Dog Training Techniques

Dogs do what they do - they pee, poop, bark, lick, chew, whine, scratch, sniff, jump, and run around like there is no tomorrow. They do what comes naturally to them and they don't figure out how to behave on their own - they must be trained.

There are many training methods and different objectives of training: obedience training, guide dog, rescue dog, guard dog, hunting dog training, and so on. This hub will be focused on basic dog obedience training that I personally consider to be crucial in building a strong owner -dog relationship.

Living with a well behaved dog is a joyful and rewarding experience for both the owner and the dog.

And remember, it's never too late to train a dog. It becomes harder the older they get, that's for sure, but it's hardly impossible. In any case, you need a basic understanding of the proper training techniques.

There are two basic dog training techniques - positive reinforcement training and negative reinforcement training.

Positive reinforcement refers to rewarding your dog when he or she does something right. When the dog does things right, you reinforce that behavior with pleasant rewards such as treats or verbal praise. Negative reinforcement is exactly the opposite of positive reinforcement and refers to the practice of showing your dog that he or she has behaved incorrectly.

I must admit that I'm not a supporter of harsh "old school" training techniques based on negative reinforcements. I believe that the best way to train your dog is with the practice of positive reinforcement.

Why positive reinforcement? I do not believe that you have to break the dogs spirit in order to train him well. I believe that everything should be done in an upbeat and positive manner.

Training process should include frequent rewards and rare punishments. One of the biggest mistakes in training a dog is using too much negative reinforcement.

I do agree that negative reinforcement does have its place in the training process and it's quite unrealistic to think that you can train a canine entirely without it. But positive reinforcement must play a major role.

Remember, negative reinforcements can have a long-lasting consequences on your pet and must be, in my opinion, used extremely sparingly.

Positive reinforcement, on the other hand, is something dogs really respond to and will strengthen the relationship between the dog and its handler. Positive reinforcements should be used as often as possible.

• Start training young
• Keep it short, simple and fun
• Use positive reinforcement as much as possible
• Never train when you are stressed or tired
• Know exactly what you're doing
• Be the leader of the pack
• Learn the principles of training
• Train in a quiet area
• Have patience

Many people hire a professional dog trainer to train their dog, but the fact is that the owner is the best person in the world to do it. By training your own dog, you build a strong relationship and learn how to communicate and understand each other. It's really not that difficult, once you understand it.