Dog Training Steps to Success

From Steps to Success in Training Your Dog

The Canine Behavior Center

Canine Behavior Center © 2005 Cherish DeWitt

1. Have a plan.   You need to know what steps it will take to achieve success and a vision of what you want the completed behavior to look like.
2. Lower your expectations.  Perfection will not be accomplished the first time.  Remember behavior is shaped.  Dogs are not born with the knowledge that sit, come, and stay will make you happy.  A relationship needs to be developed.
3. The hardest thing you will teach your dog is “how to learn”.  Once the dog learns about learning, you can teach them almost anything.
4. If you find you are explaining things in sentences to your dog you’ll never get it.  All training can actually be accomplished silently.  Dogs don’t need spoken language, we do, and we rely on it too much.  Your dog doesn’t speak English and never will.  Being wordy only makes it more confusing.
5. Break all training down into achievable steps and build on them.  Never be afraid to go backwards to something your dog knows, in order to go forward.  Build on success so training sessions stay positive.
6. Always practice safety.  This means keeping your dog on leash.  You wouldn’t let go of a child on a busy street.  Remember - Instinct will always override training.  Dogs are animals and they are hard-wired with instincts.
7. Keep track of your training progress.  Keep a journal or a check sheet and take time out of your day to practice.  5-10 minutes sessions several times a day with prove very profitable.
8. Use every opportunity to teach.  Ask your dog to sit before you open a door, lie down before you place his food bowl on the floor, or teach under as the proper place to stay while you eat your meal.  Teach your dog manners in every situation.
9. Provide the right consequences when your dog doesn’t respond correctly.  Ex. A NRM (no reward mark) will be very useful if you have taught it’s meaning.
10. During training avoid being touchy feely with your dog.  Nothing is more distracting to concentration than someone being physical with you.  Use touch and physical play as a reward for completing an exercise rather than a distraction during the learning process.
11. Dog training is timing, timing, timing.  A RM must be accurate and quick and the treat following the RM (reward mark) must be timely also.  Dogs learn associations very well.  They know associations, and timing is everything.
12. I cannot stress management enough.  Everything belongs to you, the toys, the food, the water, the access to exercise.  You control the dog’s world and the dog lives in your house.   There is no free lunch.  However, the paycheck for working needs to be worthy of the dog’s effort.  Be fair and reward what you like generously.

“Always begin every training session with review” Review puts your dog in the right frame of mind for training and it begins the training session with success.”