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Dog Training
Whether it is a puppy or you have just adopted an adult dog, I highly recommend training. It allows the dog to work their mind and body. It allows a better bond between you and your dog. It allows for a better mannered dog. It decreases frustration of unwanted dog behaviors.
I also don't recommend that this is a "one and done" approach. Training should be for life. It may not be a formal class or with a professional trainer, but I think training is essential for all dogs. Some people focus on exercise only. However, how would you like it if someone ran you on a treadmill each day, but didn't allow you to use your brain. You would probably get a little crazy. You can't out-run a bored mind.
This section is NOT meant to teach you how to train your dog. It's meant to give you ideas and suggestions in ways to go about training and starting points if you are unsure.
Ways to Train
Class
Many new dog owners choose to attend a puppy class or a beginner obedience class. This is great! Your dog will get to learn all the basics and also have extra stimulation around that they will need to learn how to achieve focus through than simply a quiet room in a familiar environment at home.
Once this class is done, what next?
There are more advanced classes you can attend, basically the next level up. The basic class builds the foundation to move into more advanced classes.
For example, my German Shepherd did Puppy Obedience, then Intermediate Obedience, then Canine Good Citizen, then Advanced Obedience. I think it was very beneficial for him, especially when going through different stages of development. However, you can continue training at home as well. Be sure that you continue to go through everything you've learned after the class is over. How are you using these commands? For example, are you asking your dog to sit before food or being let out? These aren't just things to learn in class, but things to take home and use to make your life simpler.
Private Training
Private training can really hone into all the specifics of your dog. If they are excelling in one area and having difficulty in another, private sessions can break the difficulties down much easier. If you are doing private training, please take what you have learned outside your home and practice working with distractions. Real-life isn't a quiet room with a treat in your hand and saying sit, so be sure your dog can do this at any moment. You can practice by adding more and more outside stimulus.
Do It Yourself Training
Some people decide to train their dogs all on their own. If they've been a dog owner in the past, they may already be familiar in how to train. However, if this is a first dog, there is a decent amount of room for error. Even though I've had dogs all my life, I like the scenario of a group class with distractions, other people, and other dogs. I also like that an outsider who is very knowledgable in training is critiquing what I am doing with my dog. It streamlines things and I believe also offers clarity to the dog. There are some great books to check out if you decide to do the training:
This first book can help get you into the puppy mindset before your puppy comes home and help streamline things. Of course no puppy is "perfect," but if you aim for that, you're still going to get a great dog
Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right by Sofia Yin
A behavioral scientist and dynamic animal trainer, Karen Pryor is a powerful proponent of the principles and practical uses of positive reinforcement in teaching new behaviors. Here are the secrets of changing behavior in pets, kids--even yourself--without yelling, threats, force, punishment, guilt trips...or shooting the dog.
Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
I also don't recommend that this is a "one and done" approach. Training should be for life. It may not be a formal class or with a professional trainer, but I think training is essential for all dogs. Some people focus on exercise only. However, how would you like it if someone ran you on a treadmill each day, but didn't allow you to use your brain. You would probably get a little crazy. You can't out-run a bored mind.
This section is NOT meant to teach you how to train your dog. It's meant to give you ideas and suggestions in ways to go about training and starting points if you are unsure.
Ways to Train
Class
Many new dog owners choose to attend a puppy class or a beginner obedience class. This is great! Your dog will get to learn all the basics and also have extra stimulation around that they will need to learn how to achieve focus through than simply a quiet room in a familiar environment at home.
Once this class is done, what next?
There are more advanced classes you can attend, basically the next level up. The basic class builds the foundation to move into more advanced classes.
For example, my German Shepherd did Puppy Obedience, then Intermediate Obedience, then Canine Good Citizen, then Advanced Obedience. I think it was very beneficial for him, especially when going through different stages of development. However, you can continue training at home as well. Be sure that you continue to go through everything you've learned after the class is over. How are you using these commands? For example, are you asking your dog to sit before food or being let out? These aren't just things to learn in class, but things to take home and use to make your life simpler.
Private Training
Private training can really hone into all the specifics of your dog. If they are excelling in one area and having difficulty in another, private sessions can break the difficulties down much easier. If you are doing private training, please take what you have learned outside your home and practice working with distractions. Real-life isn't a quiet room with a treat in your hand and saying sit, so be sure your dog can do this at any moment. You can practice by adding more and more outside stimulus.
