Secret of Dog Training
The Secrets of Dog Training by Kelly Ryan
Not surprisingly, almost every question I am asked as a dog trainer starts with “How
do I get my dog to...?” The specific answers vary as much as the specific problems.
But, there are certain components of dog training that are fairly universal.
Work
The Number One Secret is that dog training takes time and commitment. There is no
magic collar or harness or piece of equipment that is going to suddenly give you a dog
that behaves the way you want him to. You have to put in the time and effort to teach
your dog the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. Then, just
when you think you’re done, there’s still more work to do. For some people, this
reality is discouraging, for others it is frustrating. Personally, I view it as part of the
fun of having a dog. The work that I have put into my dogs has strengthened our
relationship, made me appreciate how unique they are from each other, and has
provided me with hours of amusement (and yes, some not so insignificant hours of
frustration and embarrassment, as well).
Reinforcement
Dogs do what works for them. They are not all that different from humans in that
regard. If your dog nudges your hand and you pet his head, your dog will continue
nudging your hand every time he wants attention. If your dog barks at you and you
throw the ball, your dog will continue to bark at you in order to prompt you to throw
the ball. In both of these examples, you have reinforced your dog’s behavior by
responding just as your dog wanted you to. (And, just who is training who here?)
There are many things that can be used as reinforcers for your dog. Treats, petting,
praise, attention, play, fetch, chasing squirrels, sniffing around on the ground, and so
on. One nice thing about the “work” of dog training is that every moment you spend
with your dog is a training opportunity. Your dog is constantly learning what you
want and do not want by what you reinforce. If you pay attention, you can much
more quickly establish the behaviors you want and extinguish the behaviors you find
less than desirable.
Timing
Dogs are creatures who live in the moment. That ability to live in the present
moment, without holding a grudge or bearing ill-will, is one of their most endearing
qualities. However, it also means that if you want to reward a good behavior or
correct a bad behavior, you must do so immediately. Two minutes later will not work,
five minutes later will not work, an hour later will not work, and certainly eight hours
later after you’ve returned from the office will not work. Some studies have shown
you have approximately 0.5 to 1.5 seconds to associate a particular cause and effect
with dogs. Because dogs live in the present moment, they believe that they are being
rewarded or corrected for whatever they are doing in the exact moment that the
reward or correction happens. They will not understand that a reward or correction
is associated with something that happened even a mere 60 seconds ago. This means,
to effectively train your dog, your timing must be very, very good. If it takes you 10
seconds to dig the treat out of your pocket, it is likely that you have missed the
moment to reward your dog.
One way to avoid the “treat in the bottom of the pocket” problem is to use a sound
marker. Once you have established a marker, use it to pinpoint the moment when
your dog has done the right thing, and the food reward can come slightly later.
Clarity
You must be clear on what you ask of your dog, and what you will accept as the
appropriate response. You also must clearly communicate what you want to your
dog. This sounds so simple, but it really does require you to think for a moment.
Before you ask your dog to do something, think about what an acceptable response
will be. If you tell your dog to “Sit”, does he have to sit quickly and straight, or will a
slow, lopsided sit do just as well? If you tell your dog to “Down” and he sits instead, is
that good enough?
Consistency
If you are not consistent in letting your dog know what behavior is acceptable and
what is not, your dog is never going to figure it out on his own. If you do not want
your dog to jump on you in your good clothes, he cannot be allowed to jump on you
in your jeans. The rules must remain the rules, whatever you have defined them to
be. If you are inconsistent, you will set up a behavior that is almost impossible to
extinguish. If you want to create exceptions to the rules, you must teach your dog
additional cues to let your dog know that, in this circumstance, he may jump on you.
For example, you could teach your dog “Paws On” or “Hug” means it is okay to jump
on me when I give that cue, but not at any other time.
Another part of consistency is the language we use. Let’s say you have spent the last
few days teaching your dog to lie down, using the word “Down.” Then, you come
home from work and Fido, ever so happy to see you, jumps on you. You say “Down.”
What exactly is Fido supposed to do? Get his paws off of you or lay down? Let’s say
your dog does get off you at this point and you say “Good Fido.” Now what happens
the next time you want your dog to lay down and you say “Down?” You have been
teaching your dog that “Down” means get your paws off of me. Your dog thinks, “My
paws are not on you, so I must be okay — I don’t need to do anything right now.”
Fairness
You have to be fair to your dog. You have to understand his or her natural drives,
instincts and limitations. You have to make sure you have made it clear what
behavior you expect. You have to be consistent in rewarding or correcting that
behavior. You have to have put in the time to make sure your dog understands what
you are asking for.
