Dog Behavior Training – Training a dog to correct behavioral problems
Have you ever wished that the secrets of dog behavior training were available to anyone looking to take their dog obedience training to a new level? The truth is that proper dog training can be easy for anyone willing to educate themselves on the best way to communicate with man’s best friend. To be successful in puppy or adult dog training, you must first understand why dogs do what they do. There are only two reasons why a dog performs a behavior:
1- To increase pleasure: Have you ever wondered why your dog pees on the floor, chews on your sofa and jumps on your guests? That’s right, these activities bring pleasure to your dog. It’s so simple. If these behaviors don’t create a fun experience, your dog won’t do them. Whenever you want to correct behavioral problems with your dog, it is important to first realize that your dog is doing these things out of pure enjoyment.
2- To avoid discomfort: Old school dog behavior training prescribes a very harsh method of correcting behavioral problems and fosters a dog obedience regime that is very disciplinary in its basic form. This type of dog training is unnecessary and will often do more harm than good.
However, very skilled dog behavior training should use humane corrections that simply provide an annoying deterrent to help correct behavioral problems. Humane corrections can run the gamut from spray bottles to annoying noises all the way to training collars. Yes, used correctly, a training collar can be a very valuable and humane tool for getting rid of unwanted behavior problems. It is recommended that you seek the services of a qualified professional if you are going to use such a tool. These dog training collars are only used to provide an annoying sensation, not a painful sensation.
By understanding these two concepts, it is much easier to formulate a training program that will fit your individual dog. With my own dogs or with clients’ dogs, I always have a dual approach to training:
1- Obedience training should be mandatory. This is where the new dog trainer school goes wrong. The new dog obedience school uses lots of treats. The correction for an unwanted behavior is often simply ignoring that behavior. This style of training will never make obedience a must for your dog. Think about it, if your dog had the option of coming to a call to get a treat or running wildly into a busy street in the direction of a running cat, which option do you think your dog would choose? It is likely that he will head to the street and risk the life and health of the cat. This is because the owner has never pushed his training efforts to the point where obedience is mandatory.
2- Obedience training should be fun. Just because something is mandatory doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be fun. Dog behavior training is inherently fun for your dog because he is working side by side with you. Your dog is able to bond as he learns from you and learns a deep level of trust as you guide him along with his training. If you skip this step, then you may have an obedient dog, but he will certainly not be happy.
I have referred to old and new school dog training practices. Old school training is harsh and rough. New School is all fun and games. To truly have the best trained dog, you must combine the best of both schools. From the old school, we use corrections to get rid of unwanted behavior. From the new school we use a lot of motivation and fun. The end result is the best trained dog in the neighborhood.
When you understand dog behavior training and the way your dog views the world, you can truly accomplish amazing things with your canine companion. Dog training can really become easy if you follow these principles instead of practicing them at random intervals throughout the day. Time to get to work!
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