1. MAKE LEARNING FUN FOR BOTH YOU AND YOUR DOG
By using patience, praise, and rewards healthy dogs of any age can learn.
2. TRAIN THE DOG THE BASIC COMMANDS AND TO WALK ON LEASH
Come, sit, stay, down, down-stay, and heel on leash are beneficial and easy behaviors to teach your dog.
3. USE ONE WORD COMMANDS
Avoid combining commands with the dog’s name, which should be used to get the dog’s attention. Too much talking to the dog allows the command to get lost in the verbiage
4. START TRAINING IN A QUIET ENVIRONMENT WITH FEW DISTRACTIONS
Once the response is learned, move the training location to progressively more complex and stimulating environments. The dog will have to be trained in a minimum of three locations before it will generalize the command.
5. REWARD CORRECT BEHAVIORS
Initially all appropriate responses should be rewarded within 1/2 second of the command. Once the behavior is established, reward it intermittently. Intermittent rewards are powerful and increase the permanency of the response.
6. USE VALUED REWARDS AND REWARD FOR ALL CORRECT RESPONSES
Use rewards your dog likes most (food, touch, praise) and use that reward frequently initially. As training progresses, vary the types of reward given. Be careful not to reward unwanted behaviors.
7. ONCE THE DOG KNOWS THE COMMAND:
– reduce the intensity of the command
– have other members of the family train the same command
8. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAIN IF THE DOG IS EXTREMELY TIRED, FEARFUL, OR EXCITABLE
A refusal by the dog to accept a food tidbit is an indication the dog is in a state of stress that will prevent it from learning. Stop the training session and allow the dog to rest or play with the dog to reduce its stress level
9. UNWANTED BEHAVIORS
Reverse training tools and unwanted behaviors. Use………food tidbits, clickers, whistles and head halters
10. TRAINING TOOLS
Use only non-aversive reinforcing aids such as the clicker and head halters.
11. PUNISHMENT
Punishment does not work – the opposite of a reward is no reward, not punishment!
