Dog Training Tips

Help Training Go Quicker And Smoother

The first of my dog training tips is definitely not a new one, but it is a priority.

Learn To Communicate, actually the training starts with this. The owner or handler is communicating to the dog what behaviors he wants from the dog, and when he wants that behavior and under what circumstances.

The next part of it involves letting the dog know what behaviors are unwanted.

From the dog we must learn what motivates them to get what is desired.

A Two-Way Street

Recognize and understand the communication that the dog sends.

This is where the watching part comes in. The dog can signal that he is unsure, confused, nervous, happy, excited, and so on.

Dog Training Tip - A dog that is stressed or distracted will be unable to focus and will not learn quickly or easily.

So honestly the dog training tip is before any training can start; we must be trained to recognize their particular form of communication.

4 Important Messages

Dog communication involves four important messages we can send the dog:

Reward or Release Correct behavior. You have earned a reward. The Marker, "Yes" or "Okay" followed by a reward.

Keep Going Signal Correct behavior. Continue and you will earn a reward. Marker, "Good" or "Come on".

No Reward Incorrect behavior. Get them to try something else. Marker, "Uh-oh" or "Try again".

Punishment Incorrect behavior. You have earned punishment. Marker, "No" or more specific commands like "off," "out," or "leave it."

Don't Confuse Your Dog

Keeping the signals or words consistent for these messages allows the dog to understand them quickly.

If you sometimes say "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.

The dog training tip here is to understand the dog's reward is not the same as the reward marker.

The reward marker establishes to the dog that he�s done it right and is going to get the reward, a very important step in dog communication.

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 only with words, but can also be with nonverbal signals.

Hand signals and body language play an important part in dog communication.

An important dog training tip is that dogs pick up on body language quickly and makes the learning process go smoothly.

The reward marker is a signal that tell the dog that he has earned the reward.

Many new dog owners make the mistake of using lots of verbal praise as both a reward marker and a reward, which can be confusing to both dog and owner.

Mechanical clickers are frequently used for the reward marker. Rewards can be praise, treats, play.

Repetition

The meanings of the four signals are taught through repetition, so that your dog forms an association by classical conditioning.

For example, if the owner/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.

If the dog is always given a punishment marker before he is scolded or put outside for bad behavior, he will soon learn to associate the punishment marker with the punishment itself.

Dogs Don't Generalize

A very important and often overlooked dog training tip is understanding that dogs do not generalize commands easily.

A dog who has learned a command or a behavior in a particular place and situation may not immediately recognize the command in other situations. A dog who knows how to "down" in the living room may become confused if asked to "down" at the park or in the car.

The command may need to be retaught in each new situation, it may be much easier after being taught at home where there are fewer distractions.

The dog has to apply what's been taught in a certain location or situation to anywhere or anytime the owner needs to direct the dog into that behavior.

Good Communication Builds The Bond

Dogs sincerely desire to please and establishing this common ground of dog communication is what forms that bond between dog and owner.

Dogs are very tolerant of us non-barking humans and their form of communicating this to us is in their unconditional love.

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