by Jim Navary
One of life’s genuine joys is the companionship of a dog. However, if your dog exhibits major behavior problems, that joy may be compromised. Destroying household items, piddling on the carpet, excessive barking, aggression, and other unacceptable behaviors can usually be eliminated through effective obedience training.
As pack animals, dogs are most content when they know their place in the social hierarchy of the pack, be it as a leader or as a subordinate.
If your dog perceives that you are not a strong leader, he will probably assume the role of leader of the pack. Inappropriate behavior will worsen since, as the “alpha dog”, he will assume that he can do as he pleases without regard to your pleadings.
Until you establish yourself as the alpha member of the pack your efforts to teach proper behavior to your pooch are destined to fail. By providing high quality obedience training you will teach your dog that you are the leader and that he must follow comply with your wishes.
When you begin obedience training try to make the activity fun for your dog. Be sure to reward your dog when follows your commands. Rewards can take the form of yummy treats, petting, giving him a favorite toy to play with or vigorous praise.
Never punish your dog while teaching obedience as it will make him associate training with negative feelings. When you need to correct your dog’s behavior make it a penalty rather than punishment. A penalty can be anything from a quick tug on his leash, a “time out” by simply stopping an enjoyable activity, or simply ignoring him.
For training purposes you should keep in mind that rewards are more effective than penalties. Find out what your dog really enjoys and use it when training. The old “using a carrot or a stick” adage should be forgotten. Instead, try to use many different types of “carrots” and throw away the stick.
Professional dog trainers use a wide variety of training techniques. If you are not sure about specific tactics to use, you may benefit from their advice. There are several wonderful guide books and training courses available online that you may find quite helpful in your quest for a well behaved best friend.
As pack animals, dogs are most content when they know their place in the social hierarchy of the pack, be it as a leader or as a subordinate.
If your dog perceives that you are not a strong leader, he will probably assume the role of leader of the pack. Inappropriate behavior will worsen since, as the “alpha dog”, he will assume that he can do as he pleases without regard to your pleadings.
Until you establish yourself as the alpha member of the pack your efforts to teach proper behavior to your pooch are destined to fail. By providing high quality obedience training you will teach your dog that you are the leader and that he must follow comply with your wishes.
When you begin obedience training try to make the activity fun for your dog. Be sure to reward your dog when follows your commands. Rewards can take the form of yummy treats, petting, giving him a favorite toy to play with or vigorous praise.
Never punish your dog while teaching obedience as it will make him associate training with negative feelings. When you need to correct your dog’s behavior make it a penalty rather than punishment. A penalty can be anything from a quick tug on his leash, a “time out” by simply stopping an enjoyable activity, or simply ignoring him.
For training purposes you should keep in mind that rewards are more effective than penalties. Find out what your dog really enjoys and use it when training. The old “using a carrot or a stick” adage should be forgotten. Instead, try to use many different types of “carrots” and throw away the stick.
Professional dog trainers use a wide variety of training techniques. If you are not sure about specific tactics to use, you may benefit from their advice. There are several wonderful guide books and training courses available online that you may find quite helpful in your quest for a well behaved best friend.
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