Positive Reinforcement For Your Dog

Perfect Pooch Behavior with Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement of dogs can be done easily by employing praise, dog toys, and small dog food treats. This type of training is proving to be far more rewarding than attempts at behavior modification that employs negative reinforcement techniques. When you elect to praise and reward your dog in a positive manner it will strengthen your bonds and you will be able to gain his trust much faster. If you are attempting to train your dog on your own the positive reinforcement methods are a sure way to quicker success and much less frustration

Our pets all have their individual learning curves and this directly how easily and quickly they can be trained. Some pets will be easier than others to train but with patience any of them can be taught basic obedience behaviors. Dogs are just like any other animal, including us humans, and they learn certain behaviors in two basic ways. Sometimes they will show the desired behavior simply for enjoyment and rewards, but they may be trained to respond to avoid unpleasant consequences.

This is the basic difference between positive and negative reinforcement in any type of training environment. Negative reinforcement means that the owner must deliver a punishment, or negative consequence, when their dog exhibits an undesirable behavior. If a dog chews up a shoe then the consequence could include harsh words, a few swats with a rolled up newspaper, or the owner might take away some favorite dog toys. Another harsh punishment involves the pet being placed in doggie prison (their crate) for a short period of time. The idea is to get the dog to associate the consequence with the behavior. Just like many humans, lots of dogs end up confused and hurt because of this type of behavior modification.

Owners and trainers that prefer positive reinforcement for their pets choose to reward and praise desired behaviors. Positive reinforcement means that when your dog does not chew up the shoe and simply ignores it, you would then compliment him with lavish attention and praise, or a small doggie treat. You could also buy him some fun dog toys that are shaped like shoes to use instead of your own tempting footwear.

When you are using positive reinforcement, it means that you reward and reshape the correct behavior each time you see improvement, even if the steps taken by your pet are small. For instance if you are trying to paper train a puppy, do not scold him if he just barely misses the paper or has an accident as he is heading for the paper. This will confuse the issue for him and make training much harder. As you begin to reward the efforts he is making toward the correct behavior your dog will become more eager to get that "A" and you will be surprised how fast your training sessions find success. Dogs want to please and it is much easier for them to understand what you want them to do when you use positive reinforcement to guide them along the path.

Remember to reward your dog's correct actions with the positive reinforcement that appeals to them the most. Some dogs like food and tiny treats will work well, but other dogs adore praise and play time with dog toys that bounce or squeak. When you find which one works best for you own canine companion make the most of the opportunity and you will soon have a poised and well-behaved dog by your side.

About the Author:
Article by Kelly Marshall of http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com, your top spot to buy dog costumes online.

Keyword tags: puppy training, dog training, positive puppy training, dog behavior, puppy behavior