Why does a dog need to be trained? How to assess dog training methods and define the most effective and not harmful? How
to find a good dog trainer? Assessment signs of a dog trainer, dog
training field and methods of training organization.
First of all, you have to decide, why have you got a dog. Is it intended
for a special service and work? Then sure, you need to take it to a dog
training school and choose a good dog trainer. Is it a family dog and
you need just obedience at home circumstances and common situations?
Than you will probably need advices of a trainer, how to make a contact
with the dog and build friendly relationships of a dog and an owner.
Then the trainer's task is to help you with it.
Dog Training Field and Behavior Problems
Many problems, that appear in relationship of a dog and a handler, may be
caused by circumstances at a dog training field. Would you like to learn at
a school, where you are made to do something, that you dislike, ruled by rude methods,
where you feel uncomfortable, unpleasant smell and crowded with other
strange people? Would you like to practice knowledge got at such
circumstances? Of course, not!
The same we may apply to a dog. All the features, that dog is perceiving
from the outer space, are associated with trained commands: your voice,
clothes, mood, sounds, other dogs, flying plane in the air at the moment
of training to a definite command etc. If at the dog training field dog feels
discomfort, fear, any other unpleasant emotions, some features a dog
perceives even out of the training field may cause fear. It is very
difficult to define the reason, why a dog began to perceive one or
another object or state with fear. That's why it is important to
remember and keep in mind, that a dog should feel comfortable at the
training field and to avoid situations when a dog may get undesired
reflexes and associations.
How to Assess Dog Training?
Dog training assessment marks:
preserving/disorder of a common daily timetable of a dog
preserving/disorder of comfort (washing, grooming)
preserving/disorder of playful behavior
preserving/disorder of normal mood
preserving/disorder of interest to the outer space
These criteria are developed by International Community of domestic pets keeping in 1998. The violating of the provisions shows that the training makes a dog suffer and is to be finished immediately.
How to Choose a Dog Trainer? Assessment Criteria
Personal sympathy. Compatibility of character types.
Many people tend to suppose a dog trainer as an authority first of all
because he/she is a trainer. But anyone may tell us he/she is a trainer,
independent on professional skills. Trainer's experience also does not
tell that his methods are effective. The dog training methods has
changed greatly since 90th, for example. That's why a beginning dog
trainer may show better results than an experienced one, who is basing
on old methods in dog training.
The dog trainer should arise personal sympathy of you and your dog. Your
dog should decide together with you if it is ready to work with a
definite dog trainer, proposed by you. If a dog is scared of a dog
trainer, it means, that it will be very difficult to get any good
results under his leadership. It is important to remember, that dogs, as
people, have different character types. And the types of dog and a
trainer should coincide. Other way they will irritate each other and
their collaboration will not bring results. Inappropriate dog trainer
for a dog with different temper and character (e.g. energetic trainer
for a calm dog) may cause the result, that it will be called "lazy",
"stupid", and it will lead to negative outcomes in the future.
Other argument: a dog should feel "his" trainer. A dog, like a person,
feels at once if the person suits it in temper and if a dog may trust
its trainer. It is very important to pay attention to these details.
Calmness and softness
Dog trainer is not to be rude. The voice of a dog trainer
should be always soft and calm. Dog trainer is not to shout, beat or
cause any other harm at a dog for any reason!
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Dog body language knowledge
Modern methods of dog training are connected with communication with a
dog by dog signs, contact with a dog. The best of all if a dog trainer
works with dog calming signals.
Complete refusal from dominance
Dog trainer should not base dog training methods on the dominance theory.
Knowledge of dog stress. Adequate demands to physical and mental loadings for a dog.
Dog trainer should pay attention to a dog state, in the order not to allow dog
stress. A good dog trainer calculates healthy loading for a definite
dog, according to its physical state and character, inner and outer
circumstances.
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Dog Training Field
Who can tell more about dog training field and a dog trainer? Of course dogs
and you with your feelings. A dog training field should be a place where
dog will enjoy training. A dog should go to training with glad. It
should not fade with fear or show any symptoms of fear at the training
field and in front of a dog trainer etc.
If you will take a dog to a dog training field at the same time with
many other strange dogs, it may cause dog stress. Dogs also do not like
to be at places where there have been many dogs before them, as well as
the ground is filled with many strange smells. It may cause dog stress
as well.
Neither you, nor the dog should not feel irritation after dog training.
In the result of training dog behavior should not change into worse.
Other ways you should stop training it. Spoiled behavior is a sign wrong
training methods.
Dog Training Methods
Nowadays it is popular to use soft, nonviolent way of dog training. But we should admit, that it means not only avoid beating a dog, but "talking to a dog in its language". That's why a good dog trainer is expected to use the following dog training methods:
dog calming signals
calm, soft voice, friendly intonation
communication with body language
tactile communication (not touching a dog while training, because touches are for dog additional signs, commands and signals, they should be soft, calm and in direction from down up)
May be you, as a dog owner, will wonder, if all these nuances are really
so important. Yes, they really are. Dog is a very tender being. And
you will pay for any mistake you allow in its handling and training. It
is difficult to choose an ideal trainer. And you, as a dog owner will
not go alone without special knowledge about dog nature, dog stress,
signals, dog language, methods of training and about dog behavior to
avoid mistakes. Good luck!
