Dog Training at Home

Traditional Dog Training at Home Revealed


Traditional Dog Training was initially developed to train war dogs. It was very useful during World War I. This training technique was embraced by civilian trainers after World War II, and quickly became the standard way to train dogs.

It seems that Colonel Konrad Most was the founder of this technique and, therefore , he is acknowledged as the father of modern Dog Training.

However , the main supporter of the technique was William R. Koehler. His book "The Koehler Method of Dog Training at Home" could be the all-time best selling publication in the field.

Modern scientific principles of learning were not used to develop traditional training, so it is an empirical technique. Nevertheless, it seems that Konrad Most already understood the principles of operant conditioning on 1910, several years before those principles were published. So , this technique can be explained by operant conditioning principles.

Negative reinforcement and punishment are the main teaching ways of traditional training.

Negative reinforcement is the process that strengthens a behavior because an unpleasant situation is stopped or avoided as a consequence of that particular behavior. For instance, pushing on your dog's shoulders will provoke an unpleasant situation for him. If the pressure over his shoulders disappears when he lies down, he will be more likely to do the same in the future, just to avoid that unpleasant sensation. Thus, your dog will be learning to lie down through negative reinforcement.

Punishment, on the other hand, is an unpleasant consequence of a particular behavior. Although punishment could weaken a behavior, it is not a guarantee that this will happen. Besides, punishments usually have undesired collateral effects.

An example of punishment would be if you hit your dog or yell at him because he climbed on the armchair. As a consequence you may get your dog off of the armchair, but there is no guarantee that he won't climb again. Some possible undesired consequences could be that your dog bites you, he gets scared each time you appear or he gets phobia to armchairs.

Choke chains, prong collars and shock (electric) collars are common tools in traditional training and all its variants. Also, this kind of training is usually targeted to dog obedience exercises, disregarding behavioral problems.

Advocates of this technique often argue that traditional training provides reliable results which can't be obtained with other techniques. They also claim that training collars (choke, prong and shock) are harmless because dogs have a high threshold of pain.

Detractors of traditional Dog Training at Home argue that both the technique and the tools are cruel and violent. They also claim that the technique can cause dangerous collateral effects, such as fear biting and damages to the dog's trachea.

Effective Dog Training at Home - Ian Dunbar

Dog Training: Tips and Tricks to Stop Your Dog from Digging Up Your Yard

Dog Training: Tips and Tricks to Stop Your Dog from Digging Up Your Yard

It's downright infuriating to look out the window and see Buddy digging another hole in the yard. You yell out the window; he may or may not even acknowledge he's heard anything; then back to the digging. This dog behavior has got to stop.

WHY DOGS DIG...

Did you ever stop to think WHY Buddy digs? (except to make you mad! ). This is the real trick - to figure out why he's digging in the first place, the motivation behind the dog behavior. Then you can take Dog Training steps to discourage it, redirect that energy and possibly stop it completely.

1. I'M BORED!

Location: Digging along the fence lines and at the gate.

Why? He is bored and wants to get out for some action.

Solution: Provide more exercise for your dog, both physical and mental. The more exercise the better, according to your dog. A tired, happy dog will rest nicely between great outings.

2. I'M HOT!!

Digging along the edge of the house or shallow "pits, " especially in the heat of the summer.

Why? Your dog is most likely creating a cool spot in the cool under-earth. If under the porch, he's creating a den.

Solution: Check to make sure you are providing fresh cool water throughout the day and night.

Is there adequate shade to protect your dog from the hot sun? Is good air circulation available or possibly a nice breeze? Or is the space filled with stagnant air?

Provide plant life (trees, bushes) for shelter from the hot sun. Cool grass keeps the ground heat down.

3. IT'S JUST MY NATURE!

Sometimes it's the breed of dog, not so much the environment. Some breeds tend to be burrowers -hounds, huskies, malamutes are a few examples.

Solution: If this is the case, work with your dog to agree on a place he can do his thing and camouflage it with something like plants or fencing.

4. I LIKE IT!!

Some dogs just like to dig, and dig they will, no matter how much you yell and scream.

Solution: Create and help them with the ideal digging place - a sandy blend with hidden treasures that reward digging at that spot. Having a prepared area encourages the digger to focus the digging to the area you set up in an out-of-the-way place. Remember to keep the area stocked with assorted treats and toys.

