When it comes to being a dog, your dog is a natural, so why is training them so difficult? Training a dog means teaching them to do things that do not come naturally. Keep this in mind whenever you are teaching your dog something new.
If a puppy chews the furniture they are doing what comes naturally. When a dog chases squirrels they are doing what comes naturally. When your dog pulls on the lead they are doing what comes naturally. Walking to heel is a very unnatural thing for any dog to do. Patience is essential, and remembering that we are asking our dogs to do things that go against their instincts will help you stay calm when things aren’t going to plan.
Most unwanted behaviours can be solved by teaching your dog a replacement behaviour whenever they get the urge to follow their instincts. Teach your dog to chew their toys when they feel the urge to chew furniture. Teach your dog to sit and look at you when they feel the urge to chase something. Teach your dog to sit when they feel the urge to bark at the postman. Teach your dog to lie down in a quiet corner of the kitchen when food is being prepared. Teaching your dog what to do in any given situation is far more simple than teaching them what not to do.
When your dog does something that comes naturally to them but it goes against the rules you want to set for your dog, don’t be angry. Avoid any temptation to punish your dog or tell them off. Figure out what you would like your dog to do instead and encourage them to replace their instinctive behaviour for the replacement behaviour.
Before you can encourage your dog to adopt a replacement behaviour in the heat of the moment, you will have to teach your dog the replacement behaviour ahead of time and in response to a command. This is broken down into two phases; teaching and practicing.
Teach First
No dog was ever born knowing what the word ‘sit’ means. We have to teach our dogs what our commands mean before we can practice using them.
While you and your dog are in the teaching phase you need to encourage your dog to do the wanted behaviour first, and then use the relevant command the very moment your dog is doing what you want them to do. It’s okay to bribe and lure your dog with treats and toys. Hold something yummy above your dog’s head to encourage them to look up, which makes most dogs also want to sit. Run away from your dog while making interesting and strange noises to encourage them to come running towards you. Tap your leg and set off walking to encourage them to walk with you.
To teach your dog what the word ‘sit’ means, say “sit” each and every time your dog sits. Say your dog’s name each time they look at you. Say “heel” every time your dog is walking nicely by your side. Say “come here” whenever your dog is running towards you. Say “fetch it” whenever your dog picks up a toy and “give” when they give it to you. Remember to follow up each command with gentle whispered praise.
Over time, your dog will start to association the behaviour they are performing with the command they are hearing.
Practice Second
Switching from the teaching phase to the practice phase means giving your dog a verbal command to test if they’ve begun to associate the words with the relevant behaviours. If you’ve spent a few weeks in the teaching phase it’s time to take the plunge and see if you can make the switch to the practice phase.
Start off in a simple environment at home with no distractions around. Make sure you have your dogs attention and then give them a command you have been teaching your dog.
Did it work? If not, go back to the teaching phase for a few more days. If it did work, I hope you gave your dog some immediate and well earned praise, followed by a tasty treat so they know that paying attention and following your commands is well worth their time and effort.
At this point, most people would assume their dog has now learned how to sit, recall, heel or fetch, but this is just the beginning. Your dog might sit for you at home while you are holding a treat in your hand, but will they sit for you when their are distractions or when you’re away from home? Your dog might have graduated from the teaching phase but now it’s time to proof your training in a variety of locations and with ever increasing distractions.
Wyre Walkies 