Most dog trainers believe that the best way to train any dog is using a method called positive reinforcement training. For those who are doing home dog obedience training this process simply entails using positive reinforcement for good behavior and ignoring bad behavior.
A dog’s natural instinct is to please her owner. Positive reinforcement uses this instinct and allows your dog to learn what it is you want her to do. This type of training has more meaning to your dog because she is able to learn what you want her to do using her own mental capacity.
Here are some quick tips you can use to implement this training method at home:
1. Pick good rewards. You need to keep your dog’s interest level up in what you are doing. A pat on the head or saying “good girl” will lose a dogs interest pretty quickly. Use tempting rewards such as food treats and physical affection to reinforce your dog’s good behavior. Dog trainers call these primary incentives and dogs are very responsive to these.
2. Timing is important. Good behavior and obedience needs to be rewarded the moment it happens. This way your dog begins to understand what behavior is being rewarded. This is where clicker training can be used. Using a small metal device that emits a click when pushed you click the clicker the moment your dog follows a command successfully. To reinforce the meaning of the clicker a treat should also be offered.
3. Use the same commands consistently. If you want your dog to sit don’t use “sit” one time, “sit down” the next, or “down” later on. This is confusing for a dog because they learn through repetition. Pick a command and stick with it for each behavior you desire.
If you are training your dog at home you will need to learn to reward your dog in a meaningful fashion. If you know what your dog likes as far as physical attention and treats you will know what works as far as rewards go. Some dogs prefer edible treats while others enjoy playing with a favorite toy.
If you are using food treats for your home dog training reinforcement you need to be aware that many dog trainers have found that dogs actually respond better if they receive treats in a more sporadic fashion. Apparently it keeps their attention better because they remain interested in what you are teaching them if rewards are given intermittently.
Positive reinforcement training is a great home dog obedience training process to use because it is relatively easy. Ignoring bad behavior is the cornerstone of this method because a dog being ignored is an unhappy dog. This can do more to motivate your dog to do what you ask more then just about anything else.
Andrew Bicknell
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/home-dog-obedience-training-using-the-positive-reinforcement-method-715776.html
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Survey Questions over PetSmart Training Center – School Project, Please Help?
Posted this yesterday, but would like to get more input from new people as well. If you’ve been to PetSmart’s Training Center, please help me out! It’s for a 5-7 page English Paper, so I need the feedback! Copy pasting answers or just giving letters/numbers is all I need. Thanks!
Please answer all questions in reference to your first experience with the PetSmart Training Center for purposes of this survey. Thank you for you participation!
1.) Are you Male or Female?
2.) What is your age range? Under 18 18-25 25-45 45-65 over 65
3.) What is the age range of the dog’s primary trainer in the household? Under 18 18-25 25-45 45-65 over 65
4.) Have you used an other dog training service before?
5.) What was the first class your dog attended at PetSmart? Puppy Beginner Intermediate Advanced Click-a-Trick
6.) What was your dog’s age range when the first class began? Under 6 months 6 months-1 year 1-2 years 2-7 years over 7 years
7.) What were your reasons for joining a PetSmart Training Class? Please RANK CHOICES from highest priority to lowest:
A. To teach tricks B. To address a specific behavioral problem C. To strengthen your personal bond to your dog D. To strengthen overall obedience skills E. To provide your dog with socialization to other dogs, people, and places F. To teach your dog to protect you G. To build up your dog’s confidence in himself
8.) How would you rate your knowledge of dog training before your PetSmart Training Class? 1: No Knowledge 2: Some Knowledge 3: Pretty Knowledgeable 4: Very Knowledgeable 5: Expert
9.) What methods do you use or believe are effective for obedience training? Please list all that apply
A: Positive Reinforcement B: Negative Reinforcement C: Punishment D: NILF (Nothing in Life is Free) E: Clicker-training F: Crate Training G: Force-Based Training H: Hands-On Training (Physically assisting dog into a position, such as sit, gently) I: Shaping J: Alpha Dog/ Pack Dominance Theory (Caesar Milan’s methods) K: Aversion Techniques (Bitter spray, Bullhorns, Ultra Sonic Devices, Motion-sensored alarms, Citronella Spray bark collars, etc) L: Use of Corrective Devices such as Gentle Leaders, No-pull harnesses, martingale/greyhound collars M. Use of Corrective Devices such as prong/pinch collars, choke collars, shock collars, underground fencing
10.) Which of the above methods were recommended by your training instructor &/or were employed in class?
11.) How would you rate your trainer’s knowledge of training methods on a scale of 1-5? 1: No Knowledge 2: Some Knowledge 3: Pretty Knowledgeable 4: Very Knowledgeable 5: Expert
12.) How would you rate your trainer’s enthusiasm and willingness to help on a scale of 1-5? 1 being nonexistent, 5 being highest
13.) How would you rate your trainer’s professionalism, salesmanship, and ability to lead the class? 1 being out of their element, 5 being remarkable
14.) How would you rate your experience with PetSmart’s Training Center overall? 1 being horrible, 5 being best
15.) How would you rate your knowledge of dog training after your PetSmart Training Class? 1: No Knowledge 2: Some Knowledge 3: Pretty Knowledgeable 4: Very Knowledgeable 5: Expert
16.) How would your rate your dog’s improvement after your experience with the PetSmart Training Center? 1: Regression in behavior &/or obedience 2: No change in behavior or obedience 3: “Well, he does it at home, but not in the training center!” 4: Improvement 5: Much Improvement
17.) Has your dog completed his or her Canine Good Citizenship Test?
18.) Do you find the price of classes in the PetSmart Training Center to be worth the services it provides?
19.) Have you enrolled in another PetSmart Training Center Course since your first experience?
20.) Would you recommend the services of the PetSmart Training Center to a friend?
Additional comments also welcomed. Thanks again to all who respond!
1. Female
2. I’m 25-45 years old
3. I’m Tiger’s ONLY trainer, so 25-45 years old
4. Yes
5. Intermediate
6. 1-2 years
7. The only reason was D., To strengthen overall obedience skills
8. 1., No Knowledge
9. I use positive reinforcement
10. Prong collar, choke collar, and physical punishment.
11. 1: No Knowledge
12. 1., no knowledge
13. 3.
14. 1.
15. 1.
16. 1.
17. No, because I don’t know how to get him into Canine Good Citizen.
18. NO. They DO NOT know how to train dogs, only make them worse.
19. NO! I’D NEVER DO THAT AFTER THE FIRST CLASS!!!
20. Not even to my worst enemy.
References :
i am sorry im too lazy to fill that all out but i will say petsmart dog obedience is crap…. reason being is they do not do any distraction for the dog to learn from
example telling my dog to sit and stay ok great she will sit and stay ok thanks petsmart but what did they do to distract her and make that stronger and reinforce her to stay there???
did they throw her favorite toy and correct her??? a treat or walk many other dogs around her or kids playing???? theres many flaws especially people thinking oh my dog is trained now when i leave and dont do any maintenance training (to reinforce her training throughout the years…….
References :
1. Female
2. 25 -45
3. 25 -45
4. no
5. Puppy Beginner
6. under 6 months
7. D
8. 1
9. A, E, F, H, K
10. All
11. 5
12. 5
13. 5
14. 5
15. 4
16. 5
17. no
18. yes
19. not yet
20. yes and I have
References :
This is for a school project? I think this is a survey for Petsmart. Why be sneaky about it??
References :