It is indeed said that dogs are man’s best friend. We all love our furry friends. However, if your dog is not trained to behave in a specific way and displays unwanted and undesirable behavior, then it becomes very difficult to manage them.
Most pet parents feel that dog training is really easy, and they can do so by learning this from YouTube or social media. However, this is not so. Dog training is an essential fundamental exercise for your dog. Hence it is imperative that you choose the best method and techniques to train them. For this, you can hire a dog trainer for the first few days so as to understand the best strategy and approach to training your dog.
How to Train Your Dog?
There are two common methods that most dog trainers generally use for training a dog.
- Aversive-based method: The aversive based or discipline training is when a trainer uses positive punishment and negative reinforcement techniques with dogs. They use techniques like physical corrections, unpleasant noise as well as harsh scolding so that the dog behaves in the specific way you want.
- Reward-based method: In this method, with various treats, belly rubs, and other pleasant actions, the trainer instructs the dog to behave in a specific way they want.
Every dog trainer has a unique approach so that they can prefer one method over the other. If you feel that a particular method is better for your dog, then you can train him in that way.
There are some experts who believe that a reward-based method sets up an event sequence for your dog as they associate with the happy feelings when they behave in the specific way they want. However, this is exactly the opposite in the case of an aversive-based method as your dog fears you or the instructor and behave in the way you want them to. Hence it can be said that in the aversive method, dogs perform a particular action or behavior in order to avoid unpleasant feelings.
How does your dog Learn?
Just like a kid is taught the basics and then is taught about the complex subjects. Dogs learn a lot like kids. They mainly relate to immediate consequences. According to a study, some intelligent breeds can respond to as many as 250 words. There are the following types of dog intelligence, according to experts.
- Instinctive
- Adaptive
- Obedience
Instinctive learning is when the dog learns the behavior when they were bred at first. Adaptive learning is more about how they learn from their surrounding environment and solve any challenges or problems happening around them. Obedience and working are how they learn the tasks and commands that a trainer or you teach them.
Dogs are pet animals, and it is important that you get your dog obedient. In order to make your dog obedient, try to focus on training that uses specific obedient techniques and training so that they perform a certain behavior you want them to do—both rewards-based as well as aversive training methods really work and recommended by most experts.
We would suggest that if you want your dog to be doing certain tricks and behaving in a proper way, and training them to be a loving pet, then it is better you consider reward-based training. This method doesn’t develop any type of fear-based responses and reinforces a loving relationship with them.
Obedience Training Rewards
Dogs are inherently intelligent creatures, and they are quick learners. They are also smart to understand that what they can get in return.
So, if you are going for the reward-based method, one of the effective methods for training them is to give them treats or praises, whichever they are motivated to. The main focus in the case of a rewarding method is to consistently reward dogs for the behavior they want. If your dog performs that work or behavior, then do reward them. For e.g., if you teach your dog to sit and not give them a treat until they stand, they will tend to get confused. Provide them a treat whenever they perform any task properly.
Control Consequences
A dog generally cares for immediate consequences. Hence your dog needs to understand the consequence if they behave in an unwanted way. For example, generally, dogs have a tendency to greet humans by jumping to them. This can be a high risk for older people. So, whenever they do this, turn your back and continue to walk away with your trip until your dog doesn’t jump up.
Training New Skills
When you are teaching your dog something new, do remember that they possess the attention span of a two-year-old. Generally, most trainers limit their training sessions to 15 minutes, making them short and crisp. Try to focus on one task or behavior so that they are not confused. Also, make sure that when you train your dog, you try to use the same commands every time. Do not try to use different phrases as they would not be able to follow them.
Basic Obedience Dog Training
The American Kennel Club recognizes five basic commands which every dog should definitely know.
- Come
- Heel
- Stay
- Down
- Sit
Following are some tips for training your dog
- Always set a time for the daily training sessions for your dog.
- Try to keep the training sessions short as well as concise so that they are not bored.
- Since dogs are generally motivated by food, try to train them when they are hungry.
- Try training them after their play session since they are already warmed up. If you just come home from work and start training.
- Try to focus on positive reinforcement and reward him with treats and appreciation when he performs a certain behavior or action.
Summing Up
These are some of the tips on how dogs are trained. Just make sure you are patient, calm, and not irritated. Naturally, your dogs would get trained very quickly as they are good learners.
