Before signing up a dog training class, here's some information to help get you started
- Learn how to set up an obedience training, by setting a basic foundation before you begin to train your dog
- Train your dog using games, it's easier to train and learn when there's something fun, so try implementing games into your dog training section
- Using positive reinforcement, most dog professionals agree that is the best way to train your dog
Does your dog need training?
All dogs are good dogs, but not all dogs are well trained, sometimes bad behavior requires professional help. These are dogs that bark when the bell rings, tends to growl and bite its owner when they are protective over their food or food bowl, and dogs who are being aggressive when its owner is trying to feed them.
Basic obedience training is the star, but first, the owners need to know about the dog's mind to understand the basic obedience training. You are able to train any dog that is more than 3 months old.
When a dog tends to growl and bite its owner, it is a sign of dominance which will lead the dog to serious behavior. Here are the top common signs of dominance that a dog will show.
Types of aggressiveness
Male and female - Alpha dogs
A male dog can fight with another male dog to be the Alpha dog, and the same happened with the female dog, but the fight between males and females is not so common. An alpha dog means that the dominant dog always goes first, after all the humans. The alpha dog gets fed first, gets its first choice of toys and treats, and always gets attention first.
Territorial
Territorial aggressive displays may range from growling and barking to chasing, snapping, and biting. Territorial displays may occur at windows, doors, and in the car. Some dogs may quickly territory and show similar behaviors at the park, picnic areas, etc.
Fear
Dogs also can be aggressive by fear if you make to much pressure on them. Talking too loud will intimate a dog with fear, the level of voice makes the dog recognize you, if you have raised too much of your voice you can intimidate him if he got fear or phobia.
What causes dog behavior problems?
Most of the pet sitting incident occurs is due to dog behavior problems, one of the main reason why dogs are having behavior problems is a fact that the dog has a lack of training and the owner's knowledge about dog's mind is not sufficient.
Training your dog build-up and enhances your role as his"leader", also socializing your dog with humans and other dogs is vital and playing with him daily as well. The more time you invest in teaching your dog to live successfully in a human world the more you will avoid problem behaviors that come from lack of understanding.
Daily playing is undoubtedly important to establish a chain of command. Most behavior issues happened due to lack of chain of command, dogs need to know who is his leader and that depends and trusts on him. The consistent playing with your dog also increases the link/bond between them, the consistency of daily bond and training are the main door for great behavior and relationship with his owner/leader of the pack.
Types of dog training
3 common types of training
- Private Training
- Group Training
- Board and Train
Dogs of all ages can be trained. Bear in mind that, if your dog is suffering from certain injuries or health issues, they aren't suitable for training as it will worsen the situation, injuries and health issues that owners need to take note of
- Arthritis
- Difficulty in breathing
- Heart Issues
- Hip Dysplasia
- Lung Issues
Training reinforcement
When it comes to training, there are three types of reinforcement trainers might use, which owners has to understand how these types of reinforcement works
- Positive
- Negative
- Mixture of both
Positive reinforcement
It is self-explanatory and is mostly understand by people, which means teaching dogs what they should do using rewards. A result from 2004 showed that dogs trained with more rewards showed higher levels of obedience, and dogs that trained with more punishment exhibited more problem behavior. Using positive reinforcement, dogs were less likely to show aggression and fear than dogs trained using punitive methods.
Negative reinforcement
Which people thinks that is must be all about teaching dogs what they must NOT do, using corrections. But that's not the case. Negative simply has nothing to do with the final effect on the dog's behavior. It doesn't mean something that is unpleasant for the dog, and teaching the dog not to do things. It simply means that the trainer has removed something that the dog was experiencing it before.
Owners might find it hard to believe that anyone would do this to a dog, but this reinforcement has been used extensively in retriever training in the US for several decades. Trainers apply pain to the dog, in the form of an ear pinch or toe hitch, and end the application of pain when the dog complies with their requirements.
Purpose of training
There are many purpose for owners who train their dogs, as well as when they show behaviours like
Competition
There are many dog sports, which has a broad range of activities that may be included under the term. Many sports have human interacting with dogs to give instructions such as obedience trails, herding trails and sled dog racing. Training allows them to have higher metabolism, stronger muscles to win the game !
