How to Learn About Dog Training Methods

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By Toby Lee Spiegel
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Learn About Dog Training Methods

Training fulfills some of your dog's basic needs such as exercise, the security of knowing what's expected, a feeling of accomplishment, and social interaction. Training will give your dog a job to do and can be useful in redirecting some of the mental energy of an animal that was meant for work.

Start dog training as early as possible because it helps you bond faster, and he can learn good manners before he has the chance to develop bad habits.

There are many styles of training - leash, reward, clicker, lure, play, or a combination of techniques.

Classes and formal instruction training include basic obedience, advanced obedience, show dog conformation, trick training, agility, guarding and protection, guide dogs, military dogs, hunting, problem solving, and more.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Basic Dog Training:
1. Functional obedience - be well-mannered and respond to basic commands such as sit, down, stay, come, no, heel, etc
2. Housetraining - dogs do not soil the house out of spite or because they are stupid; they soil the house because they have not been taught to do otherwise. After your dog has the idea of what's expected of him, you can teach him to signal you when he needs to go by barking, going to the door and scratching, or even ringing a bell.
4. Kennel (crate) training - car rides, airplane travel, overnights at the veterinarian, housebreaking
3. Socialization - good manners around children, adults, and other animals
4. Behave during grooming - nail trimming, brush and combing, bathing, etc
5. Problem prevention and solving - no jumping on people, eliminate phobias and fears, separation anxiety, destructive chewing, excessive barking, aggression, submissive urination, car chasing, etc.
6. Leash training - how to hold a leash, use a leash for obedience training, casual walking, off-leash freedom
7. Traveling - not to fear car rides and how to behave in a car
Step 2

Advanced Dog Training:
1. Agility
2. Dog Sport Training. fly ball, Frisbee, canine musical freestyle, etc.
3. Schutzhund. obedience, tracking, protection
4. Tricks just for fun. fetch, roll over, take a bow, shake paws
5. Hunting. bird dog retriever training from basic obedience through advanced field training
Step 3

Universal Tips:
Use your dog's name to get his attention. Do this randomly 10 times a day. Never call your dog to you and then punish him.

Always enforce commands that you give, and don't constantly repeat commands. Don't let your him ignore a command. If you're not serious about enforcing a command, don't give it.

Reinforce desirable behavior with rewards and lots of praise. Don't ignore good behavior, if he's sitting quietly let him know with gentle praise.

Never punish undesirable behavior. Don't blame a sick dog for bad behavior. Have a veterinarian examination to rule out medical problems.

Timing is critical to successful training. Praise your dog whenever he is doing something right. Reprimand him immediately and to the point whenever he misbehaves or fails to response to your command. Praise and reprimand that happen later will have no effect on your dog. Connect the action (your praise or correction) to the event.

Interrupt the behavior pattern you want to change. Make corrections short, sharp, and well defined. Name a behavior - associate words with your dog's actions.

Dog training is a lesson in self control. Control yourself and you'll effectively be able to control your dog. Never train when you are in a bad mood. Enjoy your furry friend and keep a sense of humor.

The easiest way to have training be a joy for both you and your dog is to build it into his everyday life. Make the sessions fun because you want the time spent training to be the most fun your dog has with you, not the time he dreads.

Keep sessions short: 10 - 15 minutes, 1 or 2 times a day, 4 or 5 days a week. Always end on a positive note with something he does well.

Lots of praise vs corrections - at least 2 to 1. If your dog is confused, go back to something he does well so that you can praise him.
Step 4

A well trained dog:
Has good manners, so he can spend most of his time indoors with his people

Allows you to handle every part of his body for basic grooming, check for injury or illness, give him medication

Wants to stay near you, listening for instructions and praise

Will walk or run beside you on a leash without pulling, dragging, or strangling

Knows phrases that mean business, and will respond accordingly

Will "sit" immediately, simply because you say so

Understands his boundaries, knows what's expected of him, has fewer anxieties and fears