Behaviour/Training
Dogs share a number of things with us humans, which is why we all get on so well together. But there are some differences and they are important to understand so that we can give our four legged friends the lives they deserve.
You may have a specific problem and need help - please see the Training and Behaviourists section.
In the meantime, here are a few areas that will help you understand how to provide the life your dog deserves:
Dogs share a number of things with us humans, which is why we all get on so well together. But there are some differences and they are important to understand so that we can give our four legged friends the lives they deserve.
You may have a specific problem and need help - please see the Training and Behaviourists section.
In the meantime, here are a few areas that will help you understand how to provide the life your dog deserves:
Aggression
Barking
Biting (see aggression)
Books
Cats
Children
Collars, Leads & Harnesses
Crating/Safe Place
Fireworks
Frightened of dogs?
House Training
Hypothyroidism
Jumping Up
Moving House
New Arrivals (into the household)
Owning A Dog
Pet Travel
Puppies
Quarantine
Separation Anxiety
Socialisation
Summer Tips
Training and Behaviourists
Your New Dog
Barking
Biting (see aggression)
Books
Cats
Children
Collars, Leads & Harnesses
Crating/Safe Place
Fireworks
Frightened of dogs?
House Training
Hypothyroidism
Jumping Up
Moving House
New Arrivals (into the household)
Owning A Dog
Pet Travel
Puppies
Quarantine
Separation Anxiety
Socialisation
Summer Tips
Training and Behaviourists
Your New Dog
It’s a real achievement to have a well-behaved dog, and something you should be proud of. It’s a bit of a myth that you can just leave your dog to his own devices and he’ll somehow grow into someone who lives in peaceful co-existence with you and your neighbours. Of course, you might be lucky, but most of us – whether we realise it or not – put a lot of time into bringing our canine baby up right.
Golden Rule # 1: Happiness
Training can and should be fun. You must devote time to your puppy so that he knows you are wonderful. Does your puppy look at you and yawn? Does he look at you and head off in the opposite direction? Does he look at you and start looking worried? Then some corrective action needs to be taken – with yourself, not the dog. Start by smiling a bit more; be a bit more enthusiastic and a little less harsh; start laughing more often; don’t be so earnest. Give lots of praise and keep wonderful things for him to eat in your pocket.
Let your puppy know that you are where the action is, that you have the food, and that you are there to help him along life’s rough road with lots of praise and lots of love.
Golden Rule # 2: Play
Play is so important. Well-controlled, constructive play is the bedrock of any good human/canine relationship. Your puppy and adult dog needs lots of toys to play with, and he needs you there to show him how exciting and fun life can be. If you are able-bodied, then get down there on the floor with him and use the play time to teach him right from wrong.
If you aren’t able bodied, then there are many equally effective ways to establish a bond. Throw the ball for him and reward him when he returns. Express delight by clapping and touching. If you aren’t able to rush from room to room playing hide and seek as I do, then you could work gradually towards teaching him to fetch items for you – and rewarding him lavishly when he returns.
Devise games that will be fun and will develop your puppy’s intelligence. Fetch the ball, sit, come, lie down, catch, and such like, should all be lighthearted and well rewarded. Stop or change the game before the puppy becomes bored.
Correction should always be positive, so if he does something of which you approve, tell him so – effusively. If he does something of which you disapprove, then just don’t encourage the behaviour (basically, ignore it). There is to be no smacking, whacking, jerking or shouting. Instead, calmly stop the game and walk away taking the toy with you. Alternatively, divert his attention onto a more constructive pastime.
Golden Rule # 3: Be positive
A dog’s behaviour often travels down the lead. In other words, a dog’s behaviour is often reflective of the owner. There are three ways to ask your puppy to do something for you:
1. Get uptight and cross
2. The Rhett Butler method: “I don’t give a damn”
3. Say it, mean it, reward it (be positive)
Method one – the angry way – teaches your dog that you are horrible, and that you think he is horrible too. He’ll either clear off, develop a nervous twitch whenever you’re around, or respond with an equal measure of anger. You won’t enjoy it; he won’t enjoy it.
