Dog training: how and when to train a dog [behaviorist advice
Dogs training
Your dog is great and you love him more than life, but on reflection you will admit that he does not always act as you would expect him to?
I mean situations like:
- you call him and he doesn't come,
- you are going for a walk with your dog, which is more like tugging than walking together.
Probably then you are wondering if your pet could use some training
…You have mixed feelings about training your dog? You are wondering if it is the right decision to enroll your dog in training classes? Or maybe it's just a waste of time and money?
You are confused? You lack knowledge about dog training?
- Why are dogs trained?
- What is dog training about?
- When to start training your dog?
- Can you undertake the training of the dog yourself?
- The approach of the dog to the guardian
- Greeting guests
- Penalties in dog training: can dogs be punished?
Why are dogs trained?
Why train a dog? You may have heard the opinion that "the dog is not a monkey in the circus and does not have to know various tricks ".
Some owners say they don't need a "trained" dog.
They argue this belief that they do not want to "tire" their dog and they simply need the companionship they experience living with it on a daily basis.
There are also those who believe that the dog should be "broken" in order to be obedient and not cause problems.
A lot of extreme opinions
…Are they right?
You must know that the moment the dog comes into the world (just like in humans), the animal learns constantly.
When a baby is born, for the first two weeks of its life it is focused only on its mother.
Initially blind and deaf puppies over time begin to move while lying on their stomach and pushing off each other with their legs.
Down 4 weeks of age they sleep together.
Their first lesson they experience is learning to chew while having fun (growling, biting).
This is the time when the mother teaches the puppies self-control.
By watching their mothers they learn too correct reactions and body language.
Game for puppies it plays a very important role as it is a form of practicing behaviors such as:
- communication,
- hunting,
- sexual relations.
When a puppy arrives at your home, he has already completed the first stage of training he received from his family.
Now it all depends on you ?
Of course, while living with you, your dog still learns:
knows the world and experiences various situations.
Left alone, it behaves differently
…If you do not teach your pet, he should calmly sit down and he allowed himself to button up his collar before going out for a walk, then until the end of the dog's life, you will chase him around the apartment every time you want to go out with him.
If you don't teach it controlled play, then you will still have scratched and bruised hands.
If you don't teach it quietly saying hello to guests, be prepared to isolate him from children and adults each time they enter the house.
Consider whether it would be better to influence how your dog behaves?
Wouldn't your life be more pleasant if you and your pet could calmly receive guests, go for walks together and travel safely with him??
Probably yes.
To achieve this, you just have to train your dog.
What is dog training about?
What is dog training about? Training is nothing more than teaching your dog the behavior you want, i.e. what you expect and emphasize in your everyday life together.
Such behaviors as ability to carry out basic commands, the ability to walk with the leg and on a loose leash, and coming on call are crucial in the correct dog-human relationship.
Also, don't forget about skill leisurely car journey or accepting by a pet beauty treatments if visits to the veterinarian.
Often, ruthless response to human commands, they save the dog's life (e.g. if you do not have control over the dog and it will run out into a busy street, which may result in a serious road accident).
This training also consciously shaping the dog's behavior, so that knowing what are the expectations of him, he could feel calm and safe in our company. Remember that dogs, like humans, learn throughout their lives.
They experience and go through various situations and events.
Thanks to the training, your pooch will not only gain new skills, but also learn how to deal with:
- with tension,
- frustration,
- fear.
When training your dog, do not forget that an important point in this process is getting your pet social competences in the dog - dog relationship.
If you allow your dog to run freely in the park, hoping that other dogs will "raise" your pet, the consequences of this approach can be very different.
Training your dog in terms of its ability to communicate with other animals is very important and should be consciously shaped by you from the very beginning of your dog's life.
When to start training your dog?
When to start training your dog? If you have already found out about the correctness of training a dog, you are probably wondering at what age you can start training him?
There is only one answer - from the first day of your stay at your home. Of course, the trainer works differently with a puppy and an adult dog.
Remember, however, that the way of introducing your dog to new experiences should be associated with him and not be a difficult experience for him. In one word - the training process must be positive.
Like this?
Does it mean:
stress-free education of a dog?
Positive dog training means as much as training based on positive reinforcements.
Positive dog training it doesn't come down to mindlessly letting your dog do anything.
It is primarily about training methods what the trainer reaches for.
Positive methods in training because they build self-confidence in an animal, strengthen the owner-dog relationship, they deepen the bond between you.
Thanks to positive training methods, your dog will be eager to learn new skills, he will be willing to contact you every time. The dog will just be very cooperative, and that's what it's all about.
Can you undertake the training of the dog yourself?
Training your dog at home Yes of course!
Provided you have the appropriate one knowledge and skills.
