides leadership and protection, and his or her leadership is vital to the success and pack survival.

 It is important for the dog to see itself as part of a pack, to recognize the human as the leader of that pack, and to respect his or her authority.  Some dogs are much easier to dominate than others.  If you watch a group of puppies playing for a little while, you will quickly recognize the dominant and submissive personalities. 

A dog with a more submissive personality will generally be easier to train using positive reinforcement, since he or she will not want to challenge the trainer for leadership.Dogs that are dominant by nature also tend to respond very well to positive reinforcement.It is know that there are very few dogs that do not respond to positive reinforcement also called rewarding training.

 Positive reinforcement is also the best way to retrain a dog that has behavior problems, especially one that has been abused in the past. When working with an abused dog it can be very difficult to obtain their respect and trust. Positive reinforcement is a much superior training technique than other at creating this bond.

No matter what breed of dog you are working with, chances are it can be helped with positive reinforcement training methods. Based training methods on respect and trust, rather than on pressure and fear, is the best way to get the most from any dog.

Obedience training is one of the most important and most effective things any owner can do for their dog.An untrained dog can be destructive and sometimes dangerous, while a properly trained dog is a productive and happy member of the family.

Dogs are designed by nature to follow leaders, and to look for that leadership.   As pack animals, dogs naturally follow the directions of their pack leader. Absence of a strong leader, the dog might take over this role on itself.  Dogs that consider themselves as the leader of their human pack can become uncooperative, destructive and even dangerous.

Proper obedience training opens up key lines of communication between owner and dog.The foundation of any good dog obedience training is to obtain the cooperation and respect of the dog.Gaining respect from your dog cannot be obtained through mistreatment or rough training methods.  It must instead be earned through leadership and proper dog training techniques.

Basic obedience training consists of teaching the dog what to do and what not to do.  When it comes to desired behaviors, it is important for the dog to learn and respond to basic dog commands, such as heeling when walking, stopping on command, sitting when directed, coming when called and staying where the handler directs.

The list of what not to do is also important when it comes to obedience training.  Some of the don’ts of obedience training include – not jumping up on people, not forging ahead when walking and, not chewing the furniture or your property, and not getting out of control when exposed to unusual situations.

Essentially, obedience training involves establishing the social hierarchy that is so important to dogs as pack animals.  When your dog follows your obedience dog commands, such as – come, stay, sit, heel, etc., he or she is showing compliance and submissiveness.  This is the same type of behavior a submissive member of a wild dog pack would show to the alpha dog in that pack.

As with any type of dog training, it is important that obedience training sessions be fun and rewarding for both dog and owner.Having a healthy, happy dog can succeed in learning best, and keeping the dog happy during the training sessions will make life easier for both your dog and yourself.The dog and owner can benefit from obedience training in may ways.You can permit an obedient well trained dog with a greater amount of freedom than an untrained dog.  For instance, a dog that has been properly trained to come when called can safely enjoy some off leash play time at the local dog park.

There is always a debate over whether it is easier to obedience train puppies or older dogs.Both older dogs and puppies can be very successfully trained to be obedient and willing companions. It can be easier to train young dogs and puppies than it can be to retrain dogs that have already created bad behaviors.You can successfully retrain using basic obedience training and control techniques with even problem dogs.

When obedience trainingpuppies, however, it is important to remember that puppies generally have a shorter attention span than to do full grown dogs.Holding short dog training session in beginning is key.  It is also important to incorporate lots of play with other puppies, dogs and other animals, as well as lots of different people.  Proper socialization is very important to creating a safe, healthy and happy companion dog.

There are some basic tenants to dog psychology and we are going to take a look at them here. Understanding your dog’s pysche can take some time an effort on your part, but will be well worth it when you are engaging in training him.

Dog psychology is learning to understand why a dog behaves and acts the way that he does. Even though the dog is a descendant of the wolf , he has adapted quite well to our human social organization.

Dogs have learned to live with and obey humans through successful training. When you and your dog build a trusting bond, there is a cooperation that is established: the dog behaves well and he will be rewarded.

The importance of understanding how wolves live plays a large part in understanding dog psychology. Wolves live in the wild in packs of two or more.The dictatorship system that the males and females use is strictly defined.

The leader or “alpha leader” of this system is almost always the biggest male in the pack.All of the other wolves in the pack folllow the alpha leader eagerly and with the utmost respect.

Wolves were able to adapt domestically with man thousands of years ago because of the similar social organization and instinctive mental or pyschological structure. When it comes to dividing duties like feeding, some wolves track the animal, one stands guard, and one makes the attack.After the alpha leader feeds first and is satisfied he will allow the other members of the pack to finish his “leftovers”.

When you introduce a dog to your household, he sees the family as a pack and all the members contribute to the hierarchal system.In order to figure out how he fits into this new system and who the alpha leader is, your dog will be watching everyone closely.

Who the leader is in the house will depend on their physical size and the tone of their voice; your dog will watch for these clues.Throughout the day your dog will also watch how everyone interacts with one another.

It is essential to establish yourself (or another responsible adult in your household) as the alpha leader.The sooner this is established, the fewer behavioral problems you will see.

You must also have a clear understanding that your dog is at the bottom of your family’s hierarchal system.

Your dog instinctually will put himself in charge if he sees that there is no heirarchy in place. This is when a lot of dogs can become overly dominant and destructive. Including your children-your dog should be subordinate to everyone in the household-and that should be obvious to your dog.

Because of their small size and their dependency on adults, it is sometimes difficult for a dog to understand that he is lower ranked than children. Dogs can sometimes become very aggressive towards children for this reason and might even bite on occasion.

You can help your dog realize that his position is subordinate to every other family member through disciplined training.To help you in this process you need good quality dog training resources.

Remember, training does take time and effort, but it is definately worth it!

All the best with the process of training your dog.

Darcy Austin is editor in chief of Dog Obedience University, a comprehensive resource on dog obedience training.