Everyone talks about how cute a puppy is. If you are a puppy owner, you know that a puppy can also be quite unruly. You need to train a puppy, so they turn into a good dog. It can be really hard to stay positive. Sometimes when your puppy gets into the garbage for the sixth time that week, you just want to scream. However, you need to remember certain things when you are using positive reinforcement to train your puppy. Remember why you are using this technique, how to focus on positive behaviors and how to avoid punishment.
Training your puppy while it is still young is the most efficient way to ensure better behavior throughout its life. However, there is a good way to train your pup and a bad way. By using ethical puppy training, you will not only instill good behavior, but you’ll also ensure that your dog remains happy.
Positive Reinforcement & Ethical Puppy Training
If your pooch starts acting differently, it may be acting out for a very good reason. Drastic changes in behavior could be the result of a health problem developing that needs to be checked out by a professional. For example, if your dog is very well-housetrained and then it pees right on the rug, it could be a symptom of a urinary tract infection. In the event that you suspect something is wrong, give your pup a full health inspection.
Why Use Positive Training Techniques
When you train your dog in an ethical way, you are instilling good behaviors in them. You also help keep your dog happy. It can be stressful for a dog to get yelled at or punished for doing something bad. Sometimes they do not understand why they are being punished. A positive technique ensures that your dog stays happy, which helps avoid misbehavior due to unhappiness, and that they pick up good behaviors.
How to Focus on Positive Behavior
If you have decided to use a positive training technique, it can be hard to stay on track. You need to remember what to do to enforce positive behavior. Here are some simple tips to help:
- Reward the dog within seconds of their good behavior.
- Keep your commands short.
- Stay consistent.
You also need to remember what sort of rewards you can use. Effective rewards depend on the dog, but they could be small treats, petting, toys, verbal praise or brief play. Let the dog know when they do something good.
Enforce Positive Behaviors
Too many inexperienced trainers focus on punishing their dog for behaviors they do not want to see. Rather than punishing your dog, you should make the option of doing the right thing more appealing to the puppy. For example, if you have a dog who absolutely loves chewing on everything, from couches to tables, you should divert that chewing habit into something productive. Give your dog a toy to chew on so that it will want to chew on that instead of everything else.
Avoid Punishing Bad Behaviors
If your canine has a habit of jumping on every guest who walks through your house, yanking on its collar is not going to teach your dog what you want it to do. Instead, work with your dog to remain calm around guests. Earning treats will tell the dog that the behavior you want yields the most benefits.
As you can see, it is always better to turn your attention toward reinforcing positive behaviors. Training your puppy poorly could be a form of abuse, so know what is and is not helpful. If you hire a trainer, make sure he or she practices methods that are good for your special pup.
How to Avoid Punishment
Avoiding punishment can be difficult, especially if you are getting frustrated. However, it is important to do. Rather than yank on the dogs collar when they jump up on people, give them a short command such as down. When they listen, give them a treat. You can avoid punishment by simply rewarding them when they do good things.
Patience Is a Virtue
Remember, training a puppy takes time and patience. You need to work with them a lot, and privately. Only working on them when there are people around probably will not help in the long run. If you need help training your dog ethically, you can find professional dog trainers.
How to Choose the Right Trainer
Choosing the correct trainer for your dog is a very important task. To find a good trainer requires more involvement than searching online for the closest facility to your home. There are many questions you will want to ask an organization about their puppy training prior to picking them. Some of the items you will want to take into consideration are the training methods being used, credentials, and taking the time to observe a class.
The technique a future trainer might practice on your dog can affect the interaction you have with your pet on a daily basis. There are countless books and methods on puppy training so it is important to brush up on a few different training methodologies to understand the lingo. It would be helpful to ask yourself if you want your dog trained by correcting their missteps or by fortifying desired behavior. Also asking the trainer what kind of equipment is used can give you insight on their training practices.
Check Their Credentials & Certifications
Credentials and years in business can provide some reassurance that the facility is run well and successful with their training tactics. Anyone has the ability to open up shop and label himself or herself as a dog trainer. Some of the most common credentials are includes:
- Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)
- Companion Animal Sciences Institute (CASI)
- Academy for Dog Trainers
Furthermore, such credentials indicate that a trainer is educated in the subject matter at hand, but recommendations can also be very helpful. Ask your friends, colleagues, and even your veterinarian if they have any good recommendations.
It is not out of line to ask about observing a class without your pet when searching for a trainer. What should you look for when you observe? The dogs and owners alike should be enjoying their time and comfortable with their surroundings. There should be enough space for the dogs to move around to get proper training and class sizes should not be too large. Overall, everyone in the class should be relaxed and having fun.
Getting a new dog can be exciting and bring your home a lot of joy, however it can also be a nightmare if they don’t receive the right puppy training. Make sure you choose the right trainer to make you and your puppy happy.