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Understanding Your Dog
The biggest mistake many dog owners make is treating their dog like
a human. Dogs do not respond the same way a human would. There are 3
key points that are basic to having your dog respect you, obey you, and
have a healthy state of mind.
- First and foremost, you must be the pack leader. In the
world of dogs there is one leader in each pack. All the other dogs in
the pack submit to the pack leader. Your dog views its family as a
pack. If you do not show your dog that you are the pack leader, your
dog will assume that role!
- Exercise gets rid of anxiety and aggressive behavior. A 30- minute walk or exercise in your yard everyday is recommended.
- You
will not correct unstable behavior (such as aggression, fear or
neurosis) by giving your dog affection. It actually works the opposite
way. Giving affection during these times will encourage their
undesirable behavior and block their mind from growing out if it. It is
like saying "good dog" to bad behavior.
Give your dog affection only when they submit to what you have asked them to do - not when they show unstable behavior.
Be consistent: Repetition will make the message clear.
Your goal is to keep your dog in a calm, submissive state of mind.
BE A GOOD PACK LEADER!
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Breaking up a Fight
If your dog gets in a fight with another dog, quickly grab your dogs
back legs and pull him backwards like a wheelbarrow. This renders him
helpless. Never get between the two dogs.
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Good Television Show to Watch
To learn more about dog/owner relationships and dog behavior watch "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic Channel.
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Basic Training
Most
dogs, no matter their eventual advanced training or intended purpose,
live with people and therefore must behave in a way that makes them
pleasant to have around and for their own safety and that of other
people and pets. Dogs do not figure out basic obedience on their own;
it must be trained.
The hardest part of this process is
communicating with your dog in a humane way that he understands.
Communication is possible by praising positive behavior while ignoring
or correcting negative behavior.
"Correction" should never
include harmful physical force or violence (i.e., no rolled up
newspaper) because even if it makes the dog stop the behavior in the
short term, it will make your dog fear you rather than want to make you
happy by doing what you ask. Correction technique varies by individual
and among trainers. A simple technique is to attach a collar and "lead"
(fancy term for a leash, usually short, 4' is good); JUST AS the
negative behavior happens use a command to correct it (i.e., Sparky is
jumping up on a guest, say "off" if he's already jumped up, or if you
see he's thinking about it say, "down"). If the command is ignored then
"correct" Sparky by "snapping" the lead to make his collar rattle.
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Puppies and Learning
The
prenatal period is a recent addition to the developmental periods of
puppies. It is thought that “long-term effects on behavioral
development may also be produced in some mammals by events occurring in
utero.” (Serpell, 1995, p. 80) Previous studies tended to overlook the
existence of this period, since the puppy’s behavior could not be
observed. With the development of the ultrasound machine, a puppy could
be observed within the mother as early as the fourth week of gestation.
It
was found that puppies would react to touch and/or pressure from the
outside of the mother’s abdomen. In addition, it is theorized that
since puppies have such a well-developed sense of touch at birth, the
sense of touch would also be well-developed before birth. Puppies may
be sensitive to touch received by the mother while still unborn.
Studies have found that “when a pregnant animal is petted her litter is
more docile (Denenberg and Whimbey 1963, in Fox 1978).” According to
Fox (1975, in Fox 1978) this facilitates relaxation, emotional
attachment, and socialization as well. Other studies have indicated
that puppies that receive outside contact (petting of the mother) while
in utero have a higher tolerance for touching than puppies who receive
no contact at all. One could deduce that gentle petting of the mother’s
abdomen could help to facilitate positive, beneficial puppy
socialization with people.
During the first two weeks of a
puppy's life, also known as the neonate period, puppies can learn
simple associations. (Serpell, 1995) However, early experience events
are unlikely to carry over into later periods. Studies indicate that
puppies in the neonate period do not seem to learn by experience.
(Scott and Fuller, 1965) It is theorized that this is due to the fact
that the puppy’s brain, sense, and motor organs are still undeveloped.
