Teaching your dog acceptable behavior is an essential element to responsible dog ownership, much like proper nutrition and veterinary care. Training allows you to open an important line of communication for all household members, also known as your dogs “pack“. It will teach your dog to be obedient in a way that he or she will easily understand and in the process it will make each of you more confident and happy in your “pack” role. This will also ease the way toward your dog becoming a more integral member of your family. This is generally why we bring a dog into our home in the first place.
Like children, dogs are eager to learn. In fact, they begin learning from the day they enter your home. It is up to you to teach them proper behavior instead of them teaching you to allow bad behavior. Dogs will learn something every time you interact with them--even when you are not trying to teach them anything!
Problems often arise when commands are issued in a stressful or distracting situation, when the dog is less likely to comply. Or commands may be issued in a casual manner, when the owner is less likely to provide follow through. Proper instruction makes it easier to avoid these pitfalls.
Dogs learn differently than people do. They are not able to learn the concept of “good” or “bad” behavior. Basically if something feels good they will do it again to obtain the same outcome. If something feels bad, they will avoid it. For example one of the most common “bad” behaviors that I see during a behavior consultation is dogs that constantly jump up on people. Often times, the owner is both screaming and yelling at the dog to STOP or petting the dog gently asking it to stop. In each scenario, the dog is receiving a message opposite to what the owner thinks it is sending. The first scenario excites the dog and initiates play. Picture two dogs playing together, often times they jump on each other, using their paws as spring boards to bounce up and down off the ground. Dogs use their teeth as we do our hands, in an escalating scenario; dogs will bite or “mouth” you as they are jumping up to greet you. In the second scenario, when the owner is gently pushing the dog and asking it nicely to get off, the dog is being positively reinforced for a bad behavior. Why stop a behavior which is rewarded by stroking or petting?
The easiest solution to the jumping problem is to replace this unwanted behavior with the behavior that you WANT the dog to do. The majority of dogs are taught to sit and usually through positive reinforcement with treats. Take this behavior and replace the jumping with a sit. When your dog jumps up on you, step back and ask your dog to sit (if you are a treat giver, entice the dog with a treat stashed in your pocket). If your dog sits, IMMEDIATELY reinforce this behavior with said treat or praise. If your dog does not sit, take hold of the dog’s collar (some dogs may need a leash to start with) place the dog in a sit and IMMEDIATELY reinforce behavior with treat or praise. REPEAT. REPEAT.
The more consistent you are with training and positively reinforcing the behaviors that you want repeated, the better behaved your dog will be. Obviously this is to be regarded as a general training exercise and to be done by an adult. If your dog has shown ANY aggressive behaviors or tendencies, seek professional assistance immediately.
Like children, dogs are eager to learn. In fact, they begin learning from the day they enter your home. It is up to you to teach them proper behavior instead of them teaching you to allow bad behavior. Dogs will learn something every time you interact with them--even when you are not trying to teach them anything!
Problems often arise when commands are issued in a stressful or distracting situation, when the dog is less likely to comply. Or commands may be issued in a casual manner, when the owner is less likely to provide follow through. Proper instruction makes it easier to avoid these pitfalls.
Dogs learn differently than people do. They are not able to learn the concept of “good” or “bad” behavior. Basically if something feels good they will do it again to obtain the same outcome. If something feels bad, they will avoid it. For example one of the most common “bad” behaviors that I see during a behavior consultation is dogs that constantly jump up on people. Often times, the owner is both screaming and yelling at the dog to STOP or petting the dog gently asking it to stop. In each scenario, the dog is receiving a message opposite to what the owner thinks it is sending. The first scenario excites the dog and initiates play. Picture two dogs playing together, often times they jump on each other, using their paws as spring boards to bounce up and down off the ground. Dogs use their teeth as we do our hands, in an escalating scenario; dogs will bite or “mouth” you as they are jumping up to greet you. In the second scenario, when the owner is gently pushing the dog and asking it nicely to get off, the dog is being positively reinforced for a bad behavior. Why stop a behavior which is rewarded by stroking or petting?
The easiest solution to the jumping problem is to replace this unwanted behavior with the behavior that you WANT the dog to do. The majority of dogs are taught to sit and usually through positive reinforcement with treats. Take this behavior and replace the jumping with a sit. When your dog jumps up on you, step back and ask your dog to sit (if you are a treat giver, entice the dog with a treat stashed in your pocket). If your dog sits, IMMEDIATELY reinforce this behavior with said treat or praise. If your dog does not sit, take hold of the dog’s collar (some dogs may need a leash to start with) place the dog in a sit and IMMEDIATELY reinforce behavior with treat or praise. REPEAT. REPEAT.
The more consistent you are with training and positively reinforcing the behaviors that you want repeated, the better behaved your dog will be. Obviously this is to be regarded as a general training exercise and to be done by an adult. If your dog has shown ANY aggressive behaviors or tendencies, seek professional assistance immediately.
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