TO FILL OR NOT TO FILL - EXISTING HOLES

The second part of the story is...

What to do with the holes that keep reappearing, no matter what you do? Have you back-filled holes dug by your dog only to find them dug again, over and over?

When this happens, the next stage of hole-filling is called for.

You might think this next step it involves yelling at your dog, or rapping on the window. Nope. Are you really going to stand and stare out the window hoping to correct the situation while it's happening (which would be the only way to really correct it using this method)?

TECHNIQUES FOR "FILLING" HOLES

There are two better techniques to encourage your dog to rethink digging that hole.

The easier of the two is to fill the hole until almost full. Mix the last portion of dirt with dog poo, pinecones, moth balls, or other repelling non-harmful substance. The next time your dog arrives for the big dig, he quickly finds the game has changed. Most dogs quickly change their behavior.

The second method is more time consuming but effective. Cut a section of chicken wire or similar to cover the hole plus 8" or more. Dig a hole a few inches deep that surrounds the hole and will fit the wire shape.

Fill the hole and then press wire in place and cover with dirt. Pack the area well, particularly around the wire edges. When your dog returns, the wire will stop his digging progress.

If along a fence line, secure the wire to the fence along the inside of the fence, just a short distance from the ground. When the wire gets to the ground, keep going vertically a short distance underground. Then bend the wire so the bottom is perpendicular to the top (forms an L). Bury the horizontal part underground inside the fence, pointing away from the fence. When your dog digs he is stopped by the wire and his weight on the earth helps keep the wire in place. The result is the dog gives up on that area.

Pretty cool, huh?!

CONCLUSION

We humans see digging as bad dog behavior. Dogs don't, and they dig for different reasons. If you can figure out why they're digging, you can put Dog Training steps in place to stop it. Some dogs dig, that's what they do. Set them up a space to dig and you both win!

Try these Dog Training techniques to change unwanted dog behavior. They seriously work.

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Dog Training: Classical conditioning

Dog Training: Classical conditioning


Russian psychologist, Ivan Pavlov, discovered Classical, or in the terminology of behavior analysis respondent conditioning, in 1920s. It seems that classical conditioning was discovered by chance. Pavlov was investigating dog´s digestion when he noticed that the most experienced dogs that he had been testing began to salivate before the samples of food were presented to them. He started to investigate this systematically. Throughout Pavlov´s experiment, dogs were exposed to a wide variety of arbitrary stimuli (example bell and light) presented contiguously with food. Pavlov has a special laboratory constructed in which the experimenter and a dog were separated from each other in soundproof rooms. Discovery was that conditioned stimulus (bell) began to trigger the same reactioning (salivate) in dogs that unconditioned stimulus (food) did. The associative bond between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US) is strengthened when the CS consistently occurs just before the representation of the US and is weakened when the CS and US occur independently of each other. So classical conditioning is unintentional and subconscious reaction to a certain stimuli.

It is important to understand how classical conditioning works and hopefully a few everyday examples will do that. Most dogs respond readily to sound of doorbell ringing and after several repetitions, in which the bell signals the arrival of someone at the door, the dog may begin to example bark. The dog has learned to correlate a previously insignificant event (doorbell) with a significant on (visitor) and now when the doorbell rings the dog dances with excitement anticipating the visitor´s entry and greetings. But what starts to happen if dogs owner doesnt open the door when doorbell rings? After several sessions of nonreinforced exposures to the bell, the dog will gradually inhibit its anticipatory reactions and finally ignore the sound altogether. We can say that the conditioned effect has been extinguished.

Classical conditioning has also an important role in the development of anxiety and fears. For instance, dogs easily develope fears associated with the veterinary clinic, especially if they have undergone painful procedures there. It may help to prevent negative associations to the veterinary clinic when we provide dogs or puppies treats and other pleasurable experiences while being examined. But what if dog doesnt eat in that situation? Its probably too stressed (or not hungry) and you have to start giving food to the dog earlier (example in the hospital parking lot). Lifelong phobic reactions can also occur as the result of a single traumatic event and dogs suffer a broad spectrum of phobic fears, most of which are established and reversed through classical conditioning.