Based on its limited capacity to sense and learn it would be difficult
to affect the puppy psychologically, either in a positive or negative
sense. (Scott and Fuller, 1965)
The next period of development
is known as the socialization period. This is arguably the most
important developmental period, beginning around 3 weeks (21 days) old,
and ending around 12 weeks old. (Beaver, 1999) The biggest aspect of
this period is social play. Social investigation (curiosity), playful
fighting and playful sexual behavior (body contact) is very important
to developing social relationships during its life. (Scott and Fuller,
1965) New behavior patterns are directly influenced by the puppy’s
interaction with its mother and other puppies in the litter.
This
is a time for developing social relationships, both among other puppies
as well as with people. These behaviors are relatively easy for any
individual who stays with the puppies during this period. However,
there is a point where the puppies can develop a fear of strangers. At
3-5 weeks of age, puppies will actively approach strangers. Shortly
thereafter stranger avoidance begins and slowly escalates until it
peaks around 12-14 weeks of age. (Beaver, 1999) While this natural fear
of strangers could serve as a way to keep a curious puppy away from
predators, it can also hinder normal relationships with people.
During
this period, startle reactions to sudden movement and sounds is now
present. This serves to help the puppy learn to differentiate between
which events are dangerous, and which events are safe or insignificant.
(Scott and Fuller, 1965) During the socialization period, the
development of attachment to certain locations occurs. This is
displayed by an extreme disturbance in the puppy whenever a change in
location occurs. This is known as “localization”. (Serpell, 1995)
“Localization” often peaks in puppies between 6-7 weeks old (Scott and
Fuller, 1965), and then tapers off after that time to the point where a
change in location is no longer distressing to the puppy.
Dogs
that are handled and petted by humans regularly during the first eight
weeks of life are generally much more amenable to being trained and
living in human households. Ideally, puppies should be placed in their
permanent homes between about 8 and 10 weeks of age. In some places it
is against the law to take puppies away from their mothers before the
age of 8 weeks. Before this age, puppies are still learning tremendous
amounts of socialization skills from their mother. Puppies are innately
more fearful of new things during the period from 10 to 12 weeks, which
makes it harder for them to adapt to a new home.
Puppies can
begin learning tricks and commands as early as 8 weeks of age; the only
limitations are the pup's stamina, concentration, and physical
coordination. It is much easier to live with young dogs that have
already learned basic commands such as sit. Waiting until the puppy is
older and has already learned undesirable habits makes the training
much more challenging. (Beaver, 1999; Lindsay, 2000; Scott and Fuller
1965; Serpell 1995)
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Basic Training Classes
Professional
"dog trainers" usually do not train the dogs, but actually train the
owners on how to train their own dogs. Although it is also possible to
send a dog away to a training school, the owner still must at some
point learn what the dog has learned and how to use and reinforce the
techniques. Some call this a shortcut, but plenty of work is still
required and training must continue over the course of the dog's life.
Owners and dogs who attend class together have an opportunity to learn
more about each other and how to work together under a trainer's
guidance. Training is most effective if everyone who handles the dog
takes part in the training to ensure consistent commands, methods, and
enforcement. Classes also help socialize your dog to other people and
dogs. Ask your vet or the owner of a well behaved dog for
recommendations in your area.
Formal training in classes is
not always available until the puppy has completed all its vaccinations
at around 4 months; however, some trainers offer puppy socialization
classes in which puppies can enroll immediately after being placed in
their permanent homes as long as disease risk is minimal and puppies
have received initial vaccinations. In most cases, basic training
classes accept only puppies who are at least 3 to 6 months old.
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Communicating With the Dog
Fundamentally,
dog training is about communication. From the human perspective the
handler is communicating to the dog what behaviors are correct,
desired, or preferred in what circumstances. From the canine
perspective the handler must communicate what behaviors will give the
dog the most satisfaction to his natural instincts and emotions.
Without that inner satisfaction a dog will not work well.
