Dog Behavior Training Tips
A couple of years ago, I used to get a kick out of taking our three healthy, highly energetic Spitz Pomeranians to a local park where they could run around a treed lake. It was like a true paradise. The 3 dogs would sit patiently with me while I threw pieces of bread to the mallard and grey ducks. Sometimes, they couldn’t hold back any longer, and pounced towards a close duck who was taking a risk to grab the bread. The leash was always held – just short enough!
The 3 Spitz dogs and I learned a lot during these sessions. We could sit together in meditation and the lake would become a pure, Zen place to behold. We tuned in to each other and realized there were limitations to our behavior. No pouncing on hungry ducks. No scaring little children… although they were usually extremely friendly with children.
One dog considered a piece of bread to be a treat, while another, Jayjay, turned his head away from bread and refused to even lick it or consider it a reward. The picture shows what Jayjay wanted: pride of place, total acceptance with almost human status. Dog esteem. Social equality. I began to understand that Jayjay feels proud when accepted, praised and loved well as an aware, perceptive being. This ‘tuning in’ to dogs is the first step we must take when trying to influence their behavior. Your dog senses your emotional vibrations. He or she knows when you’re happy, joyful, sad, or just chilling out and relaxing, as dogs have these emotions, too, and they’re probably much more highly attuned and sensitive and sympathetic than we are. We really ought to wake up to a dog’s ‘stimulus-response’ level of consciousness and its normal, required activity level.
As you know, dogs love a treat. That’s a small bite of very tasty food. But don’t just hand it out for nothing! Make it a conditional or contingent reward. This way, you’re actually starting to shape up the dog’s behavior. Show the dog the positive behavior that you want to reward or reinforce. Wait for beginnings of the desired behavior. Quickly reinforce (reward) the bit of behavior when it appears.
Don’t punish undesired behavior because that’s still a lavishing of (negative) attention. Ignore bad behaviour if possible. Just be ultra ready to quickly give a tiny treat when you see the actions and behaviors that you want, being displayed. The dog wants to please you. Your dog yearns for your attention, acceptance, approval, praise and affection – exactly as your child does, so use these emotional rewards when the dog does what you want her to. They create more trust, loyalty, security and affection with your canine partner.
The trick to effective dog training, then, is to stay positive. Just as it is with human beings. It’d be wonderful if everyone could stay positive when describing desirable and undesirable behaviour. Here are some dog training tips and possibilities that you might like to explore further. I’m sure you’ll vastly improve your relationship with your canine friend… just by staying positive.
Behavior Shaping
Remember – you actively shape your dog’s behavior by the way that you consistently respond to the dog. Your own habits are deeply involved in this. The dog tunes in to how you’re feeling and to any schedules of feeding that you apply, conditionally or unconditionally, wittingly or unwittingly!
Here’s a Video – Training Dogs To Drive a CAR
Here’s a program that’s extremely popular with dog owners. Why is it so popular? Well, it was carefully created by dog experts from around the world – including an expert veterinary technician, a
professional dog trainer, a well-known professional breeder, a popular show dog trainer, an animal rescuer and some enthusiastic pet parents. I think then, being an ardent dog lover, you’d better take a long and careful look. Woof!
Your dog thanks you with sloppy licks for being cool, and always taking a loving, positive approach to his behavior training!
The Editors.