But does Pavlov have anything really good information for us to use in Dog Training? You may have heard about clicker training. When we examine clicker training through classical conditioning, clicker is conditioned stimulus (CS) and food (or some else reinforcement) is unconditioned stimulus (US). Clicker is a mechanical device that makes a short, distinct "click" sound which tells the animal exactly when they're doing the right thing and its combined with positive reinforcement. You can also use something else than clicker, example light, whistle or some other sound. Other important information of Pavlovian conditioning is counterconditioning. It plays avital role in the learning and unlearning of emotional reactions. So in Dog Training, resolving fears and other problems (example phobias, separation anxiety and aggressiviness), classical conditioning may be required. Classically conditioned responses are largely autonomous and independent of central control, unlike instrumental behavior. Dogs dont choose to feel fearful or anxious. To be controlled, an aversive emotion like anger or fear, must be countered by the elicitation of an ever stronger and incompatible emotional response.

Dog Obedience Training - cool trick

Dog Training: What Is Dog Training?

The term “Dog Training” can mean many different things – this is an important fact to remember when deciding what exactly you need to do with your dog.

First, there is "behavior training”.

This is the kind of Dog Training in which a dog is taught to be good. Usually this would include house training, good behavior around other people and dogs, and other small things that make a dog a much more pleasant companion. A well-behaved dog attracts no special notice from members of the public (apart from occasional comments about their good manners).

Next, there is "obedience training, " which is teaching the dog how to perform specific activities.

This can include traditional obedience exercises such as heeling. The emphasis here is on prompt and precise performance. While there can be many overall benefits to this kind of Dog Training, the training is not necessarily used in order to improve the dog's behavior.

Dogs that have been obedience trained will perform tasks when their owners ask them to do so. (Although, some obedience trained dogs may well behave poorly! )

"Activity training" refers to Dog Training for specific activities – this could include hunting, herding, search and rescue or any of a number of activities designed to show off the abilities of the dog and his handler. These days, such activity also includes sports such as frisbee, flyball and agility.

At times, these Dog Training methods can cross over somewhat.

A certain amount of obedience training will help with behaviors, for example. A dog that is heeling will not pull on the leash.

You will still want to keep this in mind when selecting a training class, however , so that it best matches your needs. For many pet owners, the behavior-oriented classes are the best way to learn how to understand and control your dog. For those of you who want to enjoy a sport or compete in an activity with your dog, you will need to move along to more complex Dog Training.

You need to be fully aware of whether or not your dog needs behavior modification (where you will have to find out the underlying reason why your dog digs holes) or obedience training (to understand commands).

The two may be related: a dog that digs because it is bored may become less bored with obedience training and stop digging. It is important, however , to understand that the dog stopped digging because it was no longer bored not that it now knows how to heel. You will need to modify your approach, or select a trainer to help you, with behavior vs . training in mind.

Please also remember not to punish the dog whilst training.

Punishment is not a training aid. It does little to foster willingness to learn and achieve. Limit yourself to a firm “no” and to using your hands to block the dog’s negative actions. Refrain from hitting or physically abusing the dog.

Display extreme levels of patience and persistence, and never give up; if you do, you are relinquishing your status as the dominant one. The dog is bound by nature and genetics to test how far he can push you or get away with disobeying you. You must display a stern and stoic attitude and do not pat, praise, or reward the dog if he does not pay attention or refuses to do as you have asked. Only yield once your commands are followed. If you “heel” instead of your dog then he will soon know who is the boss.

Use rewards and praise as often as required. Praise should immediately be forthcoming when a dog responds to any command. The pet will associate responding to commands with praise/rewards (treats) and will try and respond quicker to reap his rewards. Once a command/trick has been mastered then the treats can be withdrawn. You will find that obeying a command becomes second nature to your dog.

Keep the lessons simple. To begin with, the lessons should be fairly easy and such that the dog can complete it within two-three actions. As his level of learning increases the lessons could be more complex. Just as our children go, at first to play school, then to kindergarten, and then to the first grade so also in the case of our pets.

Whether you are a first time dog owner or a seasoned veteran, your learning never stops as far as it comes to training your dog. Each and every dog presents different training challenges, and the more equipped you are to handle these training issues the more likely you are to prevent any permanent and long term future behavioral problems.

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