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(This is a work in progress...) Q: What's the big deal about being 'positive?' I've trained dogs before with prong collars and it worked just fine. A: Dog training originally started in the military where severe punishment methods were used. A dog (or any species for that matter) will respond to an aversive to get the aversive to stop. Usually what happens is that the dog will stop the behavior so that you'll stop the punishment. Punishment suppresses the behavior, but doesn't teach the dog what he should do instead. In the past 10-15 years, there has been a lot of scientific research in the fields of psychology, animal learning and training that show that we can get our dog's full cooperation by rewarding the behavior we like and ignoring, or redirecting, the behavior we don't like. Reward based training builds the relationship you have with the dog and get's his happy cooperation! (Yippee! I'm Coming!) Just because we're 'positive' doesn't mean we are permissive. There are always consequences for behavior. We just choose not to harm our dog physically or mentally. Q: If you're 'positive,' when a dog does something you don't like, how do you correct the dog? A: First of all, I like to focus on teaching the dog what he should DO in the first place, instead of doing the behavior I don't like. The perfect example of this is a dog jumping up on you. Most dogs do this! First I have to know what the dog wants: in this case, my attention. Second, what do I want my dog to DO to get my attention? How about I teach the dog to Sit or have all four feet on the floor first, before I give him my attention? And then, if he Sits, he gets my attention. If he doesn't Sit, he doesn't get my attention - in fact, I may just walk out of the room and ignore him completely! It's that simple. A dog learns pretty quickly to do what works for him! If a dog is constantly jumping up, I have to look at myself first and ask if I've trained him enough to do the alternative behavior. This stuff takes practice! Humans go to school for 12 years, we should give our dog even a little bit of time to 'get it.' Q: Why should I use food to reward my dog? Won't he just work for praise? A: Reward-based training uses 'rewards' for doing the correct behavior. A 'reward' is anything that the dog wants, at that moment. Food is just one of many rewards that a dog could want. It's easier for us to use food in training because it usually motivates every dog and is transportable! But at home, you can use all kinds of things as rewards: giving his dinner, throwing the tennis ball, rubbing his belly, going outside, etc. as long as the dog thinks that it's rewarding! As for praise, dog's generally don't work for praise (people will work for praise for a little while, but eventually will want the paycheck!) Let me ask you how you would feel if you just got a pat on the back at work, instead of a paycheck...? It's a similar thing. People work for money, dogs work for food! Q: My dog plays with his older brother/sister dog at home...he gets plenty of dog socialization. Why should my puppy go to puppy playgroups? A: Young puppies are learning social communication skills and boundaries, including how to use their mouth nicely. Older dogs have probably learned bite inhibition already so won't give a young pup the correction they need to learn (because the older dog already knows not to bite.) Puppies have sharp teeth, but no muscle tone in the jaw, and can nip at each other, but not do much damage. Puppies playing with puppies will give each other a needed correction. We want pups to learn bite inhibition before they get their adult teeth (around 6 months.) Q: My 16 week old pup is being aggressive! He's biting me and everyone in the family! A: Congratulations! You have a normal, teething puppy! Up until they get their adult teeth at about 6 months, they will try to nip, bite and chew everything! They are exploring their new world with their mouth and their gums and teeth are sore. It's important that you give them legal chew toys because pups are going to chew. Stuffed Kong toys or raw meaty bones are a good alternative to keep your pup happy and chewing on something 'legal', and not you! Q: My dog is 5 years old. Is it too late to train him? A: Well, I trained my husband's then 8-year old Beagle to Come! If you know what motivates your dog, and you're willing to put some time into it, then you have a good chance of changing your dog's behavior. Remember, it's always harder to undo bad behavior that's been going on for years, rather than teaching your pup what the right thing is to do in the first place! But yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks! Q: Should I bring my 18-week old puppy to the Dog Park for socialization? A: No. During a puppy's tender socialization period (up to 18 weeks), they are sponges for every kind of experience, both good and bad. I'd rather see a pup wait until he's over 6 months old and already socialized before he goes to the park. The worst thing that can happen is that some other dog at the park frightens your puppy...we don't want your pup to be scared of other dogs for the rest of his life! I love socialization for puppies, but think that it should be in a safe, controlled, not overwhelming environment where we can make sure that their experiences with other pups are really great! Socialization is critical, but let's be safe about it. I hold Puppy Playgroups just for this purpose. Please see our class schedule. Q: When can my puppy start classes? I heard he had to wait until he had all his shots. A: Once puppies have had their second DHPP puppy shot, then they're ready to attend Puppy Playgroups and group classes. (Please read the article on Puppy Socialization by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. |
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