A
successful handler must also understand the communication that the dog
sends to the handler. The dog can signal that he is unsure, confused,
nervous, happy, excited, and so on. The emotional state of the dog is
an important consideration in directing the training, as a dog that is
stressed or distracted will not learn efficiently.
According to Learning Theory there are four important messages that the handler can send the dog:
Reward or release marker
Correct behavior. You have earned a reward. For example, "Free" or "Okay" followed by a reward.
Keep going signal
Correct behavior. Continue and you will earn a reward. For example, "Good".
No reward marker
Incorrect behavior. Try something else. For example, "Uh-uh" or "Try again".
Punishment marker
Incorrect behavior. You have earned punishment. For example, "No" or more specific commands like "off," "out," or "leave it."
Using
consistent signals or words for these messages enables the dog to
understand them more quickly. If the handler sometimes says "good" as a
reward marker and sometimes as a keep going signal, it is difficult for
the dog to know when he has earned a reward.
It is important
to note that the dog's reward is not the same as the reward marker. The
reward marker is a signal that tell the dog that he has earned the
reward. Many novice dog owners make the mistake of using effusive
verbal praise as both a reward marker and a reward, which can confuse
dog and owner.
Rewards can be praise, treats, play, or
anything that the dog finds rewarding. Failure to reward after the
reward marker diminishes the value of the reward marker and makes
training more difficult.
These four messages do not have to be
communicated with words, and nonverbal signals are often used. In
particular, mechanical clickers are frequently used for the reward
marker. Hand signals and body language also play an important part in
learning for dogs. The meanings of the four signals are taught to the
dog through repetition, so that he may form an association by classical
conditioning. For example, if the handler consistently gives the dog a
reward marker immediately before he gives the dog a food treat, the dog
soon will learn to associate the reward marker with receiving something
pleasant (clicker trainers call forming this association "charging up"
the clicker). Likewise, if the dog is always given a punishment marker
before he is scolded or put outside for bad behaviour, he will soon
learn to associate the punishment marker with the punishment itself.
Dogs
usually do not generalize commands easily; that is, a dog who has
learned a command in a particular location and situation may not
immediately recognize the command to other situations. A dog who knows
how to "down" in the living room may suffer genuine confusion if asked
to "down" at the park or in the car. The command will need to be
retaught in each new situation, though it may be substantially easier
after being taught at home where there are fewer distractions. This is
sometimes called "cross-contextualization," meaning the dog has to
apply what's been learned to many different contexts.
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Reward and Punishment
Most
training revolves around giving the dog consequences for his behaviour,
in the hope of influencing the behaviour the dog will exhibit in the
future. Operant conditioning defines four types of consequences:
Positive
reinforcement adds something to the situation to increase the chance of
the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, giving a dog a treat
when he sits.)
Negative reinforcement removes something from
the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited
again (for example, releasing the tension on an uncomfortable training
collar when the dog stops pulling on the leash).
Positive
punishment adds something to the situation to decrease the chance of
the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, verbally growling at
a dog to make it stop jumping up).
Negative punishment removes
something from the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour
being exhibited again (for example, walking away from a dog who jumps
up).
Most modern trainers say that they use "positive training
methods", which is a different meaning of the word "positive" from that
in operant conditioning. "Positive training methods" generally means
preferring the use of reward-based training to increase good behavior
over that of physical punishment to decrease bad behavior. However, a
good trainer understands all four methods, whether or not they can put
operant-conditioning terminology to them, and applies them as
appropriate for the dog, the breed, the handler, and the situation.
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Rewards
Positive
reinforcers can be anything that the dog finds rewarding - special food
treats, the chance to play with a tug toy, social interaction with
other dogs, or the owners attention. The more rewarding a dog finds a
particular reinforcer, the more work he will be prepared to do in order
to obtain the reinforcer.
It is important that the dog is not
"bribed" to perform. In dog training, the term "bribery" means that the
dog is aware of the presence of the reward before he is asked to
complete the command. The risk with bribery is that the dog will refuse
to comply with commands when he cannot see the reward, since he knows
from experience that he will only be rewarded when he can see the
reward. Experienced trainers will hide the reward from the dog, and
only produce the reward once the dog has already complied with the
command. The goal is to produce a dog who will perform even on
occasions that the handler has no reward to offer, since the dog's
training has taught him that the handler may have a reward even if the
dog cannot see it.
