When is the best time to train my Dog?
Compiled by Barbara Suckling
When
is the best time to begin training my dog?
By the time a puppy is 8 weeks old its sensory, motor and central nervous
system have reached maturity. It is therefore ready for what ever learning
experiences await. We must realise however, that a puppy of this age should
not be expected to behave as an adult dog. It is still EMOTIONALLY immature,
and has a very SHORT ATTENTION SPAN.
Who
should train the dog?
All members of the family need to be involved with the training of the
new puppy. Children in particular need special instruction. They can unknowingly
cause many of the behavioural problems experienced by families with small
children and young puppies. It sounds really dreadful to say that we should
NOT play games with our puppies, but this is true, UNTIL we know how to
stop the game before the puppy gets out of control.
Children (and adults too!) can unintentionally teach the puppy to nip,
bite, chew, chase, jump up, scratch, growl, bark uncontrollably and in
general be a pest. This badly brought up puppy will grow into a totally
unmanageable dog which the family no longer enjoys.
Every member of the family must be involved so bad habits don't form.
How
do we get the dog to behave when it doesn't understand any "Commands"?
A very important issue to decide with your puppy is that of pack leadership.
While your puppy remained with its mother, she was the undisputed pack
leader. No questions asked, Mum was boss! Now we have a new pack, you
and your puppy, and there must be a new pack leader. YOU! Your puppy will
feel much more secure once your leadership has been established and it
knows its place in the pack. Right at the bottom!
The submission exercise demonstrated must be done for at least half an hour per day.
Why
does submission work?
It is a submissive position, and once your puppy learns when you put it
on its side, it must stay there, you have taught your puppy its first
lesson in being "obedient". Be firm and consistent, do not let
your puppy decide when to get up. If your puppy accidentally gets up,
put it back down again (even if it is 29 minutes and 59 seconds to the
half hour!). Remember, you are the pack leader and you will decide when
your puppy may move. If your puppy falls asleep during the submission
let it sleep, at the end of the half hour wake it up and give it permission
to move by using your release word and praise it.
What
is a release word?
Any word or phrase which indicates to your puppy that it may cease doing
whatever behavior or response it has just been doing. A release word is
one of the most important sounds your puppy will learn. We must not expect
our puppies to be able to read our minds! My release word is "Okay".
You may use any word or sound you wish, but, remember the word you choose
is going to be used for all your puppy's releases, not just after his
submission.
How
can I get my puppy to pay attention to me?
Dogs which watch their owners do not bark at other dogs, try to fight
with other dogs, pull on the lead, jump on people etc. Therefore it is
very important to teach your puppy to make eye contact with you.
Begin by saying your puppy's name, using a happy one of voice, when it
looks at you say, "Watch!". Then, "Good watch!". Also,
hold your puppy's face with one hand under his chin and the other stroking
his head, and when it looks at you repeat, "Watch!", "Good
Watch!".
Remember to keep your own eyes happy and smiling.
How
can I teach my puppy to come when called?
The first and most important response to teach your puppy is to come when
called - every time - everywhere!'
To teach this lesson, get a small container, fill it with some doggy type treats, crouch down to your puppy's level, call it and at the same time rattle your container of goodies. When your puppy gets to you feed it immediately.
REMEMBER:-
Puppies do not speak verbal language, therefore, to begin with only say
your come word as the puppy gets to you.
Do not use your puppy's name as its come word. Do you come every time
someone says your name?
Call your puppy many times each day, not just when you want to put it
in its yard or crate etc.
Never call your puppy to you to punish it.
Do
not let your puppy off in strange places until you have it coming 100%
of the time in its own environment.
Let the whole family join in teaching the puppy to come. Everyone should
form a circle, each with some treats, and call the puppy round the circle.
Food is a powerful reinforcer and a delicious reminder to your puppy that
coming to you is the most wonderful thing that it can ever do!
How
do dogs learn to do things, both good and bad?
Very simply, a dog will repeat the things it finds rewarding. Whether
it is chasing cars, jumping on people, scratching at doors, whining in
its yard, sitting, coming when called or going for a walk.
Dogs
repeat the behaviours they find rewarding.
Reward your dog! Reward your dog!
EVERY time it does anything good.
Ah
But ----- How do I stop my dog doing unwanted behaviours?
The most important piece of information regarding this question is:-
Do not use punishment.
There are three ways to stop unwanted behaviours without using punishment:-
1. Cease rewarding unwanted behaviour.
2. Teach the dog to do something else instead. (Train an alternative action).
3. Remove the cause.
Using the latter methods to eliminate unwanted behaviour are far more
likely to be successful because:-
Punishing your dog is extremely unfair and usually ineffective.
Punishment does not show the dog what you want.
The unwanted behaviour will probably be replaced by some other equally
undesirable behaviour.
Punished dogs often become savage.
Or - they become extremely anxious, thus causing even more behavioural
problems.
So
- If you have a problem, decide what you actually want your dog to do,
and then train it to do it!!
I shall be covering specific behavioural problems during the course.
What
must I do to help my puppy become an emotionally sound adult dog?
After the age of four months, if a puppy has not been exposed to people,
other dogs, different places and things, it will never be really comfortable
with them.
Every puppy needs to be carefully exposed to as many different people, children, places, noises and animals as soon as possible.
Take
your puppy with you as often as you can.
Never force a situation so that your puppy becomes frightened.
Don't encourage your puppy's fears by picking it up.
Don't allow adults or children to overwhelm your puppy.
Allow your puppy to investigate and approach strange people, places and
objects at its own pace.
Correctly socialized puppies grow into well-adjusted adult dogs which accept life with curiosity and confidence.
The first four months of your puppy's life can never be repeated. They are critical to the social development and future well-being of your puppy's entire life. The amount of time you have to accomplish all this pre-training is so incredibly short. Eight to twenty weeks is the most important time in your puppy's life. Once certain critical periods have passed they can never be retrieved. The first three weeks, your puppy's mother was responsible for your puppy's well-being. From four to seven or eight weeks your puppy's mother and its breeder shared this responsibility. When your puppy came into your home and life you inherited the awesome responsibility for the wellbeing and education of your puppy.
Love
your puppy, protect it, train and educate it, but most of all:-
Enjoy your puppy!
Puppy-hood is so short, savour every minute of it.