Method two – the Rhett Butler method – teaches your dog that he can do it if he likes, and that you can’t be bothered if he does or not. If he accidentally follows your command he won’t get any reward – so why should he put himself out?
Method three – the positive way – helps your puppy to understand exactly what’s expected of him. In the early days, while you are both learning, you should ask him to do something only when you are reasonably sure that he will. This is very important: don’t ask him to do anything unless you believe he is going to respond. To do this, you need to know you have his attention.
Ask him once, and expect the correct response. If he doesn’t respond, then take immediate action to ensure he does. Then thank him with lots of praise and the occasional edible reward. This way, your puppy learns that there is nothing more pleasurable than working with you as part of a team.
Golden Rule # 4: Communicate
If your happy, loving, puppy doesn’t do something when you ask him to do it, then he probably doesn’t understand what you want.
Training should be based upon talking to your friend, and with careful consideration of how his mind works.
Assuming that you’re so good to be around that your puppy wants nothing more than to please you, you need to communicate exactly what it is you want. For example, if you want him to fetch the lead, show him what the lead is, where it is, and name it: ‘lead’. If you want to teach him to sit, tell him what he is doing when he sits.
Keep commands simple. For example, don’t say: ‘Sit, good boy, sit down, that’s it, sit. Sit down.’ How many times do you want him to sit? Do you want him to sit, or do you want him to go into the down position? Why is he being called a good boy if he hasn’t done as you ask?
If you want him to sit once, on the first command, say it once – but only if you know you have his attention. You can’t communicate if he isn’t listening.
Golden Rule # 5: Your dog’s name is not a swear word
It’s only natural to call someone’s name when you want them to come to you. However, if you use his name negatively, you are teaching him to run off in the opposite direction. I know how I’d react if someone shouted at me with anger. Dogs don’t like verbal abuse any more than humans do.
Only use your puppy’s name when it’s associated with good things. He will then want to come to you when you call.
If your puppy is digging up the flower beds and you need to stop him immediately, make a sound that is associated with fun: a sound you use in play, such as hand clapping. Alternatively, go to the spot, point to the plants, and say, ‘No’. Then divert the puppy’s attention to a more constructive pastime.
Golden Rule # 6: Quality time
Not only is it wrong to bring a puppy or adult dog into your home and then consign him to a life of endless boredom, it is also very short-sighted. If you can’t give him fun things to do, he will devise his own games – games that you might not want him to play (like eating the carpet).
It’s only fair to the dog that you should devote some time to him. My dogs sit quietly by my desk while I work – but when the evening comes, it’s over to them. Who wants a miserable dog in the house, one who is expected to sit in the corner all the time? What’s the point?
Also on the subject of quality time, make sure that your training sessions don’t go on for too long and get boring. Keep lessons short – a few minutes, little and often.
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Golden Rule # 1: Happiness
Training can and should be fun. You must devote time to your puppy so that he knows you are wonderful. Does your puppy look at you and yawn? Does he look at you and head off in the opposite direction? Does he look at you and start looking worried? Then some corrective action needs to be taken – with yourself, not the dog. Start by smiling a bit more; be a bit more enthusiastic and a little less harsh; start laughing more often; don’t be so earnest. Give lots of praise and keep wonderful things for him to eat in your pocket.
Let your puppy know that you are where the action is, that you have the food, and that you are there to help him along life’s rough road with lots of praise and lots of love.
Golden Rule # 2: Play
Play is so important. Well-controlled, constructive play is the bedrock of any good human/canine relationship. Your puppy and adult dog needs lots of toys to play with, and he needs you there to show him how exciting and fun life can be. If you are able-bodied, then get down there on the floor with him and use the play time to teach him right from wrong.
If you aren’t able bodied, then there are many equally effective ways to establish a bond. Throw the ball for him and reward him when he returns. Express delight by clapping and touching. If you aren’t able to rush from room to room playing hide and seek as I do, then you could work gradually towards teaching him to fetch items for you – and rewarding him lavishly when he returns.
