Back to the Very Basics (part 2)

There are a lot of things to keep in mind when training a dog, and most of them are not the same ideas of training you might have learned with your family dog when you were growing up.  But changing the way you think about your dog as well as how you think about training will help shape your training sessions and set you both up for success, not failure.   Understanding your dogs need for a purpose and respecting the fact that each dog learns at a different pace will help you both stay motivated to accomplish your goals.  Being consistent with your commands and keeping your training sessions 10 – 15 minutes long will help relieve frustration and keep your sessions a positive experience.  

Hollywood dog trainer, Mark Harden, has worked with and trained many star animals.  Working with animals on set can be a very unique challenge as the four-legged ‘actors’ must perform their command on cue, over and over again, getting it perfect every time.  Sometimes these tricks have to be done without Mark anywhere near the animal or even in sight.  He knows all of the rules we’ve discussed first hand but after all of his years of experience he has a few rules of his own to share:

1.       Be clear and simple in what you want from your dog. Start with small, basic tricks and don’t move on until you are certain that the first behaviors have been consistently mastered.

2.       Every dog is different, and different dogs are motivated by vastly different things. Have a lot of options in your tool kit, and don’t give up until you find that special reward or activity that allows you and your dog to communicate with each other.  And make sure the experience is fun!

3.       My “yin and yang” rule: when you teach any behavior, also teach the opposite of that behavior – for instance, “sit” goes with “get on your feet!”

4.       Use mixed-variable reinforcement – once the dog has the basics of the behavior you are trying to teach, don’t reward it every time, and alternate rewards, from food to praise to toys. Eventually, having successfully completed the behavior becomes a reward in itself.

5.       Be specific. Pay for what you want, not for what you don’t want.  If the dog gets only part of the behavior right, don’t reward.  Otherwise, you are teaching him to get only part of the behavior right! Let him figure out what it is he needs to do to get paid – that’s part of the challenge.

6.       Be yourself when training – your best self – and be consistent. 

Remember, your dog is eager to please you.  Be sure you are sending clear messages about what you want, reward only commands that are carried out to your expectations, and be consistent.  Not many dogs are naturally obedient, nor is the perfect canine citizen born overnight.  Be patient and persistent.  Your pup is just waiting for the opportunity to prove to you that he is worth the effort and he can make you proud.