The 'Positive Reinforcement' Method (Dog Training Techniques)

Member Name: FourPaws

Product:	Dog Training Techniques
Date:	29/04/09 (257 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A succesful, cruelty free method of traing suitable for all dogs

Disadvantages: You are going to need alot of patience!

Dog training is a subject very close to my heart. Whilst I absolutely adore dogs, they're the best animals in the world as far as I'm concerned, there is nothing that annoys me more than seeing an aggressive, untrained and unsociable dog. They are a danger to both humans and other dogs alike and are a real nuisance and pain to be around, they also give the more responsible dog owners a bad name and contribute to the sad trend of dogs being banned from many public places.

So, for this reason, my dogs being trained to a high level is something that is extremely important to me and something I am very passionate about, and has been since they were both young puppies. It is something we have practised day in, day out ever since I brought them both home, only now, when they are aged 4 years and 18 months, am I finally happy with the level they are trained to and would like to share some of my wisdom to hopefully help the more novice dog owners out there!

The method I use for training is called Positive Reinforcement and is an entirely cruelty free method that works solely on praising and rewarding the good behaviour, and simply ignoring the bad. It banishes the use of harsh, outdated techniques, excludes using pain to get your dog to behave and is a highly successful method which I have had excellent results from, both with my two current dogs and the dogs I have owned in the past.

The first thing you need to use this method is a strong bond and a good relationship with your dog, if you don't have this, it won't work at all. As mentioned before, the method works on the basis that you reward good behaviour and just ignore the bad. If you were to be ignored by someone you didn't know or care about, you probably wouldn't be the slightest bit bothered, yet if your best friend ignored you, you'd more than likely be quite upset and want to do your best to make it up to them. This is the exact same for dogs, they don't like to be ignored by people they care about (you, their owner) so you need a good, strong bond for this to work.

Secondly, you will need something to reward the dog with, aside from verbal praise. You can use a clicker, treats, toys or all three. I personally use all three! If my dogs do something right they always get a click of their clicker, sometimes a treat or sometimes a game with a toy, they never know what their reward is going to be. Using all three keeps things interesting and also prevents the dog just doing what they are told for food, if they don't always get a treat, then they won't expect it everytime. Remember, in an emergency, when you need your dog to behave, you might not always have food to bribe him with!

Positive Reinforcement training can be started from the day you bring your little puppy home, no matter how young they may be and then continued for life. It also works for rescue dogs, which are more than likely to be adopted when they are older. For this review however, I will concentrate more on puppy training.

-TOILET TRAINING-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? So your puppy can learn where they may go to the toilet, and where they may not.
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? Up to you! I personally use ''be quick''. It's to the point, and I don't feel embarrassed using it in public. ''Go wee/poo' can of course be used, but do you fancy saying that in park?!
THE METHOD: Toilet training is the first thing you will need to do with your puppy. I don't like using the newspaper trick, get your puppy going outside as soon as possible, using newspaper just confuses them I think. After every meal, each time your puppy has a drink, wakes up from a sleep or after a play session, take him out to the garden and say your toileting command, nothing else, and wait until your puppy goes, no matter how long it takes or what the weather is like, stay with your pup! The second your pup finishes, loads of praise (in your best hyper, high pitched happy voice!) and a little treat. A young puppy will need to be let out several times a night at first, so set your alarm and be prepared for disturbed sleep for a little while! If your puppy soils in the house, simply clean it up and ignore it if you don't catch him in the act. If you do, just say a sharp ''no'', pick him up and take him outside, reward him if he continues going outside.
NEVER: Punish your puppy if you do not catch him soiling in the house, rub his nose in the mess or expect him to be clean in the house straight away.

-SIT-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? So your puppy will sit on command, e.g., waiting at roads etc.
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''*dogs name* sit''
THE METHOD: Have a small treat in your hand and hold it above your pups nose and move it backwards, as your pup follows the treat back, his bum should lower, as soon as it hits the floor, add in the ''sit'' command, then treat and praise.
NEVER: Push your pups bottom down to get him to sit.

-LAY DOWN-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? So your puppy will lay down on command
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''*dogs name* lay'' (don't use ''down'', I'll explain why later)
THE METHOD: When your puppy is sitting, have a treat in your closed hand, hold it in front of your pups nose and lower your hand to the floor. As you do, your pup should lower down into a laying position, when he does, add in your ''lay'' command and praise when he is laying.
NEVER: Pull your pups legs forward to get him to laying down.

-NO!-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? To let your puppy know when something isn't acceptable
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''No!'' or ''Ah-ah!''
THE METHOD? As soon as an unwanted behaviour starts, gently but sternly give your ''no'' command. Praise if the puppy stops doing it.
NEVER: Say something like ''oh please stop doing that'', your dog doesn't understand English!

-DOWN-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? To use if your puppy jumps up at somebody or your need to get him off the sofa/bed.
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''Down'' or ''Get down''.
THE METHOD: As soon as your puppy jumps up, turn away, cross your arms and ignore him, give your ''down'' command and ignore him until he stops jumping up, praise him when he stops. This is why I don't recommended using ''down'' to get your dog to lay down, it is much better suited to this.
NEVER: Push your dog down or pull him down by the collar.

