Dog Training: Dog Training Basics | Quamut: the go to how to - Sent Using Google Toolbar

Dog Training: Dog Training Basics | Quamut: the go to how to

Dog Training Basics

Dog training is the process of getting your dog to respond to spoken commands, such as "sit" and "come," and to behave in a consistently acceptable fashion, both inside and outside the home. With the right techniques, anyone can train a dog to be a well-behaved companion.

Positive Training

These days, most professional dog trainers consider positive dog training to be the most effective training method you can use. Positive training uses positive reinforcement to control a dog's behavior:

1. You reward a desired behavior every time it occurs but ignore other behaviors.
2. The dog soon understands that if he does what you want, he'll get praise, a treat, or a toy, but if he does something you don't want him to do, he won't get anything.

Punishment and Negative Reinforcement

Positive training requires you never to respond to unwanted behaviors with punishment or negative reinforcement.

• Punishment: Reprimanding your dog for behaving improperly by hitting or shouting at him, or pulling on his collar
• Negative reinforcement: Removing something unpleasant when your dog behaves properly—for example, taking off a painful ear clamp when the dog does something right

Negative reinforcement and punishment tend to create behavioral problems, such as anxiety and aggression, so it's best to avoid these methods altogether.

Clicker Training

Clicker training is a common positive-reinforcement method that teaches your dog to associate the sound of a clicker with a reward, such as a tasty treat. The clicker becomes your way of "speaking" to your dog to reinforce good behavior: when he does something right, you click and deliver a treat. Though you can train effectively using only voice commands ("stay," "sit," and so on) and verbal praise ("good dog"), using a clicker is the most effective way to ensure clear communication with your dog.

Should You Train Your Dog Yourself?

All dogs must be trained, but whether you do it yourself or hire a professional is largely up to you. By following the methods in this guide, you should be able to provide the fundamental training that all dogs require (and that you'll want your dog to have), including crate training, housetraining, and obedience to basic commands. If you don't have the time or attention to devote to training, consider hiring a professional trainer or attending dog training classes (see How to Get Professional Dog Training Help).

Training Puppies vs. Training Adult Dogs

It's a common misconception that only puppies can be trained effectively. In reality, you can use the methods in this guide to train both puppies and adult dogs, including even senior dogs (10–12 years for most small dogs, 6–8 years for most large dogs) adopted from shelters or breed rescue groups.

Factors That Affect a Dog's Trainability

Trainability refers to how easily and quickly a dog will respond to training. Trainability varies from dog to dog depending on pedigree, personality, and size:

• Pedigree: Certain dog breeds are more easily trainable than others, so your dog's pedigree will determine how easily he takes to training. For instance, Boston terriers are easy to train, whereas beagles are difficult to train. A dog that's a mutt—a mix of breeds—usually has an "average" of the trainability traits of the different breeds in his background. For instance, a mutt with beagle and border collie in its pedigree won't be as easy to train as a purebred border collie or as difficult to train as a purebred beagle.
• Personality: Every dog has a unique personality derived from factors beyond its pedigree, such as how well it was socialized as a puppy or whether it suffered abuse or neglect at any point in its life. A dog's specific personality can also affect how quickly and easily he responds to training.
• Size: To train a dog effectively, you must first establish your role as the dog's pack leader—a process that involves several exercises in which you must show the dog who's boss. Even people who aren't very tall can train the largest dogs—it just might take a bit more time.

General Training Session Guidelines

A few general guidelines apply for training any dog, regardless of breed, age, or the specific behavior being taught:

• Keep it short: Each training session should last no more than 2–5 minutes for a puppy or 5–10 minutes for an adult dog.
• Keep it focused: You can hold several sessions a day, but each session should focus on a specific behavior.
• Be patient: Usually, it'll require several sessions repeated over a few days to train a dog to perform a specific behavior. Some behaviors may take several weeks to learn.