Is your new dog having trouble adapting to your home? If you look through local newspapers and shopping guides, you will see numerous advertisements for dog obedience schools. Are you able to pick the best one out of this group for you and your dog?
Today, several methods of training dogs are used, they include calm, positive reinforcement techniques, "alpha" dominance, and cruel punishment.
There still remain many schools of thought when it comes to dog training, and a great many veteran trainers will use a specific system that suits them as well as their customers. The current trend is a move towards more of a rewards based method.
When considering the appropriate training technique, you must consider the dog. Where did you get him? How old was he when you got him? Did you rescue him, so he may have issues? What are the goals of training: pet, speed, shows, hunting, tracking, or do you plan to enter your dog into the various dog sports?
After giving thought to your dog's personality and what you want out of training, peruse your newspaper and make a list of the local dog obedience schools. Find their contact information and visit their websites. Talk to other dog owners and ask where they have had success training their dog. Local kennel clubs and vets may also have trainer recommendations.
Schools that train using positive reinforcement are going to yield the best results. Ask friends who they'd recommend. Some trainers will offer to come to make house visits to train your dog, but then he'll be missing out on socialization opportunities with other canines. Locate the times of the beginner class and see if you can sit in just to watch; if you don't like what you see, find someone else you do like!
When you new puppy is still young, you should enroll him in either a puppy kindergarten class or a play group. This is because early socialization is key for your puppy's development. On the other hand, if your new dog is a rescue dog who has developed issues with aggression, you may need to hire a certified animal behaviorist to help you rather than just a dog trainer. Aggression in dogs is an issue never to be taken lightly. It is best to address it immediately.
Although there is a small percentage of dogs that will require a pinch collar for training purposes, a "Gentle Leader" head collar is often just as, if not more, effective for most dogs.
If your dog isn't required for his first training session, don't be shocked -- it's a good thing! Clicker training (or any positive training) needs a training session for owners so you learn to properly use the tools and to communicate effectively with your dog.
Here's how you can tell if a training class is good:
1. The school, as a whole, will have a positive tone.
2. Training is based on offering your dog rewards during training is the key to reaching your desired goals, which along with praise, may include his favorite toy and doggie treats.
3. Unwanted behavior is dealt with by distracting the dog. It usually only takes a bit of effort to distract the dog and let him know his behavior is unacceptable.
4. An inappropriate behavior is usually halted by requiring a different behavior that causes the animal to alter his actions, for example, 'lay down' will prevent the dog from jumping on someone.
5. Training is based on patience so that the dog has sufficient opportunity to obey or display the required response.
There are other methods to training your dog that you can use in addition to local dog obedience schools. Hollywood canines get their talent by way of "clicker training", a very effective and efficient means of training dogs. If you want to review other methods, there are plenty of credible websites and training books available also.
About the Author:
Training your dog to be the perfect pet all boils down to using the right dog training techniques - find out what those are at http://www.positivedogtrainingtechniques.com/.
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