Because of this, we’re going to give you a guide in this post with the various dog training methods that you should be aware of and adhere to based on your moral principles and your dog’s nature.
Types of methods used in dog training
To begin with, it’s important to understand that dog training is the process of teaching a dog new commands or activities. These exercises are useful for improving agility as well as common skills like answering the phone, walking on a leash without pulling, carrying a toy, peeing on the pad, etc.
There are several methods for training dogs that make use of various components or approaches.
Let’s examine the various approaches to dog training.
1. Positive instruction for dogs
The foundation of this approach is rewarding the dog with food or affection when it exhibits a behavior we find pleasing. As a result, the dog will repeat the behavior to receive its reward because it will now identify it with something enjoyable.
These days, a lot of people use and support this kind of methodology because various research has demonstrated that it is an approach that:
- Enhances the relationship between a dog’s owner.
- Enhances the animal’s psychological health.
- Improves your capacity to pick up new abilities or techniques.
Positive training methods
This technique encompasses various strategies, which include:
- Clicker instruction. The dog will always associate the sound of the clicker with the task we want it to perform since it associates that sound with being rewarded. Another name for this method is conditioning training.
- Extinction. We frequently unintentionally reward undesirable behaviors. For instance, we put our dog to calm him down when he barks at the neighbor, even when we really shouldn’t. Thus, the method entails refraining from rewarding these undesirable actions.
- Inappropriate actions. It entails giving the dog instructions on one behavior to comply with and another to avoid.
- SEA: When we give a dog a command and it disobeys, we signal to it that we will not be rewarding it and that is the indication of the absence of reinforcement.
- BAT: The dog learns to control his or her aggression, fear, or insecurity in response to stimuli.
- Reversing the condition. It involves altering the dog’s emotional response to a stimulus. In other words, if our dog is terrified of motorcycles, we ought to treat him each time one goes by. You’ll start to identify motorbikes with positive things in this way.
- De-sensitization. It involves lessening an emotion’s strength in response to a stimuli.
Luring technique: definition and application
Do you know anything about the luring technique? You might not be aware of it, yet this is one of the most well-known approaches to dog training. Its name, which translates from English to “to guide,” refers to the process by which a trainer uses a food toy, or other positive stimulus to guide a dog toward doing a behavior.
A peculiarity of this method is that the dog’s focus is solely on receiving the food or toy, and everything else seems to fade into the background.
As a result, even though luring has many benefits and is often quite successful for certain behaviors, it’s crucial to remember that it shouldn’t be used excessively as this can lead to an imbalance in the dog’s expectations and require a lot of work from the dog. while teaching the dog, and families.
2. Conventional training methods for dogs
This is without a doubt the method that sparks the most discussion and contention. This method is predicated on negative reinforcement, in contrast to the preceding one. When a dog misbehaves, the trainer corrects it using physical corrections or with tools like prongs, electric, or choke collars. psychological sanctions like scolding or locking him up are also applicable.
Many studies, educators, and professional trainers have demonstrated that this type of strategy is ineffective, even though some people still advocate and practice it.
The primary causes are:
- It weakens the relationship between a dog and its owner.
- Strengthens the animal’s anxieties.
- A dog that receives punishment is likely to be more agitated and aggressive, which makes it less friendly.
- Reduced learning capacity.
3. Diverse dog instruction
As the name suggests, it’s a combination of traditional training methods with positive reinforcement, meaning that favorable behaviors are rewarded and undesirable ones are punished. Electric collars are typically used for this, helping the dog link the pain with the item rather than the trainer. As you may expect, the penalty is not as severe as the conventional one, but it nevertheless definitely endangers the animal’s bodily and mental well-being.
4. Instruction in behavior
The ethology of the animal itself forms the basis of this method. Utilize dogs’ innate tendencies to your advantage as you teach them how to adjust and change their behavior. As a result, it is a training method that has no detrimental impact on the animal.
To do behavioral training, the owner needs to assume the role of the leader and behave appropriately around the dog. To help the dog understand that you are the “leader of the pack,” you must use language that is clear and easy for it to comprehend while guiding its behavior.
5. Use the mirror method
It won’t take us long to figure out that if we observe someone else in our immediate vicinity acting in a certain way and getting rewarded, we should follow suit to receive the same benefit. This is what the mirror approach is founded on: it consists of displaying which behaviors are positive through a second-trained dog.
Dogs can comprehend expectations for their behavior and what is not appropriate for them in this way.
6. Different approaches to dog training
The methods listed above can be coupled with additional complementary training. Indeed, a few of them are predicated on:
- Anthropology. Since pack instinct is derived from a dog’s natural behavior, it is fostered.
- Fundamental compliance. The dog is taught daily behaviors that will be beneficial. It is enhanced by constructive instruction.
- For unique purposes. The dogs we have at home are not trained for the same purposes as these dogs; they are trained for protection, therapy, rescue, guidance, etc.