Behavior
Everyone wants a well-behaved dog. Training like these enables them to stay well behave at home, such as
- Not to bark at all times
- Keep your dog from begging for food
- Teach them not to jump all the time
- Humping and Mounting
- Stop them from howling
Protection
Protection are like armed dogs, guard dogs or even military used, who is trained to protect its owners or towards the society. German Shepperd and retrievers are commonly used, Belgian Malinois has proven to be one of the most outstanding working dogs used in military service.
What will be provided during trainings
Different types of trainings provide different lesson or class, here's what each type or training provides
Are you ready to pay?
As an owner, you love your buddy, don't you ? There's time where they don't listen to you when you give a command the first time, second or even third , or being aggressive when they're on a leash, or gets anxious when other dogs are around. Dog training is an excellent option for all these situations. But professional training costs money, which might be a concern for owners. How much does dog training cost? Well, it depends.
[blockquote font="3"]As an owner you will have to be there when training takes place [/blockquote]
Different types of training costs
Private dog training
Private classes usually offered in-home or at the trainer's facility. You'll work with the trainer on the specific skills that you would like your buddy to learn. You'll be taught about how to read your dog's cues as much as they'll be learning how to sit, stand and hand. Private dog training is suitable for dog's who aren't capable of group training due to certain behavioural issue, or owners would like trainer to have full attention towards their dog.
Cost : The average price of it comes up to $45-120 per session . In San Francisco, $125 per session is the going rate for private training, and $175-$400 in New York City.
Group dog training
Public training aka group dog training approximately consists of 10 dogs and can work on variety of different things from basic sports to agility. Some common group classes for elder dogs are dealing with aggression and anxiety , they even have classes for new comers which learn new tricks and scent work. It is a great way for both dogs and owners to socialize while your kids are learning.
Cost: Group dog training typically cost much lesser than private session, the average price per session would be at $30-$50 per session. There are special training for difficult dogs
Board And Train
Board and train simply mean boarding + training. Where dog owners who have minimal time yet wants to train their pet, board and training is surely what they're looking for. A pet can be dropped off for a day and picked up in evening, which known as day training or placed with a program for a series of days or weeks for them to learn how to behave. Not all pets are suitable for boarding, before sending your pet for boarding, be aware of the facilities that they provide.
[blockquote font="3"]Dog training is an ongoing process and you’ll still need to continue teaching your pet when they come home[/blockquote]
Cost: Two weeks of boarding and training start around $900 and it goes up from there
What if your dogs turn out to be the same after training them
Training a dog takes time, you are not supposed to rush the whole process as each dog learns at a different pace. Try not to be impatient with them and give up on them because your dog is behaving the same as before. This will make your dog even more stressed out and it might lead to more serious behavior problems.
If your dog is struggling to learn something, most likely you are teaching them the wrong way, dogs will not struggle to learn if they are being taught properly, all dogs can learn at different pacing as each dog is an individual, some learn more quickly than others, it also depends on his breed, age, character, and genetics (pedigree). Dogs learn if they are correctly motivated. Is not everyone that can teach a dog as you will have to go to recognized dog training schools and be qualified to teach.
Be aware of instructors who claim themselves to be"qualified instructors", but they aren't able to show any diplomas or recognized certificates, as they might charge you a high price for wrong training.
However, after training the dog, it can't be the same as he understands his place in the chain of command unless you walk away and never touch him again for more than a month, then he can become possessive dominant again.
Do take note that
[blockquote font="2" cite="Mario" italic="yes"]You can't give obedience to a dog unless the fear or phobia has been sort out[/blockquote]
What to look for in a dog trainer
Just as important as the cost, it is much more important for owners to find a dog trainer that uses science-based, positive reinforcement techniques. There are dog trainers who still use aversion techniques like choke, shock collars, pin collars and other alpha training tools. Be sure to get clear with your trainer on what tools and techniques that he is going to use to train your dog.
Benefits of Dog Training
Be wary of anyone that claims that they able to train your dog in just a couple of weeks. Take into consideration about the alternatives available to you and consider a local class or private training (one to one) with local trainers, Before sending off to school, choose a trainer that is registered with APDT(The Association of Professional Dog Trainers)
