Thursday, August 28, 2008

Knowing Basic Dog Training Techniques Makes For Easier Training

By Lee Dobbins


You have to know some basic dog training techniques to effectively communicate with your dog and train him. Although man has been interacting with dogs for centuries sometimes communication between the two can be confusing.

In order to avoid human frustration and canine misbehavior, when training dogs consider these factors. Remember that while, dogs understand and respond at roughtly the mental level of a human two year old, their senses are very different from humans. For instance, their color vision has a different response pattern to reds and greens. Additionally, their minds process information different from humans. And obviously, of course, their noses are much more sensitive than that of human. Keeping these thoughts in mind will make the task of dog training much easier.

Dogs are naturally pack animals. They are descendants of the wolf which is a social animal and functions best with interactive play and a strict hierarchy. The idea of the 'lone wolf' seems out of character based on the social habits of the wolf.

Beginning training at a young age is best, even four weeks is old enough depending on the breed. Devote a half hour, or better yet an hour, each day for training during the first few months.

There are some basic dog training techniques or guidelines that all types of training utilizes.

One of the first things to do would be to let your dog know that you are the dominant one. There is a hierarchy to dog packs, starting with alpha dogs, then beta dogs, and then down to the omega dog. The human, whether it is a man or woman, needs to always be the alpha male if you want your household to remain calm and your dog to be well-adjusted.

Techniques for dog training actually depends on the breed and the individual dogs itself. Just like human beings some dogs are more assertive than others. Attitude is the most important thing but you should also employ the aid of leashes, collars and commands. Always be sure that you are the one in control - not your dog.

You shouldn't have to use physical force to project your dominance. There are times when this may be necessary, though, it must be properly used. On a normal basis, patience and firmness are all that is needed to properly train your dog.

When they are young, try putting them on their backs with your hand firmly on their chest. When their paws go down they are signaling that they recognize your authority. Sometimes doing this in combination with close eye-to-eye contact helps, since this is the language in which dogs speak.

Begin by using a short leash which will hinder the dog's natural tendency to run and play. It is essential to allow some free time for the dog to run in order to promote good health however. Initially, this time should be scheduled before or after training but not during.

Use single word commands like sit, stay, down, in a firm tone. Always keep your voice the same or each command but make sure each of the different commands sounds different to your dog. You should avoid using double-word commands like 'sit down' or 'stay down' as these words are similar and can confuse your dog.

A constant tone, look and hand sign should be included with every verbal command. Later we can separate them, but initially it is important to offer simplest and most stable type of communication.

Remember that dogs have a word understanding roughly equal to a toddler so you need to keep your meanings simplistic. For example, don't use the verbal command "Down" to mean lay down as well as to indicate not to jump. This will just confuse your dog - stick to 1 meaning per word.

Using these basic dog training techniques, along with a firm hand, some patience and a lot of love will help you have a happy and obedient pet for life!

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