Positive Training Dog – Training Techniques That Really Work!
Does your dog embarrass you? Does he order at the table? Does he pee on the floor? Does his dog jump on his visitors and growl at the children? Does he dig up your flower beds or pull the leash on him?
Do you sometimes wish you never had a dog?
My friend Chet, the quintessential professional dog trainer, says that solving these problems starts with training your dog to learn how to problem solve. This will drastically improve his ability to learn new behaviors and he will eventually start following your commands. This is positive training that dogs respond to quickly.
For example, let’s take a look at two 8-week-old puppies, neither of which are potty trained, and show you how this works.
Let’s take a puppy and train him the traditional, shredded way. Every time he goes to the bathroom, we’ll try to catch him in the act and then grind his face in his own urine and/or feces, hit him with a rolled up newspaper while yelling “Bad dog! Bad dog!” and then throw it out.
Conventional wisdom says that the dog will quickly realize that shitting in front of you gives him a beating and, if he’s smart, will ask to go outside where he won’t get hit.
Maybe. Maybe not. It is definitely not a positive training technique for your dog.
It is much more likely that you are teaching your dog to hide from you when he goes to the bathroom so he doesn’t get hit. Chet had a customer call him and ask why her dog always went behind the couch to pee, even though she swears she never hit him.
Chet doesn’t believe him.
The situation changes when we use positive dog training techniques. Watch what happens when we first teach the puppy to learn to solve problems.
First, we won’t start with potty training. Instead we will put up a makeshift dog fence and keep the pup confined to this area. If you have an accident in this space, you won’t bother us.
Second, we chose a training exercise to teach the pup problem-solving skills so that when we get to potty training, the dog picks up on it MUCH quicker. We are once again creating a positive dog training atmosphere.
Chet begins by teaching his pup the “go to the mat” game. He drops little treats on the floor every time the pup comes to climb on his mat. The pup soon realizes that lying on his mat is what gets him his reward. The only clue Chet gives the animal is the treat it drops on the ground. You have to see this, it’s amazing!
The pup masters “go to the mat” in a few minutes. According to Chet, once you’ve taught your dog the VALUABLE skill of problem solving, the pup will begin to use this type of thinking in everything he does.
It’s not hard to understand how this ability will allow the dog to potty learn, and more advanced behaviors, much faster. This is all part of positive dog training that your pet will quickly pick up on.
Don’t you wish you could train your dog to change all his bad behaviors? Imagine a quiet home where your pet is calm and follows your instructions. Imagine him ringing a bell when he has to go out and peeing only where you tell him to go. Imagine brisk walks with your pet by your side, without pulling or jumping; Don’t bark at other dogs or other people!