Tag: obedience training for dogs


Which Method is the Best?

Choosing Dog Training Methods

Before choosing a particular training method, carefully examine the technique to ensure that it will communicate proper associations. Certain methods may not communicate what you intend. A dog-aggressive Akita was enrolled in a training program that his owner thought was reputable. The trainer convinced the owner that the only way to break the Akita of aggression toward other dogs was to let a more dominant dog put him in his place. The trainer’s dog displayed dominance toward other dogs, so she placed him in a room with the Akita and left the two dogs to work things out. When the trainer heard a window crashing, she opened the door to find that her dog was injured, and the Akita had been richly rewarded for his aggressive behavior with a nice victory under his collar.
 
If this method does not make sense to you, it probably won’t make sense to the dog, either. One trainer sent around a flyer giving free advice to the general public on how to stop dogs from digging. The trainer suggested filling the newly dug hole with water and taking the dog over to the hole by the scruff of the neck to dunk his head in the water filled-hole. The next sentence on this flyer cautioned the owner that the dunking probably would not stop the dog from digging; instead, forcing the dog down to the water by the scruff of the neck was a demonstration of dominance, a root cure-all for problem behavior. The trainer thought through the method far enough to figure out that the water would have no effect on future digging. Unfortunately, he did not explain that the dog would learn to mistrust his owner for trying to drown him. Shortly after this flyer was distributed, another trainer was indicted for animal abuse for employing this very correction technique.
 
Occasionally, even thinking through a method does not result in a clear understanding of how it works. One day a fellow drove up to class in a pickup with his dog in the back. The dog trainer explained to him that it was very dangerous to have the dog in the back of an open pickup. He went through the normal lecture on how the dog’s nose and eyes could be damaged from debris in the air, the danger of the dog being thrown out of the truck in an accident, etc. The fellow proudly said, "I fixed the dog from jumping out of the truck. He was jumping out and I would throw him back in. We did this for five or six times when I finally got really mad and threw him in the truck for the seventh time and stuffed a piece of horse manure in his mouth for good measure. After that the dog never jumped out again, and the next time he does something bad, I am going to use that manure trick again."
 
It was really hard to determine if the dog stopped jumping out of the truck because he got tired of being thrown back in, or if he was grateful for the gourmet horse manure treat. If you are not sure about exactly how or why a method works, it is probably best to avoid the technique altogether. Even the most popular methods use techniques that may not be suited for every breed or temperament of dog. A trainer who evaluates each method based on the efficacy of the associations and motivators will be better equipped to match the appropriate obedience method with the dog’s individual temperament.

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The Alpha Dog–It’s Really YOU!

Showing Your Dog Who’s the Boss

Before you begin training your dog, settle who is in charge of your "pack." Address that issue with leadership exercises so that the actual training can truly be as much fun as it is supposed to be. You may do a simple four-week leadership program that consists of the thirty-minute “Down” and the ten-minute “Sit,” each done three times a week, on alternate days. Both can be practiced at any time of the day, so long as you keep an eye on your companion dog.
 
During the first week, sit your dog at your left side. Kneel next to him, both of you facing in the same direction. Drape your left arm across his shoulder and hold your hand, palm up, behind his left foreleg, just below the elbow. Place your right hand behind the right foreleg. Supporting your dog’s forelegs on your palms, lift him into the begging position and lower him onto the ground with a “Down” command.
 
When you lift him into the begging position, keep your thumbs either up or folded in your palms so that you cannot accidentally apply pressure on his forelegs. Take your hands off him and keep still. Every time your dog gets up, put him back. After thirty minutes, give the release word "Ok," even if he has fallen asleep, to let him know the exercise is over. Practice this exercise three times during the training week, on alternate days.
 
Most dogs, after several attempts at getting up, resign themselves to remaining in position for the thirty minutes. Some, on the other hand, literally kick and scream almost the entire time. It is the latter who need this exercise the most, and you will have to remain patient and calm. Increase the frequency of this exercise, and do it every day. If your dog is really bouncy, you may want to teach this exercise on a leash. Sit in a chair next to the dog and then sit on the leash so your hands are free to put him in position.
 
The purpose of this exercise is to teach your dog who is in charge and for your dog to accept you as pack leader. Your ability to physically place and keep your dog in the “Down” position is an absolutely necessary component of that purpose. Once your dog accepts you as leader, all further training will go smoothly.
 
On the second week, sit in a chair next to your dog as you practice the thirty-minute “Down”. For the ten-minute “Sit,” place him into a “Sit” as follows: With him standing at your left side, both of you facing in the same direction, place your right hand against his chest and your left hand on his shoulders. With your left hand, stroke down the entire length of the dog’s back, over the tail all the way to the dog’s knees. With equal pressure of the right hand and the left, fold him into a sit with the command "Sit." Take your hands off the dog and keep still.
 
Every time he moves, put him back. After ten minutes, use the release word "Ok" to let him know the exercise is over. Practice the thirty-minute “Down” and the ten-minute “Sit” three times each, on alternate days during the training week.
 
On week three, when you practice the thirty-minute “Down” and the ten-minute “Sit”, sit across the room from him. Make sure you put him back if he should move.
 
On week four,move about the room while he remains in position, but do not leave the room.
After you have successfully completed this four-week exercise, your dog will understand that you are in charge.

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