Dog Training: Back to Basics Does the Trick

By Melanie Brooks

Dogs are smart, making them easy to train. Whether training a puppy for the first time, an adult dog new to your home, or revisiting training with your resident dog, getting back to basics is the most efficient approach to assuring you have a well-adjusted, well-behaved pet.

Those of us who have learned a second language know all too well, if you don't use that second language regularly, you will eventually forget the language. Training your dog is the same as teaching him a second language. Without consistent reinforcement throughout the dog's lifetime, even the smartest of dogs will forget even the best training. When this happens, it is best to go back to the basics. Training commands are a form of communication. If your dog is forgetting to listen, go right back to ground zero. Start training as if your dog has never been trained before.

For instance, if your dog is no longer coming when you give him the command, dust off the long lead and start over. Use a 40' lead (available at your local pet or feed store). Tie knots in it at 2' and 5' before the end. Add a tied handle and you have your training lead. Begin by calling your dog: name and come. While saying the command, quickly begin by running backwards After about 5 feet, stop once the dog has caught up to you. Reward with a snack. Repeat a few times.

After about 5 or 10 minutes of training, do a bit of agility, play with your pup. It is very important to remain cheerful, and get excited when they perform the behavior correctly. The dogs forget the repetition. Many breeds get bored with repetitive activities such as ball chasing. So it is important to play a little bit, do about 10 minutes of training and play some more. Puppies especially have a low attention span and get tired after about an hour of training. Also, when training a dog to come, you should never ever ask the dog to come from a sit-stay command. This will contradict the stay command.

When teaching a dog the sit-stay command, hold a favorite treat out in your fingers and have the dog sit. Reward with a small piece of the treat. With the dog still in sit, make a stop hand signal and simultaneously say the word stay. Once the dog has performed the command correctly, take a few steps back to the dog to reward him with the treat. Never have the dog come to you to retrieve the treat once you have put him in a sit-stay. The simpler, the better; back to basics dog training will do the trick. - 32401

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