Dog Training

Though dog-human interaction goes back thousands of years, communication between the two is still sometimes rough. The human half of the pair is usually the smarter party, but watching the usual training sessions one can have legitimate reason to wonder.

Dogs understand and respond at roughly the mental level of a human two-year-old, but there the similarity ends. Their senses operate differently - their color vision has a different response pattern to reds and greens, for example, and obviously their noses are infinitely more sensitive - and their minds process information differently as well. Anyone training dogs has to take this into account in order to avoid human frustration and canine misbehavior.

Dogs are pack animals by nature. Descendant from wolves - where even the 'lone wolf' is an anomaly - they're social and function best with active interplay and within a strict hierarchy.

So, set aside half-an-hour per day, an hour would be better, for at least the first few months of training. Start training your dog as soon as possible. Puppy training sometimes can be started as early as four weeks old.

Elimination ('potty') training details we leave for elsewhere, but all training follows similar guidelines.

Establish your pack dominance early on. Dogs have a natural hiearchy- there are alpha dogs, beta dogs, and the bottom dog is the omega. For a sane household, and a well-adjusted dog, the human (whether male or female) must always be the alpha male of the pack.

Depending on the breed, this will be either more difficult or easier. Like humans, some are simply more assertive than others. Leashes, collars, commands and other training aids are all highly useful but most important is attitude. Never let your dog be the boss.

Physical force is not necessary to enforce your dominance. Sometimes, used appropriately, that will be necessary. Usually, simply being firm and willing to wait for compliance will be enough.

For many, placing them on their backs when young and placing a firm hand in the middle of the chest until they lower their paws - a sign of submission - will be enough. With some, reinforcing this by putting your face close to theirs, emulating dominant dog behavior, can help.

Keep the leash short to discourage your dog to run, and pay attention to you. Allow plenty of time for free running behavior, essential to dog health, but that's before or after training, not during. At least, not at first.

Start simply by choosing short, clear commands that sound distinctly different: sit, stay, down, come. Use a firm voice when addressing your dog. You're in charge, but not angry. Avoid double-word commands like 'sit down' or 'stay down'. This sounds too much alike and may confuse your dog. Like we say at Unique Dog Houses.net, if it confuses you it will confuse your dog.

Be consitent with each verbal command by using the same tone, look and hand gesture. Eventually these can separate, but at first it's essential to provide the simplest, most consistent form of communication.

Just like two-year old humans, dogs have limited capacity for grasping the subtleties of language. Assist their understanding by rigid consistency. Don't use a single command word to mean more than one thing. 'Down' can mean 'don't jump on me or anyone else', or it can mean 'get on your stomach', but it has to mean one thing only.

Be clear, be patient and be committed and the result will be a dog who trusts and listens to you. And that makes it worth the effort. Find more on dog training at Luvurdog.com/dogtraining

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The 'down' command is a staple of training a dog, and is a must. My article here will show you the basics of the 'down' command, and adopts technique from 'Secrets to Dog Training', the best selling dog training program you can get. 

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'Down Dog!'

This lesson is best taught outside, in a open area your dog trusts, free from ALL distractions. An empty park, your back yard, or a unclutterd room is ideal.

Start by calling your dog to attention with a favourite treat (cut up chicken, sausage or bologna). The idea is to get the dog to be positioned standing in front of you.. Hold a reward in front of him, then move it slowly down to the ground in front of him, but far away to know he cant have it. Restrain the dog if you need to. Use your chosen down command (voice and hand motion) and repeat it until he lays down.

After he lies down, let him have his treat by moving it to him, as he is lying down.

Dont let him get the treat, until the dog can complete the wole command. Never reward your dog for a half done job. If the dog appears reluctant, try and coax him onto his back to get him down and reward him. Keep this up, you want to keep going until the dog learns that he is rewarded when he lies right down. It wont take long if he is mildly hungry!

When your dog lays down with confidence, hold up the treat off the ground and out in front of him, so he can see it well. What we want to achieve is the dog lying down, anticipating the treat!

This will confuse the dog at first but keep motioning him with hand guidance, but only reward with the treat when he is fully down. 

After practise of this, start giving the 'down' command (hand motion and voice instruction) before you present the treat to lead the dog down.

Now gradually try to wean your dog of wanting the reward. You can get him to respond to a down sweep of the hand, and a 'down' command. Hold the reward further and further away from him, and reduce the praise each time as you give it to him. Get him to accept your happiness as reward for following the voice and hand commands.

You can get to the rest of our great articles and read the end of this one, at my website www.dog-hobbyist.com

Also be sure to check out 'Secrets to Dog Training' for a huge array of amazing dog training techniques, behaviour fixes and keeping/feeding/owning instructions. At only $39.00, Its the best investment you will ever make in yourself and your pet!

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