Positive reinforcement dog training have long been acknowledged as a very effective and positive dog training strategy for the owner.Positive training is so crucial that it’s the only way to train deadly animals like lions and tigers for circuses and the film and television industry.
Positive training proponents swear by the effectiveness of their methods, and it’s true that the vast majority of dogs respond well to them.
The Right Reward Will Make Your Dog Happy
The use of prizes to teach the dog what is expected of it is one of the reasons why positive reinforcement dog training is so effective.When the dog exhibits the desired behaviour, he is rewarded, most commonly with a food treat, but it could also be a scratch behind the ears, a rub under the chin, or a pat on the head.
What matters is that the dog is continually rewarded for doing the correct thing.
Consistently Reward Performance
Reward training has grown increasingly popular in recent years, but it’s likely that people and dogs have been rewarding one other for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.Understanding what makes incentive training so effective requires a basic understanding of human and canine history.
The first dogs were most likely wolf pups domesticated and employed by early humans for predator protection, alarm systems, and eventually guarding and herding cattle.
Is it true that all dogs descended from the wolf?
It’s likely that the wolf pups who made the best friends were also the easiest to teach, or that these early canines were orphaned or abandoned.
Whatever their origins, there is little doubt that the great majority of dogs we see today descended from the simple wolf.
Wolf packs, like wild dog packs, follow a tight pack hierarchy. Because wolf and dog packs hunt in packs, this form of hierarchy, as well as the cooperation it fosters, is critical to the species’ survival.
Every dog understands their place in the pack…
Every dog in the pack knows where he or she belongs, and the hierarchy, once established, rarely changes, save in the event of death or injury.
As a result, every dog is hardwired to seek advice from the pack leader. All good dog training, including reward-based training, starts with the handler establishing himself as the pack leader.
The dominating dog or the one who directs all the subordinates what to do is not the pack leader. The pack leader, moreover, provides leadership and protection, and his or her leadership is critical to the pack’s success and survival.
The Pack Leader is a human being.
The dog must perceive himself as a member of a pack, recognise the human as the pack’s leader, and respect his or her authority. Some canines are significantly easier to control than others.
If you observe a group of puppies play for a long, you’ll notice the dominant and submissive personalities soon.
Because he or she will not desire to challenge the handler for leadership, a dog with a more submissive nature will be easier to train through positive reinforcement.
Methods of Positive Dog Training Work on retraining aggressive dogs as well.
Positive reinforcement dog training, on the other hand, works wonders for even the most dominating canines. Few dogs, in fact, do not react well to positive reinforcement training, commonly known as incentive training.
Positive reinforcement is also the most effective technique to rehabilitate a dog with behavioural issues, particularly one that has been abused previously.
It can be tough to gain an abused dog’s respect and trust, and positive reinforcement works better than any other training strategy at forming this crucial bond.
Positive reinforcement training methods can help any dog, no matter what breed they are. The greatest approach to get the most out of any dog is to use training methods that are based on respect and trust rather than intimidation and fear.
Here is a recap:
#1 Positive reinforcement dog training
Positive reinforcement approaches have been generally accepted by the behavioural scientific community as the most effective, long-lasting, compassionate, and safe form of dog training.In simple terms, positive reinforcement indicates that rewarding a desirable behaviour increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated.
These methods are a foundational element of the core of positive training when combined with negative punishment (removal or withholding of something the dog wants for a short period of time, such as food, attention, toys, or human contact) or using a vocal interrupter to redirect negative behaviour onto a desired behaviour and guide a dog into making the right choices.
Traditional, old school trainers frequently say that positive training demonstrates a lack of leadership, but the truth is that the most recognised and successful leaders can impact change without resorting to force.
#2 – Avoiding Punitive Measures
Confrontational, punitive training tactics on dogs have been demonstrated in scientific research to not only not work in the long run, but also to increase aggressive behaviour and make already violent dogs much more hostile.
Although it is a simple notion, it can be difficult for dog owners to remember that fighting fire with fire almost always results in someone being burned.
So, while current behavioural science has spoken out against compulsion training, most of us already know what our instincts are telling us: rewarding rather than punishing is more humane.
Many supporters of traditional dog training say that the punishment they administer, such as an electric shock or a fast kick to the ribs, is not particularly harmful. There are several degrees of punishment, and everyone must eventually decide for themselves how far they are willing to go.
However, most well-adjusted individuals would want to avoid doing anything that causes your dog pain or anxiety if at all possible, regardless of how minor the punishment is.
#3 – Recognizing Dominance
The single biggest issue facing our collective ability to build truly healthy, functioning relationships with our dogs is a misunderstanding of what dominance is and how it operates in the dog world.
Anyone who has heard a trainer refer to themselves as the ‘alpha,’ ‘top dog,’ or ‘leader of the pack,’ in order to preserve balance and appropriate chemistry between dog and owner, has seen personally how pervasive this hugely mistaken belief has become in our current culture.
To be sure, the scientific knowledge of this concept has evolved over the last half-century and is still fairly complex. The simplest method to describe the subject of dominance as it applies to our pet canines, however, is to assure you that you don’t need to be nearly as anxious as you probably are.
If left uncontrolled, dogs will not take over the world, and they do not necessarily fall into the popularly accepted hierarchy roles that we so often ascribe to them.The most crucial thing for a dog owner to realise is that their dog’s misbehaving is almost never the consequence of them attempting to assert dominance over their human.
#4 – Using a Dog’s Perspective
You can’t form a close bond with your dog unless you completely understand how he perceives the world around him, yet learning his language and appreciating his sensory experience are prerequisites.
Because senses are tightly linked to emotions, and emotions drive behaviour, it stands to reason that, even if we are only scraping the surface of the dog’s sense capabilities, they play an important role in the dog’s life. Sensory education is the technique of using the senses to help dogs learn and work through any behavioural issues they may have.
Meanwhile, as the more evolved species, we must learn to ‘speak dog,’ rather than expecting our four-legged companions to learn English (or any other language). This will lay the groundwork for a deeper bond and make finding effective positive solutions for any issue behaviours your dog may exhibit much easier.
We have spent thousands of years domesticating dogs, so it is our obligation to provide them with the confidence and tools they need to thrive and survive in our odd, human world.
