Why Positive Dog Training Works
Most adults over 30 who had dogs when they were children are probably aware of only one method of training dogs: Punish bad behavior, and if the dog is not performing the behavior you want, make him! If he wouldn't sit, his butt was forced to the ground while saying the command.
If he made a mess in the house during housetraining, his nose would be rubbed in it and he would be banished to the yard.
Luckily, today there is a better way to train your dog.
It is called Positive Reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement is a reward based training concept.
When a dog is performing the actions you want, you reward him.
The reward does not have to be food.
Some dogs will be happy to receive hearty praise and petting, or the opportunity to play with their favorite toy for a while, though it is common practice to use food treats when teaching complex behaviors.
One of the biggest benefits of dog training using positive methods is that the learned behavior is more likely to be taken in more quickly and remembered, because the dog will associate performing that action with a good experience.
Because learning this way is fun, he is also more likely to stay focussed during training sessions and the bond between dog and trainer becomes much stronger.
You will also be surprised at how many different tricks and behaviors your dog will offer up to you in order to get a reward.
Dogs can be quite creative, so you might find some tricks that you can expand on in order to show off to friends and family.
Another great thing with positive dog training is that it is great for teaching old dogs new tricks.
If you have adopted an older dog from a shelter that may have suffered mistreatment, the last thing you want to do is give him "more of the same".
Using rewards will show him that pleasing you is a good thing, and the absence of traditional punishment will show him that it is OK to make the odd mistake and humans are not all bad.
You only have to watch TV shows like It's Me Or The Dog for proof that bad behavior caused by age, breed and background history can all be easily overcome using a combination of positive training methods and responsible dog ownership.
Positive training methods are not just for the benefit of the dog, either.
You as owner, handler or trainer will find sessions much less stressful.
As a dog lover, would you rather spend time being mean to your dog for not doing what you want, or spend the same time setting him up for success and rewarding him for getting things right? No matter how long you spend training him, it is much better for both of you if the whole session is free of any negative experiences or tantrums (from either of you).
It's never too late for human or dog to try new things, so even if you have used the old methods for some time, why not consider teaching your dog a few new tricks, or use a different approach for the ones you have struggled with in the past, with the help of reward based dog training.
If he made a mess in the house during housetraining, his nose would be rubbed in it and he would be banished to the yard.
Luckily, today there is a better way to train your dog.
It is called Positive Reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement is a reward based training concept.
When a dog is performing the actions you want, you reward him.
The reward does not have to be food.
Some dogs will be happy to receive hearty praise and petting, or the opportunity to play with their favorite toy for a while, though it is common practice to use food treats when teaching complex behaviors.
One of the biggest benefits of dog training using positive methods is that the learned behavior is more likely to be taken in more quickly and remembered, because the dog will associate performing that action with a good experience.
Because learning this way is fun, he is also more likely to stay focussed during training sessions and the bond between dog and trainer becomes much stronger.
You will also be surprised at how many different tricks and behaviors your dog will offer up to you in order to get a reward.
Dogs can be quite creative, so you might find some tricks that you can expand on in order to show off to friends and family.
Another great thing with positive dog training is that it is great for teaching old dogs new tricks.
If you have adopted an older dog from a shelter that may have suffered mistreatment, the last thing you want to do is give him "more of the same".
Using rewards will show him that pleasing you is a good thing, and the absence of traditional punishment will show him that it is OK to make the odd mistake and humans are not all bad.
You only have to watch TV shows like It's Me Or The Dog for proof that bad behavior caused by age, breed and background history can all be easily overcome using a combination of positive training methods and responsible dog ownership.
Positive training methods are not just for the benefit of the dog, either.
You as owner, handler or trainer will find sessions much less stressful.
As a dog lover, would you rather spend time being mean to your dog for not doing what you want, or spend the same time setting him up for success and rewarding him for getting things right? No matter how long you spend training him, it is much better for both of you if the whole session is free of any negative experiences or tantrums (from either of you).
It's never too late for human or dog to try new things, so even if you have used the old methods for some time, why not consider teaching your dog a few new tricks, or use a different approach for the ones you have struggled with in the past, with the help of reward based dog training.