Some trainers go through a process of
teaching a puppy to strongly desire a particular toy, in order to make
the toy a more powerful positive reinforcer for good behaviour. This
process is called "building prey drive", and is commonly used in the
training of Narcotics Detection and Police Service dogs. The goal is to
produce a dog who will work independently for long periods of time, in
the hopes of earning access to its special toy reward.
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Punishments
Positive
punishment is probably the consequence that is least used by modern dog
trainers, as it must be used very carefully. A dog is generally only
given this type of punishment if it is willfully disobeying the owner.
Punishing a dog who does not understand what is being asked of him is
not only unfair to the dog, but can make the dog a fearful or unwilling
worker.
Punishments are administered only as appropriate for
the dog's personality, age, and experience. A sharp No works for many
dogs, but some dogs even show signs of fear or anxiety with harsh
verbal corrections. On the other hand, certain dogs with 'harder'
temperaments may ignore a verbal reprimand, and may work best if the
reprimand for a serious offence is coupled with a physical punishment
such as a quick tug on a training collar. Trainers generally advise
keeping hand contact with the dog to positive interactions; if hands
are used to threaten or hurt, some dogs may begin to behave defensively
when stroked or handled.
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Avoiding Punishment
Keeping
a puppy on a leash in challenging situations or in his crate or pen
when not closely supervised prevents the puppy from getting into
situations that might otherwise invite an owner's harsh reaction (such
as chewing up a favorite pair of shoes).
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The Command Voice
When
giving commands to a dog, a calm, firm, authoritative voice is most
effective. Dogs do not respond well to hesitant, pleading voices, nor
to yelling, which might sound to the dog like threatening barking or
scolding. It is also important that the word used for the command and
the pitch of the voice be consistent each time the command is delivered
so that the dog can more easily learn what the owner means
(siiiiiiiiiiiit does not sound the same as sit, for example).
Using
the puppy's name before a command ensures that the dog knows that a
command is coming, that it is for him (rather than for other dogs,
children, or people), and that he should pay attention. This is
important because dogs hear a lot of human speech that has no relevance
for them at all, and it is easy for them to disregard commands amongst
the babble.
To reinforce the command, the dog always gets some
kind of reward or reinforcement (praise and usually a treat or toy)
when it performs the action correctly. This helps the dog to understand
that he has done a good thing.
Note that not all dogs are
trained to voice command. Many working breeds of dog are not trained to
a voice command at all; they are taught to obey a combination of
whistles and hand signals. Deaf dogs are perfectly capable of learning
to obey visual signals alone. Many obedience classes teach hand signals
for common commands in addition to voice signals; these signals can be
useful in quiet situations, at a distance, and in advanced obedience
competitions.
The specific command words are not important,
although common words in English include sit, down, come, and stay.
Short, clear words that are easily understood by other humans are
generally recommended; that way, people will understand what a handler
is telling his dog to do and other handlers have a good chance of
controlling someone else's dog if necessary. In fact, dogs can learn
commands in any language or other communications medium, including
whistles, mouth sounds, hand gestures, and so forth.
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Training Tricks
Many
dog owners teach their dogs tricks. This serves several purposes:
Develops a stronger relationship between the dog and human; provides
entertainment; and engages the dog's mind, which can help to alleviate
problems caused by boredom. For example, the shake hands trick involves
the dog raising its paw and placing it into an outstretched hand. An
example of a useful trick is teaching a dog to ring a bell to go
outside. This helps prevent the stress placed on an owner when trying
to recognize whether the dog needs to relieve itself. For more
information, see clicker training or bridge and target training.
Many
habits can come up with different dogs. Begging at dinner should not be
seen. Don't pay attention to your dog at dinner time, and your dog will
notice that you won't give them food.
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