But then, the horror begins. The dog you brought home seems to be anything but the adorable creature you expected it to be. His (or her) behavior is terribly unpredictable and can even be downright embarrassing at times. The dog you brought home to provide you companionship just sits around at the corner of your home, seemingly bored at the things happening around him (or her).
So you read all the books and even went to a dog training class to teach your dog a thing or two about obedience, but you still get no good results. This may lead you to think there is something inherently wrong with your dog. Is he (or she) just plain lazy, hardheaded or a little bit slow in the head?
Have you considered its lineage? Some breeds of dogs are simply not born to be followers; making them naturally hard to train.
Have you taken an honest look at your self and your training style? Are you observing the proper dog training techniques? It would be a good idea to make sure that you do, to make both of your lives easier and to make your dog training sessions an enjoyable and fruitful experience for both of you. To help you make your training sessions easier, here is a list of the most commonly committed dog training mistakes. Please avoid them at all costs.
•Not giving enough rewards during the training - Providing treats is one indispensable part of dog training. It gives your dog enough motivation to continue following your commands satisfactorily. However, some dog owners shun this idea. They simply do not want to provide treats during their dog training sessions because they feel that they would not retain authority if ever they do so. They believe that it is the dog’s role to follow their commands and giving them treats would be like bribing them.
•Being too controlling - Some owners simply have a “control” problem and can be quite overbearing, nagging and perfectionist during their dog training sessions. If you happen to be one of these control freaks and you own a hard-to-train dog, you can expect to be in for a very hard time!
•Being a training fanatic - Training your dogs too often, or repeating the same exercises over and over again, may bore him (or her). This is especially true when you own an independent dog, one that was simply not bred to obey his master’s commands. Among these are dogs that belong to the non-sporting, terrier and hound breeds.
•Not giving attention to the dog’s emotions - Some owners neglect to give enough attention to their dog’s feelings during their training sessions. This can be a major problem indeed! Especially during training, it is important to consider how your dog is feeling to get the most out of your efforts. So whenever you observe his (or her) reluctance in doing the exercises, if you notice excessive yawning or that your dog simply refuses to look at you, it may be best to stop and let it loose for a while. Your dog might already be tired or bored from all that physical exertion!
By: Michael Russell
About the Author:
Your Independent guide to Dog Training
It’s not necessary to have formal training to teach a dog behavioral skills. It is necessary, however, to be consistent, firm and loving, while making it fun. When dogs know what to expect from their masters, they’re much more likely to comply. Here are a few tips to make your training experience a rewarding one for both you and your pet.
First of all, it’s important to begin training as soon as you bring a dog into your home. Whether you have a puppy or an older dog, it’s important that it knows who’s in charge. As dogs are pack animals, they need to know their role in the hierarchy of the home. Once the dog can identify its master as the leader, it will be much easier to teach it necessary commands. Some dogs may always test their boundaries, but knowing they have a set role in the family gives them a measure of comfort.
Secondly, make it fun for the dog. Speaking in a soothing, encouraging voice, and lavishing praise on your pet when it follows direction helps reinforce the lesson learned. If a dog thinks sitting, staying or fetching is fun, it will be more likely to perform on command. When training a dog, it can be frustrating in the beginning if the dog doesn’t follow direction. If this happens, stop the training session. Dogs can sense stressful situations, and react accordingly. Lessons should be enjoyable for a dog. Practicing positive reinforcement goes much further than teaching a dog to fear its master. If it thinks it’s playing a game, it’s more interested in participating.
Next, be consistent. If you’re teaching a dog the “sit” command, and it’s rewarded whether it sits or not, it won’t learn the lesson. Follow through is critical during training. A dog must be able to identify consequences for its actions. If it carries out the command, it’s praised. If it doesn’t do what’s been asked, it isn’t. Sending mixed messages to the dog will make training that much more difficult.
Use the same hand signals and/or simple verbal commands for each lesson. If you’re teaching your dog to stay off the sofa, repeating the same word, such as “off,” each time is much more effective than using different words, like “down” and “go,” interchangeably. The dog needs simple, clear, consistent direction to best understand and carry out its duties.
Also, every member of the family must commit to taking part in training the dog. If one parent enforces the rules, and someone else in the home doesn’t, the dog will quickly figure out that it can get away with misbehaving, and all the work the trainer did can unravel.
Dogs can get bored with lengthy training sessions. Positive gains can be seen in just a few minutes per session. Focusing on one trick for too long can cause the dog to tune out entirely, while shorter sessions spread throughout the week can be effective and enforce lessons. As your dog learns tricks, add new ones. This way, their confidence grows when they can respond to commands they’re familiar with, but they can look forward to learning something new. They enjoy pleasing their masters, and can withdraw if they sense that they’re not doing so.
Formal obedience training is also an option, for owners who would like to reinforce lessons they’re teaching at home. Professional trainers have experience with a wide variety of different breeds and temperaments, and adjust their teaching methods accordingly. Also, group training is a great time to work on socializing your dog, or teaching it to be more comfortable around and tolerant of other dogs.
A common reason dogs are dropped off at shelters is because they’re not trained. Generally, it’s a simple matter of spending enough time with the dog, and consistently enforcing rules. Not only is it rewarding for the dog, it’s rewarding for the master as well. When a dog performs a newly-learned command for the first time, it’s cause for celebration. Not only is a well-behaved dog a joy to be around, but training a dog can create an unbreakable bond between dog and master.
By: David Beart
About the Author:
Gun dogs
Gun dogs have plenty of energy, and really enjoy and need work to do to keep them happy. They dislike being left on their own for long periods of time even more than most dogs.
Examples - Springers, setters and Labrador retrievers
Toy Dogs
These breeds were specifically bred to be human companions and as such need a lot of contact with humans.
Examples - Chihuahuas, Yorkshire terriers
Terriers
Are characteristically small but tough, terriers were originally bred to catch and chase small animals. They are stubborn dogs that rarely give in if they don’t want something.
Herding Breeds
These breeds were bred to herd livestock so are naturally full of energy and have incredible stamina. As such they need regularly walking to get the exercise they require. Herding breeds are usually very loyal to their owner.
Examples - German Shepherd, collies
While it is important to all dog owners to have a dog they like the look of, avoid the temptation to buy a dog purely on looks without looking into the characteristics of the breed. You should also consider the differences between male and female dogs.
By: Richard Cross Terris
About the Author:
