Positive Reinforcement to Train Your Dog
OK, I\'ll admit I\'m not some \"dog whisperer\", but I do have a well trained dog. It wasn\'t always this way though. I can\'t tell you the number of times I\'d try to teach my dog obedience training only to end up aggravated when I didn\'t get the results I wanted. What I didn\'t know at the time was I was sending my dog mixed messages and generally confusing the heck out of her. But you don\'t have to go through what I did. There is an easier way!
I\'ll go ahead and let a few cats out of the bag here. First, you have to understand that your dog\'s primary goal in life is to please you. Once you understand this, dog obedience training is just a matter of letting your dog know which behavior you approve of and which you don\'t. By using positive reinforcement to train your dog, you will see much greater success in less time. Punishment usually has the opposite effect, since dogs don\'t react well to being scolded by their owner. You are their pack leader, and they take your reactions and behavior very seriously.
Certainly you\'ll need to correct your dog from time to time but be sparing with it. Lavish praise and affection on your dog every single time he does something right and he\'ll be much more open to dog obedience training.
The next thing you\'ll need to do is to establish yourself as the alpha. Dogs are pack animals and must have an alpha or \"leader\" to follow. If you don\'t set the example, your dog will assume the role of the alpha and will not heed your commands. A few quick tips on how to be the leader of the pack: When you get home, ignore your dog for the first few minutes. Come in, take your shoes off, fix something to drink, etc.
Do not acknowledge your dog until you are good and ready. This is how an alpha dog behaves, and this is how you must behave if you want your dog to view you as the leader. Also, don\'t let your dog tell you when it\'s playtime. If they bring a toy to you and want to play, ignore it. Wait five minutes and you initiate play. Here again, it lets them know that they are to follow your lead. This plays a critical role in dog obedience training.