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Teaching dogs good manners requires consistence, positive reinforcement and patience.
Digging, barking, chewing and nipping works well for dogs. It’s when we bring them into our human homes and families that normal dog behavior creates problems. Dogs often end up in shelters because of behavioral problems but these can often be traced back to a lack of commitment from the owner. Becoming a dog owner means taking on responsibilities and accepting that a well-behaved dog does not happen overnight. It takes commitment and time, along with consistence, positive reinforcement, and patience. Always lots of patience. ConsistenceDogs are not stupid. They learn what works and what doesn’t. If you are consistent with your rules, he will eventually catch on to the routine. If you are lax, he will learn that sometimes it doesn’t work but sometimes it does and he becomes confused. Positive ReinforcementDogs aren’t so different from humans in many ways. When they are told to do something, they like to see a reason for it. The reason may be as simple as having fun or making the owner happy or it can be a meatball or a walk. Lots of praise and treats work well. Turning training into a game sometimes works even better. PatienceRelax and keep things fun. Dogs learn better when they’re having fun. Try not to nag. If most of his interaction with you is positive, an occasional ‘No’ will cause him to sit up and pay attention. This is when you guide him to an alternative action and praise him when he does it. Never slap or spank your dog. He interprets this as an attack and his thoughts are only on surviving, not learning. This abuse teaches him to distrust you and creates anxiety and depression which can lead to other behavior problems such as shyness, aggression, or destructiveness. When you lose your dog’s trust, you’ve damaged the tender bond between you, along with his receptiveness to training. Pay attention to your dog’s signals when he is bored or tired. Respect his feelings. Keep training sessions short and simple and always end training with some playtime. Remember that some breeds have been bred to think for themselves and work independently. These dogs may be a bigger challenge and require more patience. Training in Daily RoutineDogs can learn basic commands in a short training session each day but having a well-behaved dog is a lifestyle. Unless you’re preparing for competition, you do not need to reduce training to a string of commands that sound more like they are designed for a robot. Speak to your dog like a member of the family and integrate training into your daily routine. Teach him to ‘wait’ by the door while you prepare his food. Teach him, ‘Go get your toy’ when it’s time to play. Teach him to lie ‘down’ and ‘stay’ while you watch tv. Show him what ‘off’ means when he climbs up on the couch. Although many characteristics are breed specific, dogs are emotional individuals with varying life experiences and each one is different. One-size-fits-all training is not always successful. We must learn to communicate with the individual dog in a way that he understands. We must also understand what the dog is telling us. This comes from spending time with him and paying close attention to his body language. Those gestures and expressions can be subtle. Sometimes it’s well worth consulting an expert. Related Reading:Foundation for Easy Puppy Training
The copyright of the article Dog Obedience Training in Dog Training is owned by Joy Butler. Permission to republish Dog Obedience Training in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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