Dog Obedience Techniques

Dog training is essentially the application of behavior analysis that applies the exogenous environment of past outcomes and antecedents to alter the dog’s behavior, either for it to take on certain tasks or undertake different activities, or even for it to behave effectively in modern domestic life. It is an activity that has been studied by sociologists for over fifty years and it is still widely used. It can be regarded as a paradigm that studies how people in various settings interact with each other and the learning of particular characteristics that are shared by humans and their animals. The principles of this discipline can be studied not only at the theoretical level but also practically through animal research and field studies.

For anyone wanting to establish good dog training, there are three major principles that must be observed: motivation, reward, and consequences. Any deviation from these fundamental principles is considered cruelty and, if practiced, should be punished in order to avoid future repeats. Dog trainers try to employ all these principles in their training, but they should be implemented in such a way as to promote a kind of natural leadership. This means, that they should be used in such a way that they foster and encourage rather than discourage good behavior.

Rewards and Positive Reinforcement is one of the most common techniques used in dog training. It mainly consists of using treats or cash to provide a certain ‘reward’ for a specific behavior or even to motivate a dog to learn new tricks. Some people also use collars to reward and teach dogs new skills. The effectiveness of all these techniques depends on the knowledge of the trainer on the factors influencing dog behavior.

Classical conditioning is a well-established technique in dog training that relies on positive reinforcements received as a result of performing a command correctly. It aims to condition a dog to perform only with the reward/concentration received and not by doing what he usually does. The classical conditioning approach was developed by Drs. Richard F. Griffith and George B. spoorell because they were dog trainers and received a commission from the US military to develop a training system using this method.

Humane training is based on the principle that a trained pet dog may become a useful member of the community in which he lives. That being said, a well-behaved dog is definitely an asset to any household. Anybody who has a dog knows that having a well-behaved dog makes life easier for everyone. As dog training experts suggest, the best way to make sure that a dog continues to be a useful member of the family is to socialize it with other dogs and people and to develop a special bond.

Clicker training is based on the sound of a clicker and is another widely used dog training technique. Clicker training is quite easy to apply, but there are two important points to consider: treats and praise. In clicker training, the dog receives a treat every time he obeys the command, and he also receives praise or a token of appreciation when he performs the desired behavior. Praise should always be given when the behavior is done right, but a treat can be given intermittently to reinforce the right behavior. A reward system such as clicker training is most effective when positive reinforcement is combined with praise.