Dog Behavior Training

Behavior Training Articles

Teaching your dog to sit - 02/21/07
Dog Chewing Problems - 02/26/07
Dog Training Collars - 03/12/07

Dogs are pack animals, and as such are only comfortable when their role within the pack has been established. An established role allows the dog to predict the reactions and needs of the rest of his pack. Without a confirmed, consistent role, he never knows when punishment or rewards will occur, and will spend most of the time anxious and worried.

Basic training helps to establish pet parents in role of pack leader, and lays down clear behavior guidelines that the pack can follow. If none of the humans take this role, the dog is forced to attempt to assume it, since the pack must have a leader. Having these clear guidelines allows him to relax, since she knows what behaviors earn what types of attention.

Well-trained dogs are made, not born. Your dog's training, which should begin the day you bring him/her home, will determine if it's the kind of dog who will fit in - or one who will make people cringe (and maybe cross the street) when they see your dog coming.

Your first responsibility is to set the tone of your household. Don't start out letting your canine get away with bad behavior because "she's just a puppy" or "all this is new to him/her."

At first you will have to arrange the dogs environment so he/she doesn't get into trouble through ignorance. Don't give him a chance to be bad and then remove him/her from bad situations: For example, put the kitchen garbage where your dog can't get it. If he starts to chew on a table leg, tell him/her a firm “No.” and remove him from the area. Immediately give him/her a toy along with some encouraging words, such as "This is for you." When he starts playing with or chewing on the toy, give praise.

Make it your highest priority to teach your dog the basic behavior training commands until he/she obeys them consistently and without hesitation. This can't be achieved overnight with a puppy, but you should devote time several times a day to teaching and playing, even with a very young puppy. Unless your dog has a solid understanding of "Sit," "Stay," "Down," "Come" and "Release," he/she will often be confused about what you want him/her to do, and teaching him good manners will be impossible.

Teaching your dog good manners becomes much easier once he/she has a solid understanding of the basic commands: "Sit," "Come," "Down," "Stay" and "Release." Once a new habit is taught, it must be reinforced consistently because the old habit will be hard to eradicate completely. A dog that jumps up on visitors can be told to sit. This will stop his behavior, but he will still want to jump up. Don't let him/her do it - if the dog gets by with jumping up even once in a while, the behavior will take a long time to disappear. Here are some of the most common bad habits and ways to eliminate them.

BasicBehavior Training Priorities:

Barking at visitors. Most people don't mind if their dog barks when she hears someone at the door. They and their visitors will become annoyed if he continues to bark after the visitors are invited in. To stop the barking, put your dog in a "down, stay" position: most dogs will not bark when they are lying down. If he continues to bark, select a command such as "Hush." When she quits barking, praise him by saying "Good hush." This may need to be repeated several times.

Jumping on people to greet them. Dogs jump up so that they can get closer to your face when they greet you - if you get down to a puppy's level when you greet her, she may never start jumping up.

If she already has a confirmed jumping habit, the easiest way to stop her is to tell her to "Sit" when she meets people but before she begins to jump up.

Licking. Some people don't mind if their dog licks their hands, or even faces. Other people find it disgusting. If you don't want him to lick you, get up and walk away from him when he tries it.

Pushing through doors. People often let their dogs get away with shoving ahead of you and pulling their leash to get out the door because they think he is too excited to listen to them. However, an out-of-control dog may get away and dash into the street. Put him on the leash before you go to the door and make him sit and stay while you open the door. After you have gone through, invite him to follow you.

Chewing your belongings. The best way to avoid chewing by a new puppy or adult dog is to leave them unsupervised only in areas where there is nothing to damage; she must also have chew toys that she knows are for her. If there is no area in your house that is chew-proof, the best answer is crate training.If you see your dog beginning to chew something inappropriate, stay calm: yelling at her will probably just teach her not to chew on things when you are around. Take away what she is chewing on while saying a firm, “No.” Then give her one of her own chew toys and when she starts chewing on it, praise her.

Pleading for attention. Many dogs act as though it is your sole function in life to give them attention, and it is certainly a pleasure for you to spend time petting and grooming them. However, if your dog believes she can demand attention from you whenever she wants it, she will think she can set the rules. If you are busy and your dog begins to pester you, put her in a "down, stay" position. After a few minutes of her staying quiet, praise her for obeying.

Digging up the yard. Digging is natural behavior for dogs. They will bury food or make a cool place to lie in the summer. You can choose either to have a no-digging rule or to set aside an area where he is allowed to dig. If you want to prohibit digging, you will have to supervise your dog's outings in the yard, because some dogs will dig even if they are on a leash. If you want to allow him to dig, designate a small area and encourage him to dig there. If you have previously yelled at him for digging, he may not want to dig while you are there. You may have to dig a little bit yourself to show him it is okay; you also might bury a treat or a bone for him to find. He may still want to dig in other areas, so you will have to continue to supervise him in the yard.

Aggression. All dogs have some aggressive tendencies. If he has a serious aggression problem, you should seek help from a professional trainer or animal behaviorist.

However, most aggression problems can be avoided if your new puppy is properly socialized. Fear sometimes leads to aggression, which can also be reduced by socialization.

Fear. If your dog has been socialized and thoroughly trained, he is unlikely to be fearful in most situations. Even so, dogs - like humans - can be afraid of new or strange situations. To handle these situations, you can use several tactics: give your dog a command, such as "Sit," and then praise her. She knows that nothing bad will happen if she obeys a command, and listening to her owner will take her mind off whatever is making her afraid. If a strange object is causing the fear, you can encourage your dog to believe that she is safe by casually inspecting it yourself. If she sees that you are not afraid, she will believe she is safe. If your dog is extremely fearful, you should consult a professional trainer or animal behaviorist.

Submissive behavior. Some dogs are naturally submissive and lack confidence. Instead of greeting their owners happily, they will crouch submissively and sometimes even urinate out of fear, and being angry with them only makes the problem worse.Don't confuse submissive behavior with guilt - if you just found the garbage all over the kitchen, your dog knows you are angry and she will react by acting submissively. She doesn't associate the garbage with your anger, however, and punishment will only make her more afraid and more submissive.

Behavior Training Articles

Teaching your dog to sit - 02/21/07
Dog Chewing Problems - 02/26/07
Dog Training Collars - 03/12/07

More to come on Dog Behavior Training...