Training begins with a few basic rules
WHEN PEOPLE CONTACT a dog trainer, they often are unsure what the training is all about. Simply put, a good dog trainer’s job is a two-step process. The first step is to figure out what the dog needs to learn and how to teach it. The second is to teach the owners how to effectively communicate with their dog.
Whether you are in a do-it-yourself training class, or have a trainer working on the first half so you can concentrate on the second, here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind.
First, stay consistent. Dogs have two gears: always and never. If you don’t want your dog to jump up on people, never let him do it. If you are inconsistent and sometimes let him jump on you or someone else, he will always try to jump. The random reward is a very powerful way to keep a behavior alive. It isn’t fair to allow something one minute, and then get stressed out about it the next. Leaders need to be trustworthy to deserve followers.
Stay calm. Nothing tells a dog that you are out of control faster than raising your voice. If your dog thinks you are unstable, she will either not bother listening to you, become fearful, or possibly react with aggression. Work on remaining relaxed and stable. Just as nervousness travels right down the leash to your dog, so does calmness. Don’t take misbehaviors personally. Dogs may test to see if you really mean it, but that isn’t a reflection on your personal worth.
Be confident. Dogs are attracted to confident leaders. Love and respect are inseparable in the dog mind. The more he respects and trusts you, the more he “loves” you. If you need to, talk to yourself before a training session to remind yourself that you are confident and capable, so you can project that to the dog.
It is crucial that you praise the behaviors you want to see more of, and correct the behaviors you don’t. How you do that, and the intensity, are determined by the personality of the dog and the magnitude of the situation. Your feedback keeps the dog motivated to work with you. Too often, people either praise or correct without keeping the two balanced. A good trainer will help you learn the what, when, and how of these to keep your dog’s motivation to succeed high.
Be more determined th an your dog. Once she knows what you are asking, it will come down to your will or hers. Too often dogs will get silly, pretend they don’t know what you are talking about, or ignore you in the hope that you will give up asking. The sooner you become determined that your wishes come first, the sooner she will follow.
Remember, dogs are wonderful and have much to teach us. The training process helps your relationship come into balance, which helps dogs be healthier, happier, and more fun to be with. But dogs are not children in fur coats. You can love them with all your heart, but have enough respect for them to treat them appropriately—as dogs.
Genuine love is always about what is best for the one you love, not about what makes you feel good.
Cynthia Bowen-Angevine runs Citizen Canine, a dog-training service in the East Mountains. She graduated from the National K-9 School for Dog Trainers in Columbus, Ohio, as a Master Trainer, and has been training dogs and their people since 1991. She lives with two dogs, a very patient cat, and an even more patient husband. Contact her at citizencanine@aol.com