Training Your Disobedient Dog

Does your dog jump up to greet you whenever you come through the door, bark at the postman or pull on the lead? Is your dog so boisterous that you're reaching your wit's end, and with no idea which way to turn next?

Luckily, almost all dogs react well to proper training and while nobody can say that your dog will never show any form of boisterous behaviour again - you don't want to take his personality away from him, after all - sensible training should put you in control and teach your dog what is and isn't acceptable behaviour.

The most successful methods of training are those based on reward rather than punishment. Dogs that are rewarded for good behaviour will look forward to training sessions whereas those who are punished for inappropriate behaviour will see training as something to be feared.

Reward Training

One very successful training method is a combination of click and treat.

Clickers are inexpensive and are available at most pet stores. They're small and easy to hold in the hand and work by giving a recognisable sound that tells the dog that he's done good. To start with, each click should be quickly followed with a small treat, this teaches the dog that when he hears the clicker, a treat is on its way with the result being that the dog will do his utmost to earn a click and treat.

Once a response has been well learned, the treat can be given every other time and then gradually withdrawn until the dog is working for the click alone. When the response has become a natural part of your dog's behaviour, the click can also be withdrawn.

It's recommended that a new exercise be gradually introduced once the original training has reached the stage where the treat is being reduced.

Punishment Training

Sadly, there are training devices on the market that are designed to punish a dog for inappropriate behaviour.

Electric shock collars are aggressively marketed as being humane but anybody who has ever received an electric shock will know that this simply is NOT the case. Electric shock collars do nothing more than promote fear in the dog, to the point where they'll often wet themselves whenever they know a training session is imminent.

Some dog owners hit their dogs in an attempt to avert bad behaviour. Rolled up newspapers, the dog's leash, chains, and all sorts of other implements are used and while they may appear to work, this kind of behaviour towards a dog will NOT lead to a pet that's happy to be with you but one that's depressed and living in fear. Some dogs will also become aggressive themselves when 'trained' with aggression.

Responding to Unwanted Behaviour

Always look for human methods of training rather than using aggressive punishment.

Try ignoring your dog when he misbehaves. Dogs thrive on attention and hate to be ignored and quite often bad behaviour is a way of attracting attention. As soon as the unwanted behaviour stop, offer a reward by giving him lots of attention. He'll soon learn what does and doesn't get him what he wants.

Similarly, because dogs are pack animals, segregating them from you and any other family (pack) members will soon teach him that certain behaviours lead to unwanted sanctions.

Professional Training

If you feel it could be difficult to train your dog alone, there are plenty of courses offering basic obedience training either on a one to one basis or as part of a group, the latter of which cost the least. However, group training is only ever an alternative if your dog is good around other dogs. If he shows signs of aggressiveness towards others then one to one training should be considered instead.

Copyright © PetClub UK Ltd. 2006

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