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Positive reinforcement dog training
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Why Use Positive Reinforcement
Dog Training?!?
More and more dog owners are starting to lean more towards positive reinforcement dog training. With positive reinforcement dog training the dog owner uses positive actions such as rewards rather than the old school method of punishment i.e. correctional actions, to teach the dog right from wrong. In order for positive reinforcement dog training to be effective the dog owner must figure out what it is that motivates their dog. Then they must use that motivator to reward the dog upon correct performance. When practicing positive reinforcement dog training you can use treats, toys, physical affection, verbal praise or a combination of any of those, to reward your dog for correct behavior.
In a nutshell here is how the positive reinforcement dog training works…
The dog owner or trainer should first determine a specific set of cue words, which will prompt the dog to perform specific tasks or actions. Here is a small list of some of the most basic cue words that are most commonly used when training your dog:
- Sit
- Stay
- Off
- Down
- Come
- Stand
When using the positive reinforcement dog training method it is crucial that you reward the dog immediately after responding positively to your cue. For example if you tell your dog “off” and he/she then gets off of the couch you should instantly let him/her know that they did a good thing by telling him “yes”, or “good”. Then you proceed by promptly giving him the reward. Remember, the reward must be something that your dog gets some pleasure from. If your dog happens to love food, then it would be best if you were to reward him with a small treat. If your dog tends to favor a particular toy, then reward him by throwing the soy so that he can fetch it. If you have the type of dog that loves physical affection then you could reward him with a nice little belly rub.
Whatever you decide to do, you shouldn’t wait too long to reward him for the action, otherwise it may end up just confusing him. For example, if you asked your dog to “sit” and then waited until he stood back up again to before rewarding him, then he will associate the “sit” command with the action of standing up. After all, that is what you rewarded him for.
While you are training your dog to respond to your cues, you should reward them every time they perform the correct action. After the dog has mastered the cue and is able to perform it on a consistent basis and without any hesitation you will no longer have to provide the dog with a reward each time he performs an action. Simply reinforce to him verbally that he was correct by saying, “yes” or “good”.
If you have been on this site or a member of my newsletter for any length of time then you know what I’m about to say. When it comes to training your dog no matter which technique you choose the key is consistency and timing. Be sure to use the same cues each training session. Most importantly you and your dog should be having fun.
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