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A Dog Trainers Rules Of Dog House Training
By OnTopic | February 2, 2009
If you’re considering some form of training program for your dog, you need to focus on what you want to achieve, and not the actions you want to steer away from. As you get ready for each new class or training day, create a picture in your minds eye of the goal you’re aiming for, and concentrate on that. Never give a second thought to the actions and behavior that you want to avoid.
Without knowing where you’re going, it’s unlikely you’ll ever get there. That’s true of most things in life, and it’s true of dog house training tips also
Sometimes we fall into the habit of thinking mostly about what we don’t want. This is also the case with dog training too. We definitely don’t want our pet to pee on the carpet, and absolutely not to chew the furniture, or disobey our commands, or howl like a wolf when we have friends come into the house.
But consider this for a second. Especially if you’re thinking of getting a new puppy in the home. Do you really want to spend the next ten, twelve, or sixteen years of your life chasing your dog around saying, “No no no”? Don’t you think it’s a better idea to coach your dog to be obedient and socially acceptable?
So rather than worrying about, “The dog had better not chew my shoes, or furniture,” try, “I want my dog to chew his toys.” Better than, “I hate it when the dog harasses and jumps up on people who visit the house,” try instead, “I would like my dog to sit to greet people.”
By framing your training goals in positive terms, you will have a much clearer path to successfully training your dog. That’s a great way to start your training journey.
Reward Your Dog
Probably the best thing that has happened in housetraining puppy during the last decade is a move in focus from highlighting corrective action, or punishing mistakes, and moving towards rewarding good behavior.
Using rewards is a whole lot smarter for most trainers – especially for potty train puppies. Perhaps the most important reason is that if you make a mistake using punishment, the consequences may be irreversible. It’s not overly common, but your dog could become frightened or even aggressive in response to the punishment. Some dogs, especially timid breeds, may close off completely. They seem to lose their sense of adventure. Some may simply curl up and shy away all the time.
You also get a better sense of accomplishment and enlightenment when using reward training techniques. It’s a great feeling to be the bearer of rewards and praise for a well behaved pet.
And best of all, reward-based training really works. Primarily because rewards training techniques build strong relationships which are key to good behavior. When he learns that a particular behavior gets rewarded, your dog is more likely to exhibit that behavior again in the future. When you learn how to apply that simple rule, using rewards will make your training days a lot easier and more productive.
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