Getting the Behavior You Want from Your Dog

Getting the Behavior You Want from Your Dog

Do you have a dog who’s a bit, um, unruly? Or too rambunctious for his own good? All dogs benefit from learning how to behave appropriately when sharing space and time with their human family members and animal friends. Dogs aren’t born knowing how to interact politely, so you’ll need to teach your dog the basics of good manners using positive reinforcement training techniques.

Here are some basic cues every dog should know and be able to respond to consistently:

·         Come. This cue involves name recognition and getting your dog to come when called. When teaching recall, be aware of the tone of voice you use. We humans often call our dogs with an unhappy or stern tone, which makes our furry friends less motivated to come to us. Also, calling a dog to come often means that whatever fun thing the dog is doing is about to stop. You want your dog to associate good things with running to you, so practice the following daily: Using a happy tone, call your dog and when she comes, reward her with a treat or a pet, and then let her go.

·         Sit. Dogs cannot jump up and sit at the same time, so teaching your dog to sit can eliminate jumping-up behavior A sitting position is a great way for your dog to greet new people.

·         Down. Teach your dog to lie down all the way, with elbows on the floor. As you “sit,” the cue “down” can stop jumping –up behavior by replacing it. “Down” also teaches self-control.

·         Stand. This cue is used for grooming, and inspecting lumps and bumps. You can use “wait” with a stand position.

·         Wait. The cues “wait” and “stay” teach your dog patience and self-control. “Wait” involves a brief wait. In a sit, stand or down position, ask your dog to wait for food, wait to have a leash clipped on her collar, wait while you go in and out of doorways.

·         Stay. The “stay” cue is used for longer waiting periods. If you don’t want a dog to move, it’s best to ask her to stay in a down position, since other positions may become uncomfortable for her to hold. Teach “stay” on a bed or mat if you want the dog to stay in one place. Using a mat makes the palace for the stay more comfortable, and the dog can clearly see, feel and relax in the designated space. Make sure you use “stay” appropriately. For example, if you teach a dog to stay until released , but then start saying it as you leave for work every day, you will confuse your dog and lose the true use of “stay.”

·         Go to bed. You can make a game out of “go to bed.” Start by leading your dog to his ed and then rewarding him. Then, add the words once your dog is running to this spot, expecting a teat, praise or chew toy.

Daily Routine

Once you have taught your dog the basics, you can reinforce her learning throughout the daily routine. There are many opportunities to practice these cues every day; you don’t have to set aside a specific time for training. Here are some examples:

·         Ask your dog to sit before going outside and before coming back in.

·         Use “down” before giving your dog a meal or a treat.

·         Use “sit” before giving the dog a treat or toy, or before throwing a toy for a game of fetch.

·         You can add “wait” or “stay” to any “sit” or “down.”

Reward, reward, reward

Ask your dog to sit, lie down, wait or stay in order to get access to anything the dog wants: a walk, a favorite game, toys, treats, social time with people and other animals. Remember to give the reward only when the dog is in the correct position.

Being consistent with this daily training and making it fun will allow you and your dog to develop a trusting relationship. As an extra bonus, your dog gets to exercise his brain. With kind, positive training, your dog will see you as a the best, most generous leader ever and he’ll respond with great behavior that makes him a pleasure to be around. 

Just Click It 

Want an easy way to train your dog? Try clicker training, a fun and effective way to communicate with your pets. You can train almost any kind of pet including cats, birds, dogs and horses to respond to the clicker. For example, you can teach your dog to sit or your bird to hop onto a stick using a clicker training. The only thing you need is a clicker, some treats, and an animal friend.

Clicker training works by getting your pet to expect something positive (like a treat) in return for doing something you ask him or her to do. You use the clicker so that your pet will associate the treat with the clicking noise. Eventually, you won’t even have to use treats; your pet will respond to the clicker alone.

For more on clicker training and specifics on training your dog to respond to many of the cues mentioned above, visit our online resources at bestfriends.org/the animals/petcare.

(Source: Best Friends Magazine – January/February 2015 Issue)