Training styles differ, but some traditional techniques have proven their worth.
Training styles are sometimes divided into those that use both positive and negative reinforcement, or rewards and punishment and those that rely solely on rewards. Using the word 'punishment' naturally turns off many who want to treat their companion with care. Substitute the word with 'discouragements' and you have the more accurate sense.
Rewards run the gamut from praise - which should be lavish and frequent when the dog exhibits a desired behavior - to petting and belly rubs or back scratches, to treats. All these are useful for rewarding learned behavior.
But when using treats, don't go overboard. High in calories and packed with flavor, dogs will often eat as many treats as are offered. Dogs prone to weight gain can have too many, and too many treats can produce fussy eaters when regular food is served. The goal is to eventually elicit the behavior solely from verbal commands and hand signals.
Leash and collar training are essential, at least for a time, for almost every breed and individual. Like young humans, dogs have a natural desire to do what they want when they wish. Self-restraint doesn't develop spontaneously.
When training a 'sit', a short and gentle pull on the leash can encourage slow-learners or the reluctant to comply. Pull back, not up. But not hard, you don't want to bruise a throat. When training to exit - not jet - the house a restraint is imperative, especially if something interesting (like a rabbit or cat) just zoomed by.
Discouraging unwanted behavior also involves a large variety of techniques, some requiring considerable creativity. Stopping plant chewing, for example, can often be accomplished with a little cayenne pepper paste applied to the leaves. Harmless to most plants, be sure to check with your gardening expert before applying.
But the same technique can't be used for, say, shoe or furniture chewing. Most dogs aren't leashed inside the house, so that tool isn't available either. Creativity and experimentation is called for. Sometimes it's necessary to substitute with rawhide bones, cotton chew balls, ropes and other more esoteric objects.
Wrapping an old cotton-shirt around a 'peanut butter bone' - a pigskin or rawhide toy suffused with peanut butter odor - has rescued me more than once. But those who keep laundry within dog's reach won't want to encourage chewing on t-shirts.
Common sense will help individuals avoid bad training techniques.
If you were slapped with a newspaper when you vomited on the rug, would you regard that as an appropriate response? Dogs are not humans, but they are aware and have some reasoning capacity. Physical punishment or loud, harsh words for unavoidable accidents injures trust and creates fearful dogs. Fear is counter-productive, except in extreme emergencies, where the dog or a person is in danger.
Dogs can be trained to do amazing things. One well-known woman has a dance routine with her companion that goes on for several minutes. Few would have said it was possible before she spent the years of attention needed to create that range of behaviors.
Find a style that generates trust and attention, that leads a dog to want to cooperate, and you've reached an important goal: leading your willing 'pack'.
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Showing posts with label Dogs Older Pets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dogs Older Pets. Show all posts
6.17.2010
Training Styles - Part I
Contrary to popular belief, there are not as many training styles as there are trainers. Despite individual differences, people handling dogs fall into clearly recognizable categories. And no matter your individual style or that of your dog, there remain certain truisms.
The Too-Easily Frustrated
No activity apart from human childrearing requires as much patience as developing cooperative behavior in a dog. And most individuals don't spontaneously possess that much. So, along with training the dog, self-training is usually necessary.
Be prepared to invest the time daily, at least half an hour but preferably an hour, to developing the desired behavior in your companion. And when you feel you're at your limit of patience, whether at 10 minutes or an hour, end the session.
Strive to lengthen that 'time to boiling point' a little each day. Remind yourself you are dealing with a dog. Even the most easily trained breeds or individual dogs understand at roughly the level of an average two-year old human. Of course, there are those rare exceptions.
The Too-Ready To Surrender
Dogs by nature are pack animals that develop in a hierarchical social structure. There are alphas (leaders) and omegas (passive, sometimes fearful) and those in the middle. For any training program to succeed it's essential that the human (male or female) be the alpha male of the pack. You are training the dog, not the reverse. Though it can understandably feel like the latter, sometimes!
Be firm, but not harsh. Have the patience not only to avoid the anger prompted by frustration at failure to obey, but to persist. Don't surrender your authority. Training a dog to obey isn't for the purpose of ego-gratification or feeling superior. The benefits are increased safety for your dog, your children and neighbors, and a well-adjusted companion.
