22/10/2019
It can be challenging training a dog. These tips may help you. Have a think about your training sessions with your dog:
Know what will motivate your dog.
Make sure that everyone who is involved in your dog’s training uses the same commands. If people are using different commands for the same action it will likely confuse your dog. A confused dog will make mistakes, lose confidence, you will get mad, the dog will stop enjoying training, and, may get frustrated or start to display displacement behaviours.
Your mood when you train your dog will have a huge impact on your dog. Your dog will pick up on your enthusiasm or lack of it whe training, and, it will have an impact. So, make the training fun. If you sound like you are really having fun, the dog is more likely to work with you enthusiastically.
SMILE at you dog, let your dog know you are happy with them with a smile!
Training versus bribery 🤔
If your dog knows what sit means but won't sit unless you are holding a treat then what you are doing, is bribing him (or your dog is holding you to ransom)
The problem with bribery is that the bribe will probably only work if the dog values it more than the other options he has. This is especially the case when training outdoors as there will be many better options for a dog (smells/activity/distractions) and a bribe (like a treat) is unlikely to work if he is more interested in the other options.
Once your dog knows something do insist he does it when you ask without bribing.
We train with treats, if they are effective, most dogs love treats, and, when used correctly they can speed up training, but, there are rules which should be followed when using treats. Treats used incorrectly can quickly become bribery.
Luring 🤔
In training we can use a treat to lure the dog to teach them a position, this is an effective method when teaching a puppy something new. However, it is important to lose the lure very quickly to help prevent the dog being reliant on the treat. Reduce the treats once the dog has learnt the skill until they are phased out. If we use a lure long term the dog becomes dependent on it, and it becomes a bribe, with the dog only working for food.
Training involves teaching new behaviours or skills. We must then proof the training. Proofing means teaching your dog to do the same thing in various places under various conditions with various distractions.
Once we have proofed our training and can give a command in various places and with some distractions and get a reliable response from the dog without bribing, that is when you have a trained response. A trained response is created by reinforcing good behaviours or by there being consequences for unwanted ones.
If we regularly give a command and never reward the correct behaviour/skill the dog may get fed up and look for something more rewarding to do.
So, an effective thing to do is to develop a trained response that is carried out without bribery, but, randomly reward the dog to maintain a trained response
If your dog will "do it at home/where you normally go" but not in other places, you haven't yet developed a trained response.
Of course, the first time you take your dog to a new place he is bound to be a little distracted, he's a dog, not a robot, BUT, even with scent and distractions everywhere, a trained response will mean you can train in a variety of places with success.
Is bribery ever appropriate?
There are times when it might be appropriate to bribe a dog. For example: If you are trying to help a nervous dog past an aggressive dog.
Are you bribing your dog?
If you have to offer the food before giving your command you are bribing your dog.
Remember, rewards can be praise, play, treats, physical praise.
Whatever you use if you keep giving commands without providing praise and rewards, your trained response will one day fail as the dog will see no reward in listening to you.
I hope this helps you think about how you are training your dog
If you have a puppy or young dog go to The Life Of Rose fb page and follow our training blog with 8 month old Rose
Happy training :)
Claire xx