Often, dog owners have several meetings with a professional (canine behaviorist, zoopsychologist or dog training instructor), wanting to get help in obtaining the necessary knowledge about conducting the training process of their pet.
Many dog handlers do quite well at training.
If you decide to train your dog yourself, there are three basic rules to remember:
- Rewarded behaviors - are repeated.
- Behavior ignored - they fade away (expire).
- Specific behaviors become permanent if they are strengthened (consciously or unconsciously).
The approach of the dog to the guardian
An example of these rules is the way you behave, e.g. when the dog comes up to you. If you reward your dog every time a pet comes up - you will reinforce this behavior positively.
Consequently, this means that the dog will constantly look for opportunities to approach you (and remember that this behavior is highly desirable, especially if you unleash your dog while walking).
If, on the other hand, the owner rebukes the dog that returns home after an hour's trip around the area, then this reinforces the behavior negatively.
The dog learns that returning home and approaching a person results in punishment. The awareness of the punishment reduces the dog's trust in the owner, creates fear and aversion to closer contact with him
The consequence of this will be to avoid approaching the owner.
Greeting guests
What if you want to teach your dog to say hello to guests calmly?
Then follow the rule - ignored behaviors are self-extinguishing.
This means that if you do not enhance a given behavior of the animal and the dog does not receive any benefits in relation to the specific behavior, it ceases to display them.
When the dog greets people insistently, if it does not receive their attention, it ceases to demand contact and, consequently, walks away quietly.
But what if you ignore the dog and he continues to jump at the guests?
You've probably amplified this behavior unconsciously before.
You probably happened to focus your attention on him more than once by touching him, talking to him while he was jumping at people.
Such unconscious "rewarding" the dog strengthened his behavior.
The dog learns that when it demands longer human attention, it eventually gets it.
Therefore, the animal, according to the third point, which is "specific behaviors are strengthened if they are strengthened " (consciously or unconsciously), will be (reinforced by achieved success), persistently repeat them.
Penalties in dog training: can dogs be punished?
Can a dog be punished? Punishment for a dog is nothing more than the emergence of the consequences of behavior.
Punishment, when applied, the colder the likelihood of this behavior occurring in the future.
The punishment for the dog will be the words spoken loudly "Nope ", "you can not ", tug on the leash or also taking your dog's attention away, but it will also be recall to yourself and fastening the dog on a leash.
Remember that the use of punishment for the dog it is not the same as violent behavior towards him.
Remember not to take your anger and frustration out on your pet during training.
What does the use of violent punishments in training a dog result??
This type of punishment results in the release of strong emotions in the animal, and above all - aggression.
The consequence of using such methods in training a dog may be fear of humans, aggression, and withdrawal - subjection urination, general fear of people and new situations.
Summary
How to raise a dog? Details are important in training a dog.
Therefore, if you feel that you are not sure about the method of your work and training, or maybe you lack patience or self-denial, and you feel that many details are missing from you, then it is worth using the help of a professional.
Today, the number of training centers, trainers and behaviorists is very large.
Remember to pay attention to the following in all these possibilities whether:
- The person conducting the classes has experience in this type of work.
- Has its own dogs.
- What is his education in this field?.
- What methods is used in training work.
- What he thinks about the theory of domination and the use of physical violence in the learning process of dogs.
The answers to these questions will allow you to judge and consciously choose the right teacher for your pet.
You have questions related to dog training? Or maybe your pooch is in such training and you want to share his experience with other readers? He will now publish a comment under the article, I will be happy to know your opinion and answer any questions ?
Why train a dog?
Training is teaching your dog the behaviors you want, i.e. the ones you expect and emphasize in your everyday life together. Behavior such as the ability to carry out basic commands, the ability to walk with a leg and on a loose leash, as well as to come when called are key in a proper dog-human relationship. Also, do not forget about the ability to calmly travel by car or to accept care treatments or visits to the veterinarian by your pet. Often times, ruthless response to human commands save the dog's life (e.g. if you do not have control over the dog and it will run out into a busy street, which may result in a serious road accident). Training is also a conscious shaping of the dog's behavior, so that knowing what the expectations are for him, he can feel calm and safe in our company.
When can you start training??
You should start training your dog from the first day you stay at your home. Of course, the trainer works differently with a puppy and an adult dog. Remember, however, that the method of introducing your dog to new experiences should be well associated with him and not be a difficult experience for him. In a word - the training process must be positive.
What To Avoid In Training Your Puppy?
Remember not to take your anger and frustration out on your pet during training. What does the use of violent punishments in training a dog result?? This type of punishment results in the release of strong emotions in the animal, and above all - aggression. The consequence of using such methods in training a dog may be fear of humans, aggression, and withdrawal - subjection urination, general fear of people and new situations.
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