This won't always be easy - some dogs are natural alphas. But even in purely wild packs that role can and does change among individuals, when the more assertive individual insists on taking it. Be consistent, don't give up, and your dog will follow your instructions.
The Unreasonable
Even the best-trained dogs will not always do what you want when you want. Expecting a dog to too-quickly understand a new command or to unfailingly remember a previously learned one is a recipe for frustration. Dogs' memories work very differently from humans, even two-year-old humans. Take the time to learn your individual dog's capacity and limitations.
Some breeds are inherently more easily trained, and individuals vary. Some are more naturally energetic (terriers, retrievers, dalmatians) and some more low-key (basset hounds, collies). Age obviously makes a difference. Ten-week old puppies will invariably display less attention than a three-year old dog.
Work with your dog's nature, not against it. Harsh tones at the least provocation, strong physical punishment for less-than-instant obedience, and other tactics are self-defeating. The goal is to build trust so the alpha (you) will be obeyed by preference, not fear.
In Part II, we discuss some of the more productive styles.
The Too-Easily Frustrated
No activity apart from human childrearing requires as much patience as developing cooperative behavior in a dog. And most individuals don't spontaneously possess that much. So, along with training the dog, self-training is usually necessary.
Be prepared to invest the time daily, at least half an hour but preferably an hour, to developing the desired behavior in your companion. And when you feel you're at your limit of patience, whether at 10 minutes or an hour, end the session.
Strive to lengthen that 'time to boiling point' a little each day. Remind yourself you are dealing with a dog. Even the most easily trained breeds or individual dogs understand at roughly the level of an average two-year old human. Of course, there are those rare exceptions.
The Too-Ready To Surrender
Dogs by nature are pack animals that develop in a hierarchical social structure. There are alphas (leaders) and omegas (passive, sometimes fearful) and those in the middle. For any training program to succeed it's essential that the human (male or female) be the alpha male of the pack. You are training the dog, not the reverse. Though it can understandably feel like the latter, sometimes!
Be firm, but not harsh. Have the patience not only to avoid the anger prompted by frustration at failure to obey, but to persist. Don't surrender your authority. Training a dog to obey isn't for the purpose of ego-gratification or feeling superior. The benefits are increased safety for your dog, your children and neighbors, and a well-adjusted companion.
This won't always be easy - some dogs are natural alphas. But even in purely wild packs that role can and does change among individuals, when the more assertive individual insists on taking it. Be consistent, don't give up, and your dog will follow your instructions.
The Unreasonable
Even the best-trained dogs will not always do what you want when you want. Expecting a dog to too-quickly understand a new command or to unfailingly remember a previously learned one is a recipe for frustration. Dogs' memories work very differently from humans, even two-year-old humans. Take the time to learn your individual dog's capacity and limitations.
Some breeds are inherently more easily trained, and individuals vary. Some are more naturally energetic (terriers, retrievers, dalmatians) and some more low-key (basset hounds, collies). Age obviously makes a difference. Ten-week old puppies will invariably display less attention than a three-year old dog.
Work with your dog's nature, not against it. Harsh tones at the least provocation, strong physical punishment for less-than-instant obedience, and other tactics are self-defeating. The goal is to build trust so the alpha (you) will be obeyed by preference, not fear.
In Part II, we discuss some of the more productive styles.
6.16.2010
Why Training Is Vital
The word 'vital' has its roots in the Latin word for life. That gives us a clue to why dog training is so important, both for owner and dog - it enhances the quality of life for each.
Though dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, they still have much of the wild in their natures. They adapt well to home life, but they are still dogs, not furry small children. Training helps maximize peace and security for both the dog and the family.
Dogs are by nature hunters and therefore are inclined to chase things. Young dogs especially are prone to take off after another animal, a car or a child. Any of these scenarios can result in harm to your companion, a person or property. Training a dog early on to listen to voice commands from everyone in the family lessens the odds of bad consequences.
