Training tips

Training should be an enjoyable experience for you and your dog. If you are not in the right mood for training, do not even start. Keep training sessions short – about 5 –10 minutes – to maintain your dog’s motivation.

If your dog does not respond appropriately to a command after several attempts, do not reward him. Resume training a few seconds later using a simpler command. Return to the more complex task later.

Always end training on a positive note. Ask your dog to respond to a command you know he will obey. Then reward him for a job well done and issue a finish command such as “all done” or “okay” or similar. Following a training session, both owner and dog should be left with a feeling of accomplishment.

Every dog should be familiar with the basic obedience commands, including “come”, “heel”, “sit”, “down” and “stay”. Teaching your dog to “sit-stay” and “down-stay” off the lead is also a valuable lesson. Other commands that are useful include “leave it”, “give it”, “stop it” and “enough” or “cease”.

Training should not involve any negative or punishment based components. There should be no yelling and no hitting. Each session should be upbeat and positive with rewards for jobs well done.

Remember that the opposite of reward is not punishment – it is NO REWARD. If you ignore unacceptable responses, your dog will not be rewarded for his failed response. Most dogs want to please their owners or, at the very least, to obtain highly valued resources (food, attention and toys).

Ensure that your dog’s motivation for reward is highest during a training session. If food is the reward, train before a meal, not after. If praise, patting and other aspects of your attention are to be used as a reward, schedule the training session at a time when your dog hungers for your attention, for example, after you have returned from work). For complex tasks, such as off the lead “down-stay”, your dog will be more motivated to comply if he has received moderate exercise before the training session. Asking a dog that is bursting with energy to remain in a prolonged reclining position is asking for failure during the early stages of training.

Make sure the reward you offer in training is the most powerful one for your dog. Food motivated dogs work well for food, but the treats used should be favourite foods for the dog, such as small pieces of cheese or freeze-dried liver. You want your dog to be strongly motivated to obey commands to receive the treat.

Food treats, if used, should be small – no bigger than the size of your fingernail. Large treats take too long to eat, causing the dog to lose attention.

If praise is used as a reward, deliver it in high singsong tones, which are most pleasing for the dog. In addition, enthusiasm in your voice will also let your dog know he has pleased you.

If patting is to be used as a reward, it should be in a way that the dog enjoys, such as stroking the dog’s hair on the side of his face in the same direction that it grows, or scratching him on the chest.

Timing of the reward is important. After a correct response, reward your dog within ½ second of the command to ensure that your dog makes the connection between his behaviour and the reward.

Use short commands such as “sit”, “down”, “leave it”, “quiet”, “out” and “off”. Say the word once. Do not repeat the command. Dogs will remember a command for about two minutes before the notion is lost. Shorter words are better than longer words. The only command that should have three sounds associated with it is “come”. In this case, you first have to attract the dog’s attention by saying his name, ROVER, then COME (the actual command word) and GOOD BOY, even before the dog comes so that he knows he is not in trouble. Make sure your tone is high and cheerful.

Using your voice

Using your voice when correcting or praising your dog is a very good, powerful tool, but it is very important to correct or praise your dog within 1 second, otherwise your dog won’t know why he or she is getting praised or corrected.

If you go outside and find your dog has dug a hole and he is back inside having a nap, you will have to let the bad behaviour go – you MUST catch your dog in the act – this is the secret to training your dog.

OK, so when your dog is doing something wrong, with your voice, give a deep growl (Grrr), followed by a deep “no”. Then as soon (within 1 second) as your dog stops and obeys you, with a happy, slightly higher pitched voice, say “Good boy/girl”

If you use this training tool with every good or bad behaviour, you will have your dog trained quickly, but be consistent. This is very important. Dogs like routine. Also make sure that all the members of your family follow the same training routines, otherwise your dog will be very confused.