When training your dog to do a certain behaviour the most important thing to keep in mind is that you are TEACHING the dog the behaviour not just showing the dog the behaviour. Dogs and humans alike learn better from trial and error rather than from just being shown what to do. Think about teaching your child to tie his shoe laces: you could show him every morning, but because his own muscle memory is not there he will still make an error when tying his shoe laces. Let him hold the laces in his fingers, then get him used to manipulating the lace and folding it over, let him bring the two hands together and get the two hands working together, and let him actually tie the bow, and if he makes a mistake undo the mess (go back a step) and start from there.
So when teaching your dog a behaviour please, for the sake of dog please TEACH the behaviour.
So when teaching your dog a behaviour please, for the sake of dog please TEACH the behaviour.
Repetition
Dog training requires a load of repetition, especially when the dog is moving through the proofing stage. Don’t just assume that the dog will be able to apply the knowledge to a new place, make rewards easy to gain to start the session of then continue with your regular expectations.
Consistency
Consistency or the lack there of, I believe, is the root of all evil when it comes to dog training. We as humans are often inconsistent, we may be consistently inconsistent or work on a variable consistency; meaning depending on certain variables we are consistent. Dogs don’t understand inconsistency they need black and white, right and wrong especially when they are learning.
There needs to be consistency from yourself (the trainer), the family (household) and with strangers.
Your dog does not understand the differences in these situations he lives for the moment he gets to do what he wants or what comes naturally for him; jumping up on you, laying on the comfortable sofa, and barking. He does not understand the variable or contingent to the situation, he only remembers he gets to do it sometimes, and that keeps him consistently trying. If 9 out of 10 times you keep him out of the bed but on that 10th time you relent, it is that moment of success and enjoyment that he remembers and will make subsequent attempts worse!
You need to pick a plan and an ideal that you as a family. Sit down and come up with consistent commands that mean the same thing to everyone and that everyone will utilize. Here are some examples that often confuse the dog “down” and “lay down”; “down” and “off”; “sit down” and “sit”; “come” and “get over here” pick one command and everybody stick to it, write the commands out and stick it to the fridge so that everybody including yourself remembers what command and what the command means. Decide whether or not you will allow your dog on the furniture, and what behaviours you will reward and what behaviours you intend to change and come up with a plan for how you will install the changes as a family. Explain to everyone in the family how inconsistency hurts your dog’s ability to please everyone and therefore leads to him getting in trouble.
Dogs recognize very quickly when we don’t want to exert the time and effort needed to work on their training and their behaviour. Don’t let them have the upper hand.
The key to dog training is to be consistent, especially in the learning stages, with your dog. Your dog cannot reason or understand the minute differences. In order to set your dog up for success, you must make sure that you remain consistent, always. Make a plan and stick to it, make sure everyone in the household listens and accepts responsibility for training and working with your dog. And, when you have company or there are distractions let them know that you must devote some time to your furry friend to be consistent so he learns to obey and becomes a good family pet.
Inconsistency is unfair. One minute your dog gets away with or is rewarded for a bad behaviour and the next minute he is chastised and/or punished for the same act. This type of environment makes it hard, if not impossible to learn. You must be firm but gentle; have fun and be CONSISTENT.
Dog training requires a load of repetition, especially when the dog is moving through the proofing stage. Don’t just assume that the dog will be able to apply the knowledge to a new place, make rewards easy to gain to start the session of then continue with your regular expectations.
Consistency
Consistency or the lack there of, I believe, is the root of all evil when it comes to dog training. We as humans are often inconsistent, we may be consistently inconsistent or work on a variable consistency; meaning depending on certain variables we are consistent. Dogs don’t understand inconsistency they need black and white, right and wrong especially when they are learning.
There needs to be consistency from yourself (the trainer), the family (household) and with strangers.
Your dog does not understand the differences in these situations he lives for the moment he gets to do what he wants or what comes naturally for him; jumping up on you, laying on the comfortable sofa, and barking. He does not understand the variable or contingent to the situation, he only remembers he gets to do it sometimes, and that keeps him consistently trying. If 9 out of 10 times you keep him out of the bed but on that 10th time you relent, it is that moment of success and enjoyment that he remembers and will make subsequent attempts worse!
You need to pick a plan and an ideal that you as a family. Sit down and come up with consistent commands that mean the same thing to everyone and that everyone will utilize. Here are some examples that often confuse the dog “down” and “lay down”; “down” and “off”; “sit down” and “sit”; “come” and “get over here” pick one command and everybody stick to it, write the commands out and stick it to the fridge so that everybody including yourself remembers what command and what the command means. Decide whether or not you will allow your dog on the furniture, and what behaviours you will reward and what behaviours you intend to change and come up with a plan for how you will install the changes as a family. Explain to everyone in the family how inconsistency hurts your dog’s ability to please everyone and therefore leads to him getting in trouble.
Dogs recognize very quickly when we don’t want to exert the time and effort needed to work on their training and their behaviour. Don’t let them have the upper hand.
The key to dog training is to be consistent, especially in the learning stages, with your dog. Your dog cannot reason or understand the minute differences. In order to set your dog up for success, you must make sure that you remain consistent, always. Make a plan and stick to it, make sure everyone in the household listens and accepts responsibility for training and working with your dog. And, when you have company or there are distractions let them know that you must devote some time to your furry friend to be consistent so he learns to obey and becomes a good family pet.
Inconsistency is unfair. One minute your dog gets away with or is rewarded for a bad behaviour and the next minute he is chastised and/or punished for the same act. This type of environment makes it hard, if not impossible to learn. You must be firm but gentle; have fun and be CONSISTENT.