Teach your dog to obey 'halt' or 'stop', then 'come' and you'll be much less likely to have accidents as the dog responds to his sudden surge of emotion. At first, it might be necessary to use a leash so that you can physically jerk the dog sideways at the same time you issue the command. Try to avoid jerking backward against the dog's throat. Then, as they associate the command with the physical action, they will come to obey by voice alone.
Techniques like that help ensure the security of other animals and people, but also that of your own dog as well. Many dogs will race after another who, in fact, can do them great harm. Their emotions take control - as when the other dog has entered his 'territory' - and they don't judge, as we might, whether they have any chance of chasing the animal away. They simply react.
But the importance of training your dog goes well beyond the very basic level of safety and security, or the avoidance of physical harm and property damage. Dogs are by nature pack animals. They recognize a social hierarchy that is established very early in life. You must be at the top of that hierarchy, for the sake of your own sanity and that of your dog.
Some dogs will naturally try to take the so-called alpha role. That has evolutionary advantages when they live in the wild. But in a domesticated situation you have the greater ability to forecast consequences. You and your dog will be better adjusted if you never let even the most assertive dog be your master.
Peace of mind comes from teaching your dog that, no matter how treasured they are, you are at the top of the heap. That means they must come when you say so, stay when you command and do as you wish. Among adult humans, that sort of behavior is very dictatorial and many are reluctant to assert themselves that way. When dealing with your dog, it's essential.
Being the leader of the pack gives the dog a sense of its place in the group. It can follow your lead, secure in the knowledge that you will keep it safe from harm and well-fed. You're acting like the alpha dog would. Training is the only way to bring that about.
Though dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, they still have much of the wild in their natures. They adapt well to home life, but they are still dogs, not furry small children. Training helps maximize peace and security for both the dog and the family.
Dogs are by nature hunters and therefore are inclined to chase things. Young dogs especially are prone to take off after another animal, a car or a child. Any of these scenarios can result in harm to your companion, a person or property. Training a dog early on to listen to voice commands from everyone in the family lessens the odds of bad consequences.
Teach your dog to obey 'halt' or 'stop', then 'come' and you'll be much less likely to have accidents as the dog responds to his sudden surge of emotion. At first, it might be necessary to use a leash so that you can physically jerk the dog sideways at the same time you issue the command. Try to avoid jerking backward against the dog's throat. Then, as they associate the command with the physical action, they will come to obey by voice alone.
Techniques like that help ensure the security of other animals and people, but also that of your own dog as well. Many dogs will race after another who, in fact, can do them great harm. Their emotions take control - as when the other dog has entered his 'territory' - and they don't judge, as we might, whether they have any chance of chasing the animal away. They simply react.
But the importance of training your dog goes well beyond the very basic level of safety and security, or the avoidance of physical harm and property damage. Dogs are by nature pack animals. They recognize a social hierarchy that is established very early in life. You must be at the top of that hierarchy, for the sake of your own sanity and that of your dog.
Some dogs will naturally try to take the so-called alpha role. That has evolutionary advantages when they live in the wild. But in a domesticated situation you have the greater ability to forecast consequences. You and your dog will be better adjusted if you never let even the most assertive dog be your master.
Peace of mind comes from teaching your dog that, no matter how treasured they are, you are at the top of the heap. That means they must come when you say so, stay when you command and do as you wish. Among adult humans, that sort of behavior is very dictatorial and many are reluctant to assert themselves that way. When dealing with your dog, it's essential.
Being the leader of the pack gives the dog a sense of its place in the group. It can follow your lead, secure in the knowledge that you will keep it safe from harm and well-fed. You're acting like the alpha dog would. Training is the only way to bring that about.
Training Older Dogs
Of course, 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' is a myth. Like humans, or many other species, dogs learn new things every day throughout life. My ten-year old Golden is still mentally alert and eager to 'play' in new ways.
But, also like humans, learning new behavior is often as much a matter of unlearning old ways. Dogs do have a strong tendency toward habits, and modifying or extending those habits after years of repetition takes extra patience and focused guidance.
Physical limitations should always be taken into account. The three-year-old dog has a huge capacity for running, jumping, retrieval, obstacle course maneuvers and so forth. The older dog may still want to do all those things, even learning new configurations, but tires more easily and loses interest more rapidly.
