Dog Training – Your Attitude Matters
Nothing is more critical to the success of your dog training efforts than your attitude as a trainer. Your mindset is more important than the equipment you buy, the type of system you use, or the breed of your dog. A misconception about the learning process can destroy the likelihood of effective learning faster than anything else.
Dogs naturally crave and enjoy human companionship. When approached in the right way by their human companions, they are especially receptive to learning and develop a strong desire to act in a way that will please their master. This is why the right attitude is so important when it comes to dog training. When you are pleasant, your dog will be pleasant. When you are excited about teaching, your dog will most likely be excited about learning. Keep in mind that dogs can often mirror the attitudes and dispositions of their owners.
In addition, the right approach to dog training can make the experience infinitely more enjoyable for you and your dog. Enjoyable training will naturally lead to better instruction on your part, resulting in easier training for your dog.
So what is the right attitude when training your dog? You should aim to maintain a positive outlook at all times and maintain a mood that makes the process fun for both you and your dog. A positive outlook works in conjunction with any quality teaching method.
Effective training requires positive reinforcement and appropriate rewards. Good training will be met with compliments, encouragement and praise. These rewards, which are the key component of training, are more likely to be administered appropriately and effectively by a coach with a positive disposition. Rewards can take the form of small bites of food, lots of praise, or playtime with a favorite toy.
You have to realize that you can manage to be firm and friendly at the same time. It is not necessary to affect an angry or heavy tone during the training process. These caricatures of discontent offer no more educational value than the use of a simple serious tone. A lower tone with serious “bite” is more than enough. When praising and instructing, be sure to use a very friendly and happy voice. The dog will thrive knowing you enjoy their company and will be highly motivated to learn as a result.
Most importantly, you should always remember that dog training should be fun. It should be fun for you and just as fun for your dog. Too often, learning becomes nothing more than a chore. You find that you don’t enjoy spending time with your dog. The dog understands this and is also not excited by the prospect. In worse cases, training becomes an unwanted job. Your negative disposition and attitude is clearly felt by the dog and is mirrored. Learning progress stops, frustration sets in, and the whole process becomes further crippled.
The cliché that “attitude is everything” really describes dog training. A negative or rude attitude will crush hopes of success. By starting the training process with a solid positive attitude, you can get off to a flying start. The end result can be a training experience that both you and your dog will enjoy that is sure to produce amazing results.
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