A Guide To Successful Dog Behavior Modification
A Guide To Successful Dog Behavior Modification
Article by Juana Cruz
Dog behavior modification can be fun. Owners usually tend to think that for the pet to be obedient and discplined, he should be trained by a professional or at a dog training school. It may be true, but for some dog owners who don’t want to or simply don’t have the money for these expensive classes, there is still another choice. That is, you start to train your pet at home.
Dog training at home can have its advantages which you will not experience if you let a pro handle the training. You will have more bonding time with your pet, which is nice because in the first place, you want to have a dog because you want not just something to guard the house, but to be with you and keep you company, right? Having a pet can be stressful, true, but the love and friendship it gives is so rewarding and incomparable, something to be grateful for. I mean, if all you want is a guard at home, you must have bought some gadget that has the same purpose, not a pet who might annoy you if you leave him as is. I mean, imagine all the barking, digging, chewing and other problems you might deal with if you leave him inside the cage, or just yell at him when he annoys you. That’s not only ignorant of you, but you are only causing yourself more trouble.
Training a pet can be daunting at first if you don’t know anything about dogs. But thankfully, the information you need about dogs can be found online, in dog magazines and journals and of course, dog training books. You will not run out of sources to use, since dog training is a popular topic and millions of owners raise their dogs. In short, it is a huge market out there.
As a dog owner, a good step to a successful dog behavior modification is learning about dog behavior – the reasons why they behave the way they do, common problems dealt by owners, dog breed behavior and others.
One good technique in teaching your pet good behavior is called clicker training. Basically, it reinforces good behavior in your pets without phsycial violence and without you having to yell at him, when he makes mistakes. You use a clicker (hence the name), and click it when the pet obeys your command – be it sit, come, heel, or anything else. When you click the clicker, you give him a reward which usually comes in the form of treats. The dog learns to associate the clicking sound with obeying your commands and being rewarded, so next time don’t say anything – just click. And when you click before he sits he knows to sit.
Clicker training is a good dog behavior modification tool in reinforcing positive behavior without having to hit the pet. Rewards usually come in treats, but over time they can be replaced with encouraging words, admiration and positive actions like patting. When you reward the pet with treats, always remember that smaller treats work best, in order to avoid overfeeding him. Lastly, reward your pet on the spot to make him remember that the action he just did should be repeated to face the same consequences.
About the Author
Learn key dog behavior modification tips by visiting Dog Training Secrets, your guide to training your dog effectively.
A Fun Fact...
Powered By WPFacts