Take training sessions in shorter time chunks and expect to carry out many more repetitions. Make obstacles lower and runs shorter. Throw the ball two or three times, rather than twenty. Hearing loss occurs in dogs, too. Don't assume they're ignoring you when far away and facing away.
Allow for longer recovery periods between sessions. An active game of fetch is still a possible source of enjoyment, but keep in mind the dog will often want to go longer than is safe or healthy. Ligaments get stretched more readily and injuries more likely if you over do it.
Restrain food rewards for older dogs. The desire to reward an older dog for a new behavior is even more pronounced than for younger dogs, of whom we expect more. But older dogs can also more easily be 'over treated'. They gain weight more readily and shed pounds slower.
As with younger dogs, consistency is still essential. Specific play periods that begin and end around the same time of day help cue the dog. Similar areas for specific activities help provide a sense of familiarity as background for new lessons.
When working with my Goldens the backyard is for tennis ball fetch, the forest never. But that fetch behavior in the yard can be extended to the forest to retrieve fallen deer antlers.
Conversely, digging - a natural behavior in many breeds, almost impossible to eradicate entirely - can be channeled into harmless areas even in older dogs.
For those not lucky enough to have a forest in the backyard, a ten-by-twelve foot area of the pen or yard where the dog is allowed to indulge can help release the urge. The boundary can be marked by variation in scent or ground composition. Even older dogs can learn what is theirs to play with and what isn't and their sense of smell remains keen.
Focus more on building on the dog's existing strengths, since older dogs are less malleable. One individual will be excellent at fetch and release, the other more inclined to hang onto the ball. One does well with a Frisbee, the other never gets the hang of it. Rather than force desired behavior, work with each one's unique nature.
The dog more inclined to hang onto a ball is a good candidate for learning to pull a wagon by a rope. The better 'fetch and release' dog can more easily be taught to get a plastic food container. Handy things, since trainers get older too.
But, also like humans, learning new behavior is often as much a matter of unlearning old ways. Dogs do have a strong tendency toward habits, and modifying or extending those habits after years of repetition takes extra patience and focused guidance.
Physical limitations should always be taken into account. The three-year-old dog has a huge capacity for running, jumping, retrieval, obstacle course maneuvers and so forth. The older dog may still want to do all those things, even learning new configurations, but tires more easily and loses interest more rapidly.
Take training sessions in shorter time chunks and expect to carry out many more repetitions. Make obstacles lower and runs shorter. Throw the ball two or three times, rather than twenty. Hearing loss occurs in dogs, too. Don't assume they're ignoring you when far away and facing away.
Allow for longer recovery periods between sessions. An active game of fetch is still a possible source of enjoyment, but keep in mind the dog will often want to go longer than is safe or healthy. Ligaments get stretched more readily and injuries more likely if you over do it.
Restrain food rewards for older dogs. The desire to reward an older dog for a new behavior is even more pronounced than for younger dogs, of whom we expect more. But older dogs can also more easily be 'over treated'. They gain weight more readily and shed pounds slower.
As with younger dogs, consistency is still essential. Specific play periods that begin and end around the same time of day help cue the dog. Similar areas for specific activities help provide a sense of familiarity as background for new lessons.
When working with my Goldens the backyard is for tennis ball fetch, the forest never. But that fetch behavior in the yard can be extended to the forest to retrieve fallen deer antlers.
Conversely, digging - a natural behavior in many breeds, almost impossible to eradicate entirely - can be channeled into harmless areas even in older dogs.
For those not lucky enough to have a forest in the backyard, a ten-by-twelve foot area of the pen or yard where the dog is allowed to indulge can help release the urge. The boundary can be marked by variation in scent or ground composition. Even older dogs can learn what is theirs to play with and what isn't and their sense of smell remains keen.
Focus more on building on the dog's existing strengths, since older dogs are less malleable. One individual will be excellent at fetch and release, the other more inclined to hang onto the ball. One does well with a Frisbee, the other never gets the hang of it. Rather than force desired behavior, work with each one's unique nature.
The dog more inclined to hang onto a ball is a good candidate for learning to pull a wagon by a rope. The better 'fetch and release' dog can more easily be taught to get a plastic food container. Handy things, since trainers get older too.
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