|
Article submitted
by Simi Zuckerman www.Dog-O-Rama.com
Let’s
Get Pawsitive!
All right, I’ve got Olivia’s song in my
head, “Let’s Get Physical, Physical….”, it’s got such an upbeat,
happy mood, and that’s how I think of training dogs, “Let’s Get
Pawsitive, Pawsitive…” Training doesn’t have to be, and
shouldn’t be, a chore, a drag, unpleasant. Training can and
should be fun, empowering, and pawsitive!
In the past dog trainers would use words
like “dominate”, “obedience”, “command”, and “correct.” These
all imply the need to overpower our dogs to show them who is
boss. Punishment was standard – dog pulls on leash, jerk him
to show him his place. Dog has accident in the house – hit him
with a newspaper and throw him outside. Dog wants to visit friends
across the street, give him a shock with an electronic collar.
Thankfully, there now are more modern, effective and humane methods
of teaching our dogs. Modern techniques are based on a more
scientific understanding of how dogs learn, communication and
relationship. Whereas trainers and owners used to “dominate”, now we
“influence.” An “obedient” dog is now “well mannered”, a
“command” is now a “cue”, and the idea of “correction” has been
replaced with “demonstration.” We teach our dogs what we DO
want and, in many cases, what we DON’T want takes care of
itself. If a dog has learned to sit when greeting people, he
will be conditioned not to jump on them. By teaching
behaviors that are incompatible with ones we do not like, we are
then able to focus on what we want from our dogs rather than what we
don’t want.
Many people acquire dogs with Disney
stories in their heads – Lassie, 101 Dalmatians, Lady & the
Tramp, and expect their dog to be the perfect dog – the Disney
dog. This is about as realistic as your husband being the dad
in “Father Knows Best”, or your children as perfect and adorable as
those in “Mary Poppins.” News flash – there is no perfect
dog! They arrive in our homes making “deposits” everywhere,
steal food off our plates, rip up furniture, throw themselves
through screens and windows, bark at every shadow, dig up your
garden, and shed all over your clothes. Doesn’t sound very
appealing, when put that way. So, why get a dog? Because
a well-mannered dog is not only a pleasure to have around, but
will be there for you whenever you need an unconditional friend, who
will be there to cuddle up with, and who will be there to walk those
pounds off with. The key to acquiring this desired bundle of
fur is relationship. The use of positive reinforcement (as
opposed to traditional training methods) is paramount in the
development of a relationship based upon trust, understanding and
communication. A dog that listens because he fully trusts his
“human” can be much more reliable than a dog that has been trained
using force and punishment.
How does positive training work? In
a nutshell - through management, play-training, reward, and most
importantly, being the keeper of all good things in your dog’s
life. Your dog should look to you as his life-source, not in a
do or die scenario, but in a sense of “if I do this thing of keeping
my paws on the floor instead of jumping all over him because I’m so
glad he’s home, then he’ll give me a treat, then a walk, then a hug,
then dinner, then we’ll play, then we’ll just hang out on the sofa
together because we love each other.” Your dog will learn that
he will get what he wants from you (a treat), when he gives you what
you want from him (no jumping). You become your dog’s VIP –
Very Important Person.
Positive training can be done in everyday
situations – it does not need to be only through formal training
sessions. Your dog learns to sit on cue, you reward him.
Now, use it when he wants something from you – to go outside, to
gain a treat, to say hello. Play games with your dog – you
hide and he has to find you; this teaches his to come when you call
and keeps his attention on you. There are many ways of
training your dog to become a loving member of your family.
You will earn his love and respect, and he will earn yours, in
return.
Tip of the Week: Your dog’s name
should only be used in connection with good things, never call his
name to correct him. If you call, “Fifi, get over here, you
bad dog! See what you did to the carpet?” Why would Fifi come
to you? “Fifi” will come to mean – “uh, oh, trouble’s coming,
I’m ‘outta here…” Use your dog’s name only in a positive way,
and Fifi will learn to come to you, especially if she knows she will
get a reward in doing so.
Article submitted by Simi
Zuckerman www.Dog-O-Rama.com
Return to top
Dog
Trainers: Add Your
Listing and
increase your business!
Do you have
a dog-related product or service
that you would like to
advertise?
You may have the
greatest product in the world, but unless you advertise, nobody
knows about it. See how you can Advertise Your Product or
Service with our reasonable
rates!
This Web site is a list of trainers who
have submitted their names to be included here. There are no
warranties or guarantees about the trainers, methods used, or the
quality of instruction. It is up to each dog owner/guardian to do
his own research and interview each trainer. Dog Trainers
Directory is not responsible and cannot be held liable for any of
the actions or omissions of any trainer listed on this site.
Return
to top
Return to articles | 