Do It Yourself Training
Some people decide to train their dogs all on their own. If they've been a dog owner in the past, they may already be familiar in how to train. However, if this is a first dog, there is a decent amount of room for error. Even though I've had dogs all my life, I like the scenario of a group class with distractions, other people, and other dogs. I also like that an outsider who is very knowledgable in training is critiquing what I am doing with my dog. It streamlines things and I believe also offers clarity to the dog. There are some great books to check out if you decide to do the training:
This first book can help get you into the puppy mindset before your puppy comes home and help streamline things. Of course no puppy is "perfect," but if you aim for that, you're still going to get a great dog
Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right by Sofia Yin
A behavioral scientist and dynamic animal trainer, Karen Pryor is a powerful proponent of the principles and practical uses of positive reinforcement in teaching new behaviors. Here are the secrets of changing behavior in pets, kids--even yourself--without yelling, threats, force, punishment, guilt trips...or shooting the dog.
Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
Methods of Training
Positive Reinforcement: This is done by rewarding or reinforcing your dog for wanted behaviors, usually through a marker such as a click or a praise such as "yes" followed by a treat.
I believe every dog can be trained positively. If they get attention treats for desirable behaviors, they will continue to do so.
If you are trying to get your dog to stop pulling or barking at say, a person on their bike, and every time they see that person on their bike, they get hurt by a prong collar , what are they going to begin associating with the biker? Pain. Is that going to make the situation better? No. It usually ends up making it worse.
Positive Reinforcement: This is done by rewarding or reinforcing your dog for wanted behaviors, usually through a marker such as a click or a praise such as "yes" followed by a treat.
I believe every dog can be trained positively. If they get attention treats for desirable behaviors, they will continue to do so.
If you are trying to get your dog to stop pulling or barking at say, a person on their bike, and every time they see that person on their bike, they get hurt by a prong collar , what are they going to begin associating with the biker? Pain. Is that going to make the situation better? No. It usually ends up making it worse.
Where can positive reinforcement training fall through?
Positive training can fall through if say, you are on the phone, your dog jumps on you, you ask him to sit and then reward. What is he going to do a few seconds later? Jump on you, sit after you ask, and then get his reward. What did you just reinforce? Not his sit, but his jumping on you in order to be asked to sit and get the treat. Yes, our dogs are intelligent furry creatures!
This can also happen in the human world. Imagine you are in a conversation with someone. You tell your child this is very important and you can not be interrupted. Your child starts poking you, "mom, mom, mom, mom, mom..." If you give your child attention for this, what happens? They've just learned the activity you were trying to do isn't that important after all and they've been positively reinforced. Do you know how many "moms" you will get before they let up next time?
So positive training falls through when we unintentionally reinforce the wrong things. It's almost always due to human error.
With the above situations, the dog and the child will need to go through an extinguishing behavior where they really ramp up the jumping and "mom"-ing before they realize they won't get attention for it.
Then you can have behavioral remodeling.
Positive training can fall through if say, you are on the phone, your dog jumps on you, you ask him to sit and then reward. What is he going to do a few seconds later? Jump on you, sit after you ask, and then get his reward. What did you just reinforce? Not his sit, but his jumping on you in order to be asked to sit and get the treat. Yes, our dogs are intelligent furry creatures!
This can also happen in the human world. Imagine you are in a conversation with someone. You tell your child this is very important and you can not be interrupted. Your child starts poking you, "mom, mom, mom, mom, mom..." If you give your child attention for this, what happens? They've just learned the activity you were trying to do isn't that important after all and they've been positively reinforced. Do you know how many "moms" you will get before they let up next time?
So positive training falls through when we unintentionally reinforce the wrong things. It's almost always due to human error.
With the above situations, the dog and the child will need to go through an extinguishing behavior where they really ramp up the jumping and "mom"-ing before they realize they won't get attention for it.
Then you can have behavioral remodeling.
Desensitization and Counterconditioning methods can also be used for unwanted behaviors.
Desensitization would be similar to you moving next to train tracks. The first few times you hear the train, you may jump. Then that turns into hearing and acknowledging the train. Then finally, you don't even realize the train is going by.
Counterconditioning is getting the dog to display a behavior different than (counter to) the unwanted behavior.
Many times these methods are used together to change an undesirable behavior.
Helpful article: https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/training/counter-conditioning-and-desensitization
Desensitization would be similar to you moving next to train tracks. The first few times you hear the train, you may jump. Then that turns into hearing and acknowledging the train. Then finally, you don't even realize the train is going by.
Counterconditioning is getting the dog to display a behavior different than (counter to) the unwanted behavior.
Many times these methods are used together to change an undesirable behavior.
Helpful article: https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/training/counter-conditioning-and-desensitization
Again, while I've done a lot of training with my dog as a dog owner, I am not a trainer. This section is meant to help guide you into where to go for successful training methods.
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