Training Do's, Dont's and Never-evers

My husband works with Shammy. You will notice, in addition to my husband's dashing good looks, Shammy's focus during training

This is not a comprehensive list by any means, and while most of it is based in research, there is still quite a bit of opinion thrown in (this is a blog, after all). This list, and any advice on this blog for that matter, should not take the place of good, solid research:

Do:
-Realize the difference between active training and reinforcement: Working with your dog at the front door in a controlled situation is active training for manners. Telling them to wait when the pizza guy gets there is reinforcement. Both are necessary for good behavior.

-Set your puppy up for success: When actively training, select a place that is as free from distractions as you can make it. This could include outside sounds, sights and smells; toys; visitors or other pack members.

-Have a positive attitude: Dogs can pick up on facial expressions, emotions and attitudes. Be sure yours is one that encourages learning and good behavior. Aim for calm, yet firm.

-Be prepared to reward good behavior: This is one I had to learn first-hand, so I hope this tip will prevent the headache I dealt with. Do not wait until they do the proper behavior before reaching into that treat bag, even if they do it without 10 times a day. If you dig around in a treat bag, it asks as a distraction and keeps dogs from understanding what behavior you're rewarding. Same goes with toy incentives. Be prepared to immediately give it to them for following commands.

-Keep training sessions short: Dogs are always aiming to please their humans, but extended training sessions will cause them to lose focus. Try every day for three or four sessions of no more than 15 minutes.

-End on a positive note: Always end with something you know your dog can do, so that the last thing in their mind is praise, not frustration at the dog/human communication gap.

Don't:
-Get lax on reinforcement: Do you want your dog to wait patiently before coming inside? Then every time you open that door, They have to wait for the command before they go in. If they manage to slip past you, and this has happened to me. Calmly collect them and get them back outside, then wait for the proper behavior. Manners do not stop being necessary simply because of inclimate weather or rushed schedules.

-Lose your cool: Training should always be a fun time for you and the dogs. If they are not giving the proper behavior or are having problems with a new trick, try some tried-and-true commands before getting the more difficult ones. Keep in mind, that the "difficult" commands may change from day to day, especially in puppies.

-Settle for half measures: Either the dog does the command or he/she doesn't. Doing what you want yields rewards. When a dog halfway does something, you are opening the door for a dominance game.

-Train your dog in a vacuum: Ok, while it sounds like I'm saying don't stick Fido in the Hoover, what I'm really saying is that you should make sure your family and close friends are part of the training and socialization of your dog. Make sure they can get the behavior you expect out of your dog. You never know when last-minute changes in plans will lead to someone else caring for your pup.

Never ever:
-Take frustration out on the dog: This goes back to the positive environment aspect of training. If you are angry, the training stops being a positive experience for your dog and he/she will no longer look forward to it. If you can't regain control of yourself, walk away for a minute or two of deep breathing, then come back.

-Forget the fundamentals: Even if your dog is trained to ride a unicycle through a flaming hoop (if you have done this, btw, please send me a video!), it doesn't mean they don't still need to remember sit, come, stay and lay down. For a well-rounded dog, avoid tunnel vision when training.

-Think it's a problem with the dog: While there are certain behavior disorders associated with dogs, if your dog is usually focused and attentive, understand that it's probably a communication problem when they have trouble mastering a command. In my experience, 99% of dog behavior problems are actually human reaction problems. Try a different method of explaining before blaming your canine.

-Forget who your dog is: I have found that if Shammy and Dozer are having problems with a command, it helps if I take a step back for a minute, or better yet just finish up the training and ponder for a while. When I do this, I remember their personalities, what motivates them and what distracts them. Usually I see what the problem is and can work around their eccentricities to get the correct behavior.

Hopefully these tips will help. I will be posting specifics on some of the more common commands later on, as well as some fun ones for you and your dog. A cursory search on Amazon.com can yield results like the ones listed below. Cesar Millan is a true inspiration to me and I love his way of approaching dog rehabilitation and training. As far as the "for dummies" book, while I have not read this one in particular, I have yet to read a dummies book that wasn't extremely helpful.