Not surprisingly, almost every question I am asked as a dog trainer starts with “How
do I get my dog to...?” The specific answers vary as much as the specific problems.
But, there are certain components of dog training that are fairly universal.
Work
The Number One Secret is that dog training takes time and commitment. There is no
magic collar or harness or piece of equipment that is going to suddenly give you a dog
that behaves the way you want him to. You have to put in the time and effort to teach
your dog the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. Then, just
when you think you’re done, there’s still more work to do. For some people, this
reality is discouraging, for others it is frustrating. Personally, I view it as part of the
fun of having a dog. The work that I have put into my dogs has strengthened our
relationship, made me appreciate how unique they are from each other, and has
provided me with hours of amusement (and yes, some not so insignificant hours of
frustration and embarrassment, as well).
Reinforcement
Dogs do what works for them. They are not all that different from humans in that
regard. If your dog nudges your hand and you pet his head, your dog will continue
nudging your hand every time he wants attention. If your dog barks at you and you
throw the ball, your dog will continue to bark at you in order to prompt you to throw
the ball. In both of these examples, you have reinforced your dog’s behavior by
responding just as your dog wanted you to. (And, just who is training who here?)
There are many things that can be used as reinforcers for your dog. Treats, petting,
praise, attention, play, fetch, chasing squirrels, sniffing around on the ground, and so
on. One nice thing about the “work” of dog training is that every moment you spend
with your dog is a training opportunity. Your dog is constantly learning what you
want and do not want by what you reinforce. If you pay attention, you can much
more quickly establish the behaviors you want and extinguish the behaviors you find
less than desirable.
Timing
Dogs are creatures who live in the moment. That ability to live in the present
moment, without holding a grudge or bearing ill-will, is one of their most endearing
qualities. However, it also means that if you want to reward a good behavior or
correct a bad behavior, you must do so immediately. Two minutes later will not work,
five minutes later will not work, an hour later will not work, and certainly eight hours
later after you’ve returned from the office will not work. Some studies have shown
you have approximately 0.5 to 1.5 seconds to associate a particular cause and effect
with dogs. Because dogs live in the present moment, they believe that they are being
rewarded or corrected for whatever they are doing in the exact moment that the
reward or correction happens. They will not understand that a reward or correction
is associated with something that happened even a mere 60 seconds ago. This means,
to effectively train your dog, your timing must be very, very good. If it takes you 10
seconds to dig the treat out of your pocket, it is likely that you have missed the
moment to reward your dog.
One way to avoid the “treat in the bottom of the pocket” problem is to use a sound
marker. Once you have established a marker, use it to pinpoint the moment when
your dog has done the right thing, and the food reward can come slightly later.
Clarity
You must be clear on what you ask of your dog, and what you will accept as the
appropriate response. You also must clearly communicate what you want to your
dog. This sounds so simple, but it really does require you to think for a moment.
Before you ask your dog to do something, think about what an acceptable response
will be. If you tell your dog to “Sit”, does he have to sit quickly and straight, or will a
slow, lopsided sit do just as well? If you tell your dog to “Down” and he sits instead, is
that good enough?
Consistency
If you are not consistent in letting your dog know what behavior is acceptable and
what is not, your dog is never going to figure it out on his own. If you do not want
your dog to jump on you in your good clothes, he cannot be allowed to jump on you
in your jeans. The rules must remain the rules, whatever you have defined them to
be. If you are inconsistent, you will set up a behavior that is almost impossible to
extinguish. If you want to create exceptions to the rules, you must teach your dog
additional cues to let your dog know that, in this circumstance, he may jump on you.
For example, you could teach your dog “Paws On” or “Hug” means it is okay to jump
on me when I give that cue, but not at any other time.
Another part of consistency is the language we use. Let’s say you have spent the last
few days teaching your dog to lie down, using the word “Down.” Then, you come
home from work and Fido, ever so happy to see you, jumps on you. You say “Down.”
What exactly is Fido supposed to do? Get his paws off of you or lay down? Let’s say
your dog does get off you at this point and you say “Good Fido.” Now what happens
the next time you want your dog to lay down and you say “Down?” You have been
teaching your dog that “Down” means get your paws off of me. Your dog thinks, “My
paws are not on you, so I must be okay — I don’t need to do anything right now.”
Fairness
You have to be fair to your dog. You have to understand his or her natural drives,
instincts and limitations. You have to make sure you have made it clear what
behavior you expect. You have to be consistent in rewarding or correcting that
behavior. You have to have put in the time to make sure your dog understands what
you are asking for.