Put The Book Down And Read The Dog
In the 30+ years I've been training, I've learned that there is only one cut and dry rule. That rule is there are no cut and dry rules, and only a few guidelines.
If you go to the bookstore or library and ask to find a book for dog training you will find hundreds of titles. If you google how to teach a dog to sit, you will pull up thousands of methods. But none of these books or methods are 100% right 100% of the time.
Each dog is an individual, what works perfectly on one dog will have devastating results on another. A few years back I kept two male pups from one of my litters. Same parents, same environment, same socialization, same food, same everything. These two Brothers were complete opposites. The one brother required a very firm hand, and very stern training methods. You could have hit this dog in the head with a 2X4 and he would have just looked at you and said, oh now I get it. His brother on the other hand would just completely shut down if you even raised your voice a little bit. Both these dogs excelled at what we were training them for. Neither dog was better than the other when it was all said and done. But what it took to accomplish this was two complete different methods of training.
The point I'm trying to make is this. If you go into a training session with everything already planned out as to how your going to accomplish your goal, your not going to be very successful. You may accomplish it, but with limited success. By simply following a few guidelines your success rates will soar, and your end results will be far superior.
Guideline #1 You and your dog should both be having fun and enjoying the session. If your not, you need to change your methods.
Guideline #2 If you're stressed, depressed, or just having a bad day, DON'T TRAIN. Your dog will pick up on these things and it will definitely have negative results in your training.
Guideline #3 Keep your sessions short. It's way better to squeeze in four 15 minute sessions then one 60 minute session. If it is a pup, keep it down to around 5 minutes.
Guideline #4 ALWAYS end with a success. If you're teaching something new and the dog is having difficulties, don't end on a failure. Go back to something they do well. Have them do a few basics. Sit, down ETC. Then praise them like they just won the Super Bowl.
Guideline #5 This is kinda related to guideline #2. If you're getting frustrated with the dog, stop the session. We have all been there. The dog is just not catching on, he's distracted, he's doing everything wrong. End the session on a positive note and come back to it later.
Guideline #6 Don't be embarrassed by overly praising your dog. Get in there and act like he just won the lottery. It doesn't matter that he just looked at you on command for the first time. Make them feel like it's a HUGE accomplishment. Because to them, IT IS. Your love, affection and approval are the biggest rewards they can ever receive. A treat is just that, a treat. But your praise and excitement is what they strive for.
Like the title says, forget the training manuals. If you will just pay attention to your dog he will show you exactly what he needs. Follow the guidelines above, keep it short and keep it fun and you will be successful.
If you hit a snag, don't be afraid to reach out to us and ask for some help or advice. This is not just our business, this is our passion. Even after all of these years of training, I still run into situations where I scratch my head and wonder how in the world am I supposed to fix that? Luckily I have other trainers and handlers that I can reach out to for advice. If you ever get to the point that you stop learning, it's time to quit.
George Walker
Walker’s K9 Services