Devise games that will be fun and will develop your puppy’s intelligence. Fetch the ball, sit, come, lie down, catch, and such like, should all be lighthearted and well rewarded. Stop or change the game before the puppy becomes bored.
Correction should always be positive, so if he does something of which you approve, tell him so – effusively. If he does something of which you disapprove, then just don’t encourage the behaviour (basically, ignore it). There is to be no smacking, whacking, jerking or shouting. Instead, calmly stop the game and walk away taking the toy with you. Alternatively, divert his attention onto a more constructive pastime.
Golden Rule # 3: Be positive
A dog’s behaviour often travels down the lead. In other words, a dog’s behaviour is often reflective of the owner. There are three ways to ask your puppy to do something for you:
1. Get uptight and cross
2. The Rhett Butler method: “I don’t give a damn”
3. Say it, mean it, reward it (be positive)
Method one – the angry way – teaches your dog that you are horrible, and that you think he is horrible too. He’ll either clear off, develop a nervous twitch whenever you’re around, or respond with an equal measure of anger. You won’t enjoy it; he won’t enjoy it.
Method two – the Rhett Butler method – teaches your dog that he can do it if he likes, and that you can’t be bothered if he does or not. If he accidentally follows your command he won’t get any reward – so why should he put himself out?
Method three – the positive way – helps your puppy to understand exactly what’s expected of him. In the early days, while you are both learning, you should ask him to do something only when you are reasonably sure that he will. This is very important: don’t ask him to do anything unless you believe he is going to respond. To do this, you need to know you have his attention.
Ask him once, and expect the correct response. If he doesn’t respond, then take immediate action to ensure he does. Then thank him with lots of praise and the occasional edible reward. This way, your puppy learns that there is nothing more pleasurable than working with you as part of a team.
Golden Rule # 4: Communicate
If your happy, loving, puppy doesn’t do something when you ask him to do it, then he probably doesn’t understand what you want.
Training should be based upon talking to your friend, and with careful consideration of how his mind works.
Assuming that you’re so good to be around that your puppy wants nothing more than to please you, you need to communicate exactly what it is you want. For example, if you want him to fetch the lead, show him what the lead is, where it is, and name it: ‘lead’. If you want to teach him to sit, tell him what he is doing when he sits.
Keep commands simple. For example, don’t say: ‘Sit, good boy, sit down, that’s it, sit. Sit down.’ How many times do you want him to sit? Do you want him to sit, or do you want him to go into the down position? Why is he being called a good boy if he hasn’t done as you ask?
If you want him to sit once, on the first command, say it once – but only if you know you have his attention. You can’t communicate if he isn’t listening.
Golden Rule # 5: Your dog’s name is not a swear word
It’s only natural to call someone’s name when you want them to come to you. However, if you use his name negatively, you are teaching him to run off in the opposite direction. I know how I’d react if someone shouted at me with anger. Dogs don’t like verbal abuse any more than humans do.
Only use your puppy’s name when it’s associated with good things. He will then want to come to you when you call.
If your puppy is digging up the flower beds and you need to stop him immediately, make a sound that is associated with fun: a sound you use in play, such as hand clapping. Alternatively, go to the spot, point to the plants, and say, ‘No’. Then divert the puppy’s attention to a more constructive pastime.
Golden Rule # 6: Quality time
Not only is it wrong to bring a puppy or adult dog into your home and then consign him to a life of endless boredom, it is also very short-sighted. If you can’t give him fun things to do, he will devise his own games – games that you might not want him to play (like eating the carpet).
It’s only fair to the dog that you should devote some time to him. My dogs sit quietly by my desk while I work – but when the evening comes, it’s over to them. Who wants a miserable dog in the house, one who is expected to sit in the corner all the time? What’s the point?
Also on the subject of quality time, make sure that your training sessions don’t go on for too long and get boring. Keep lessons short – a few minutes, little and often.
Back to:
Health & Resources
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