|
|
|
Black Walnut Trees Produce A Natural Insecticide
The black walnut tree manufactures a substance that is a natural insecticide according to experts at the Texas State University in Austin. American black walnut tress contain a tannic acid chemists call juglone. The reddish yellow substance...
Cat Litter Box Location Strategies
Just like in real estate where location is crucial, so it is for your cat's litter boxes.
Here's some ideas and tips on how to effectively locate them for good cat litter box habits.
When you think about cat litter box placement, imagine if...
Choose the Right Puppy for Your Family
Purchasing a puppy for your family is a very big decision. It should never be approached casually, or lightly. A new pet becomes part of your family. You should do everything you can to educate yourself about the breed of puppy you are...
Dog Care: 6 Easy Steps for a Terrific (and safe) Romp in the Woods
Leaves are falling and paws are crunching in the parks....
What a beautiful time of the year to get out with your
canine companion and enjoy the crisp, cool air, frolic in the
falling leaves and take in the visual splendor of nature. A...
Shih Tzu - A Method of Housebreaking
House training is one of the most important parts of training
your shih tzu to be a valued part of the family. As with many
other aspects of shih tzu training, the best way to house train
a shih tzu is to use the dog's own nature to your benefit....
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Advice To Using Positive Reinforcement And Rewards To Train Your Dog
Training dogs using positive reinforcement and reward training has long been recognized as both highly effective for the owner and a positive experience for the dog. Positive reinforcement training is so important that it is the only method used to train dangerous animals like lions and tigers for work in circuses and in the movie and television industry.
Proponents of positive reinforcement swear by the effectiveness of their techniques, and it is true that the vast majority of dogs respond well to these training methods.
One reason that positive reinforcement training is so effective is that is uses rewards to teach the dog what is expected of it. When the dog performs the desired behavior, he is provided with a reward, most often in the form of a food treat, but it could be a scratch behind the ears, a rub under the chin or a pat on the head as well. The important thing is that the dog is rewarded consistently for doing the right thing.
Reward training has become increasingly popular in recent years, but chances are some sort of reward training between humans and dogs has been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years.
When understanding what makes reward training so effective, some knowledge of the history of humans and dogs is very helpful. The earliest dogs were probably wolf pups that were tamed and used by early humans for protection from predators, as alarm systems and later for guarding and herding livestock.
It is possible that the wolf pups that made the best companions were the most easily trained, or it is possible that these early dogs were orphaned or abandoned wolf pups. Whatever their origin, there is little doubt today that the vast variety of dogs we see today have their origin in the humble wolf.
Wolf packs, like packs of wild dogs, operate on a strict pack hierarchy. Since wolf and dog packs hunt as a group, this type of hierarchy, and the cooperation it brings, is essential to the survival of the species. Every dog in the pack knows his or her place in the pack,
and except in the event of death or injury, the hierarchy, once established, rarely changes.
Every dog, therefore, is hard wired by nature to look to the pack leader for guidance. The basis of all good dog training, including reward based training, is for the handler to set him or herself up as the pack leader. The pack leader is more than just the dominant dog, or the one who tells all the subordinates what to do. More importantly, the pack leader provides leadership and protection, and his or her leadership is vital to the success and survival of the pack.
It is important for the dog to see itself as part of a pack, to recognize the human as the leader of that pack, and to respect his or her authority. Some dogs are much easier to dominate than others. If you watch a group of puppies playing for a little while, you will quickly recognize the dominant and submissive personalities.
A dog with a more submissive personality will generally be easier to train using positive reinforcement, since he or she will not want to challenge the handler for leadership. Even dominant dogs, however, respond very well to positive reinforcement. There are, in fact, few dogs that do not respond well to positive reinforcement, also known as reward training.
Positive reinforcement is also the best way to retrain a dog that has behavior problems, especially one that has been abused in the past. Getting the respect and trust of an abused dog can be very difficult, and positive reinforcement is better than any other training method at creating this important bond.
No matter what type of dog you are working with, chances are it can be helped with positive reinforcement training methods. Based training methods on respect and trust, rather than on intimidation and fear, is the best way to get the most from any dog.
Copyright Jonathan Cheong - http://www.absolute-dog-training.com
|
|
|
|
|
|