Find A Good Trainer
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FIRST DECIDE what you want your dog to learn.
BASIC OBEDIENCE This includes things like coming to you when called (Recall) Sit, and walking on a slack lead. Basic Obedience simply means behaving in way that makes your dog an acceptable member of society and is a pleasure to live with. RETRAINING This means exactly what its name implies, correcting unwanted behaviours. ASSISTANCE OR SERVICE DOG This is Advanced Training and follows on from Basic Obedience. Some of the things your dog is trained to do are tasks that a physically challenged owner requires. |
SPECIALIZATION: Determine what specific issues you want your dog to understand. Some trainers specialize in Obedience training, others in Advanced training and some specialize in Retraining. Make sure the trainer you choose is experienced in the type of training you want.
IN HOUSE TRAINING: Is when the trainer comes to your home to train your dog. This sounds nice, but personally I don't like it. For one thing, your dog can be constantly looking from the trainer to you and can become confused and from a different perspective the trainer might be undecided whether you might approve of their methods or not. But this is only my personal opinion.
BOOTCAMP: This is when your dog goes away to live with the trainer for a specific period. If the trainer is a good one, I heartily endorse Bootcamp because your dog will learn faster than in any other way.
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In order for dogs to feel safe in the hands of a trainer, they need gentle but firm DISCIPLINE.
TRAINING METHODS: There's been quite a buzz in recent years about 'Positive Reinforcement Techniques.' In theory it all sounds good, but in practice this method takes a lot longer, which fills the trainer's wallet very nicely thank you very much, but it empties yours of your hard-earned cash too. When I ran my dog training business 'Mind Your Manners' customers frequently told me how I got their dogs behaving in half the time they had spent with other trainers, and they particularly loved the way in which their dogs worked with wagging tails and looking up adoringly at their handler. Look at it this way: How is a dog to know what it has done wrong if it is distracted by offering another toy etc?
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To understand right from wrong, there has to be clear light and shade.
Correction is the shade. Dogs think in 'frames' similar to the frames in a movie or video. Timing is everything when training any animal including dogs. A second or two AFTER an unwanted behaviour is too late. Dogs give us plenty of advance notice before they act, using eye expression, and body language. This is where a CAUTION can be used. I use the 'uh uhh' to give the dog time to think about the action it was THINKING about taking. The 'uh uhh' spoken in a warning way, tells the dog clearly that this action is not what is wanted. When the dog hesitates, as he will do, we then encourage him by saying 'good' in a pleased voice using his name. When he complies with wanted behaviour, you praise and reward. Always use the dog's name when you correct or reward.
Correction is the shade. Dogs think in 'frames' similar to the frames in a movie or video. Timing is everything when training any animal including dogs. A second or two AFTER an unwanted behaviour is too late. Dogs give us plenty of advance notice before they act, using eye expression, and body language. This is where a CAUTION can be used. I use the 'uh uhh' to give the dog time to think about the action it was THINKING about taking. The 'uh uhh' spoken in a warning way, tells the dog clearly that this action is not what is wanted. When the dog hesitates, as he will do, we then encourage him by saying 'good' in a pleased voice using his name. When he complies with wanted behaviour, you praise and reward. Always use the dog's name when you correct or reward.
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CLICKER TRAINING: I've intentionally left this method to last because it is mainly for owners who struggle with timing or have difficulty reading their dog's body language.
The clicker is a small handheld device with a button that is pressed to make a sharp metallic clicking sound when an animal has performed or better yet, is performing a desired action. The click is then followed up with the giving of a treat by hand. The dog learns that when the click is heard, a treat will be forthcoming, and the action performed was what the handler wanted. |