A Dog Training Tip – Be Kind

This sounds like a simple dog training tip, and it is.  So many people seem to turn into Sergeant Majors bellowing at new their new recruits when they have to train a dog.  Have you ever noticed those bossy people?  Conversely, have you seen those others who seem to manage to make their dog do what they want by just whispering a command?  They ask politely, or just making a small gesture.  Just because they are quiet and gentle doesn’t mean that the dog disrespects them or regards them as ineffective.  But how is it done?

With kindness and patience and knowledge of how a dog’s mind works, is how.  I won’t pretend that there aren’t times when Rover might have totally lost his head.  On these occasions an owner simply has to shout to be heard, but those times are rare. 

Watch the wolf pack and you will glean a number of dog training tips.  The first thing you will notice is the clear body language between pack members and how finely tuned wolves are to read those signals.  The same applies to the domestic dog.  Training a puppy, the easiest way to begin with the sit is to first of all have a food treat in your hand.  Let pup be aware it’s there by putting it near his mouth.  Tilt it up over his head then back towards your own mouth in an upward motion.  The dog’s eyes will be following the treat and he will sit more or less automatically to keep his eyes on the prize.  When he sits, treat him.  Do this a few times and the dog gets the idea. 

It is possible to do dog training using solely these bodily signals.  Deaf dogs are trainable, and they watch their owners for clues as to what to do next.  For the dog with normal hearing it is normal to next add the command “sit”.  This word, as all commands, should be used clearly so that the dog gets to associate that sound with the sitting motion.  Eventually you can amaze your friends when you just have to whisper the word “sit” and the dog does what you want.  Maybe you can just tilt your hand upwards, and the dog just does exactly as you asked.  It’s much nicer than bellowing, too; you will feel that you have a much more intimate and close relationship with the dog if you communicate with him gently and quietly.

The same applies to other commands such as “down” and “stay”.  Show the dog what you want, treat him, associate the word with the action, then there, you’ve got it.  On the other hand, there may be exceptions, like the remote sit.  In that case you might have to speak more loudly as he is further away.  Nevertheles it’s amazing how much the bodily signal reinforces to the degree that you shouldn’t have to shout.

If your dog training involves kindness and understanding, the dog will eventually come to know what you want almost intuitively.  It’s a great way to establish a lovely gentle, co-operative relationship with your canine friend.