Invest in the Future
An untrained dog still learns things, just not necessarily the things you want him to know. Part of your dog's training and communication skills has to do with the structure you provide for him. You must tell him what is and is not allowed. Putting in the time to teach your dog the basics around various distractions and in new environments is part of being a good dog owner, and it will help you avoid future behavior problems. The better trained your dog is, the better your relationship with one another.
Leadership Involves Controlling Resources
Dogs are pack animals; they thrive on rules, consistency, and expectations. Setting limits about what is allowed and how you expect them to act is not only fair, but also essential to having a healthy, well-adjusted dog. Don't worry! Being a strong, fair leader is not about being physical with your dog. A true leader would never need to pin a dog down or give a harsh correction.
Leadership isn't about forcing dogs to obey. It requires you to provide structure and establish boundaries by controlling resources. The more time you spend establishing that you are the greatest person in your dog's life, the more control you will have over your dog's behavior. If your dog understands that you are the one who has the ability to give him access to everything that is important to him, he will be better behaved.
The relationship between a well-behaved dog and his owner is one that consists of limits and rules about what is expected, as well as consistent training so the dog can recognize what is expected. Developing a relationship through training will mean that you will always have a way to communicate with your dog, and you will be able to nip behavior problems in the bud or avoid them all together.
Leadership is about controlling access to the things your dog wants, including sleeping and resting places, food, toys, attention, access to other dogs, and access to the outdoors. It is about you being in command, not the dog.
Being a strong leader is the first step toward ridding your dog of behavior problems. The following are some guidelines on how to be a strong, fair leader:
Nothing in life is free. Make sure you give your dog a job. Make him Sit for dinner, Lie Down before doors are opened for him, and so on.
Humans go first through doorways and up and down the stairs. Your dog won't be able to escape out the door or knock you over on your way down the stairs if he is always behind you. Teach your dog to Sit and Stay until he is released through the door.
Down/Stay sessions for five to twenty minutes at a time help teach your dog self-control and give him a constructive job to perform around distractions and company.
No dogs are allowed on the beds or furniture. Young dogs should sleep in a crate or in their own beds, not in bed with you. Your bed is the highest, most special place in the house, and it should be reserved for you only.
Don't repeat a command more than once. If your dog doesn't respond on the first try, he does not get what you were offering.
Follow through. If you've asked your dog to do something but he does not respond, make sure you help him to get into the right position rather than repeating the command.
Ignore your dog if he nudges you for attention. Leaders give attention on their own terms, not when their dogs demand it.
Ignore your dog if he is constantly pushing toys at you. Leaders initiate play and decide when the game starts and ends. This keeps a dog on his toes because he never knows when the fun begins.
Provide consequences. Ignore what you don't like; avoid yelling at your dog for barking or jumping, for instance. From your dog's perspective, any attention is better than none, and speaking to the dog can often be mistaken for reinforcement.
Avoid punishment. Instead, teach your dog what you want him to do.
Because you control the things your dog wants access to, your leadership will help you build a strong bond with your dog, convincing him that you are the key to everything he desires. Strong leadership will give you the foundation you need to teach your dog how to behave appropriately and become a welcomed member of the family.
The Ten Keys to Successful Training
Throughout this book, you will learn effective techniques to ensure the success of you as a trainer, and your dog as a student. Most keys to success are universal, but it will be helpful for you to think of them in terms of your pet.
Be patient. All dogs learn at different speeds and often don't grasp concepts as quickly as we think they should. Be patient with your dog and help him to be successful.
Plan ahead. Set your dog up to succeed. If your dog isn't getting it, the behavior probably needs to be broken down into smaller steps.
Be realistic. Don't expect your dog to perform a behavior in an environment you haven't taught him in.
Be kind. Use positive methods to teach your dog what's expected of him.
Avoid punishment. Harsh corrections have no place in the learning phase of a dog's development.
Reward effectively. Reinforce proper behavior with what motivates your dog. A pat on the head is nice but not necessarily what he wants. Remember that this is his paycheck: Pay up!
Be generous. New trainers tend to be cheap with rewards. Reward correct responses often and don't be afraid to reward exceptionally good responses with extra treats, praise, toys, and love.
Set goals. If you don't know where you are going and have not planned out the session, how will you know when your dog's got it?
Practice often. Teach your dog in short frequent sessions.
Stay positive. Quit while you're ahead, when your dog is still excited about the training and wants to do more. An enthusiastic student is always an eager learner.
The simple truth of training dogs is that you get what you pay attention to. Set your dog up to succeed, limit his options, and reinforce what's going right. Soon you'll have a well-behaved dog that everyone loves to have around.