-RE CALL-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? So you may let your dog off lead.
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''Come'', ''here'' or ''return''
THE METHOD: Practice having your dog on a long line first, and use your best hyper high pitched voice to call him, when he comes to you, praise and treat him. When you are confident doing this, you may start to work off lead in a safe, enclosed place until it if perfected. If your dog runs away, try running the opposite direction whilst calling him if it is safe to do so.
NEVER: If your dog only returns to you after a good 15 minutes, don't scold him, still praise him no matter how frustrated you are with him. Chase your dog if he runs off, he will think it is a game.

-STAY-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? An emergency may arise when you need your dog to stay exactly where he is.
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''Stay''
THE METHOD: Have your dog sitting and then walk backwards away from him, facing him, and saying ''stay'' constantly. Stop, continuing saying ''stay'' and then call him when you want to. Over time, work up the time you make him stay before you call him.
NEVER: Get frustrated if your dog doesn't stay straight away, this one does take time.

-WAIT and GO AHEAD-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? So your dog only eats when told to. Imagine falling out with your neighbours, they chuck some poisoned food over your garden wall to your dog. If your dog has a good understanding of the ''wait'' command, he won't eat it.
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''Wait'' and then ''go ahead'' or ''take it'' to take the food.
THE METHOD: Place down your dogs food bowl, filled with his dinner, but have something really tasty in your hand, let your dog smell this, call him and make him look at you and concentrate on the food in your hand, saying ''wait'' the entire time. Then, when you want him to eat, give the ''go ahead/take it'' command and chuck the treat you have in your hand until his dinner bowl.
NEVER: Allow your dog to eat anything, even a tiny treat, without making him wait for it first. It really is so important this one.

-NICELY-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? So your dog approaches other people/dogs nicely.
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''Be nice'', ''nicely'', ''gently'' or ''steady''.
THE METHOD: When approaching other dogs, repeatedly say your desired word, let your puppy say hello to the dog (if ok with the other owner) and praise your puppy if they have behaved well.
NEVER: Change the word you use, keep it simple. Allow your dog to approach other people or dogs uninvited.

-SPEAK-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? So your dog barks on command, handy if you ever feel unsafe and need your dog to protect you. A bark is often enough to warn most potential burglars/muggers off.
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''Speak'', ''bark'' or ''loud''.
THE METHOD: Have a friend hold your dog on lead, you stand 6ft away with your dogs favourite toy or treat, talk to your dog, be really excited and happy, your dog will bark out of frustration to come and see you. The second he does, add in your command and go to the dog to stop him barking.
NEVER: Abuse this command, you should rarely need to use it.

-BE QUIET-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? So you can stop your dog barking
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''Shhhhh'', ''be quiet'' or ''whisper''.
THE METHOD: As above. When you do to your dog and he stops barking, add in your be quiet command and praise with a treat.
NEVER: Forget to do this part if teaching the speak command!

-GO AWAY-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? Imagine you are in danger, to keep your dog safe, he must leave you.
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''Leave'', ''away'' or ''go''
THE METHOD: Throw a ball/toy for your dog, as he chases it, repeatedly say your chosen command. This one takes an awful lot of work but it is possible, with practice, your dog will leave you without a ball/toy to chase.
NEVER: Be horrible to your dog to get him to leave you. Expect all dogs to do this, some will never grasp it, no matter how much practice you put in.

-HEAL-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? So your dog will walk nicely on the lead
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''Heal'' or ''slowly''
THE METHOD: Have your dog on the lead and a handful of treats, talk softly to your dog and let him know you have the treats in your hand, encourage him to look up and you and keep adding in your command. If he begins to pull, stop walking and wait until he stops, when he does, then you may continue. If he pulls, you stop walking!
NEVER: Tug sharply on the lead to get your dog to heal or use a choke chain.

-GIVE PAW-
WHY DO I NEED TO TEACH THIS? Incase you ever need to examine your dogs paws for injury.
WHAT COMMAND CAN I USE? ''Paw'', ''give paw'' or ''lift up''
THE METHOD: Have a treat in your hand and your dog in the sit position. Hold your closed hand (with the treat in) just in front of your dog, before long he will lift his paw up to scratch at your hand in frustration for the treat, when he does this, say your command and give the treat.
NEVER: Pull your dogs paw to get him to give it to you.

Above is what I'd consider as the very basic commands that every dog should know, to keep both them and themselves safe. Of course there are plenty more that you can teach just for the fun of it (Grace and Benson know in excess of 25 commands). Remember just to keep at it, training a dog takes time, patience, practice and a lot of trouble but is so worth it in the end. A well trained dog is a happy one, they can have more freedom, be trusted around other dogs and people making your life easier and they are generally nicer animals to be around. Be honest with yourself too, if your dog isn't sociable with other dogs or people, don't kid yourself and pretend he is, there is no shame in muzzling him, likewise, if you can't trust your dog offlead, then keep him on it! You'll make yourself look far more responsible and you'll come across as a much better owner.

Good luck!

If you have any questions about training you'd like to ask, feel free to comment or send me a PM and I'll do my best to help!

Summary: Remember- a well trained dog is welcome in society, an untrained one isn't.