| Dogs will always need obedience training, at least | | | | That's why it's important that everyone that |
| at a basic level. This is true even if the breed is | | | | deals with the dog uses the same form of the |
| well designed to fit the needs that humans have. | | | | command. A good example that you see in |
| You need a minimum level of obedience training | | | | everyday life is the substitution of the "come" |
| because you can't expect them to learn what | | | | command with words like "come here boy" or |
| you want on their own. | | | | "here". |
| There are some principles behind obedience | | | | Principle Two: YOU SHOULD KEEP IT SHORT |
| training that insure that you get the results that | | | | You should keep both the command words and |
| you're going after. | | | | the training sessions short. Dogs don't have the |
| Principle One: YOU SHOULD BE CONSISTENT | | | | biggest attention span in the world, and training |
| Consistency is an important part of obedience | | | | sessions aren't exactly activities that can keep |
| training, probably the most important. You should | | | | them interested for very long. In the case of |
| be consistent in the actions that you use together | | | | puppies, a stimulus that will keep them interested |
| with commands or words, and you should also | | | | is a moving toy car that they can follow, and |
| use a consistent tone and words when you talk | | | | once they lose interest in it they would do |
| with him. When you start the obedience training, | | | | something else. |
| you should decide what parameters you are going | | | | The interest they had in the beginning isn't the |
| to use and what do you want the dog to learn. | | | | same as it will be a few minutes later, so they |
| Just saying a command, like "come" doesn't mean | | | | get bored quite easily. 10-15 minutes of training |
| that the dog will understand it. Obviously, a dog | | | | should be enough for each obedience training |
| can't understand out language or thing in the same | | | | session. |
| way that people do. Using the same command on | | | | Principle Three: YOU SHOULDN’T PUNISH |
| a regular basis and consistently, makes sure that | | | | YOUR DOG |
| in time he will associate the meaning with the | | | | If you want to train a dog to listen to you, |
| word you're using for it. | | | | punishment isn't an option. Forcing a dog to obey |
| In the example I gave before, for the "come" | | | | the commands you give him if he isn't prepared is |
| command, everyone in the house should use the | | | | also not an option. |
| word in its singular form. He needs to understand | | | | During training, don't push the dog too far. Since |
| that "come" means that he needs to approach | | | | he thinks he's playing, he's not prone to learning |
| the person that gives him the command. When | | | | things right then, just by hearing a command only |
| you give him the command "come", you should | | | | once. He will only see that you're upset at him, |
| not be doing anything that will confuse him in | | | | but he will not understand that you want a faster |
| regards to its meaning. | | | | progress. |
| If he doesn't obey the command, you shouldn't | | | | Negative reinforcement is a much better choice |
| force him to do it, and then punish him for coming | | | | for training, since force will not bring your point |
| to you. This way, the dog will associate the | | | | across as it should. Praise him when he does |
| punishment with the command. Since he thinks | | | | something you want, and don't do it when a |
| that this command will bring him a punishment, the | | | | command isn't followed. |
| dog will not obey it in the future. | | | | |