Advanced obedience is to a dog what putting down the toilet seat is to a man – it takes patient training but it can be done. Dog obedience training is among the most rewarding experiences between a dog and his master. You are not just doing your own self a great benefit; you are also giving your pet a happier and fuller life. Obedient canines are well-adjusted, self-assured and more intelligent. You can be confident in it’s conduct even if you leave him alone with strangers.
The most essential thing to keep in mind in attempting to teach your dog is to establish your position as the superior in your relationship. When he understands that you are the top dog, so to speak, it is easier to [train|teach} him the commands he is expected to obey. Confusing the dog in this regard can be dangerous; he will be aggressive and strive to dominate you. Don’t overcompensate and be excessively mean to show you’re the boss; be firm, keep your ground and fix this unfavorable trait as soon as you see it rearing its ugly head.
Make your authority known by employing a strong and sure voice. When you give the command to “Sit!” gently guide him in the said position firmly. You may have to go through several tries with each command, especially in the beginning. Development from basic to more advanced obedience training is relatively simpler once your dog understands the patterns you’ve established in your training classes.
Operant Conditioning is rewarding your animal with doggie treats or praise for correctly doing the command. It is the single most effective way to train your dog; it’s what he understands. Praise your pet every time he does something right. Sometimes, this is easy to overlook but take care not to. Dogs will get confused easily and recognizing good behavior every time will make certain that he remembers what is right.
Inversely, reprimand your dog whenever he makes a mistake. Do it while he is making it and not when it is past so the dog will see the error of his ways. Scolding him will also emphasize the distinction between what is right from what is [wrong|bad}. For example, if he starts finding the suspicious looking dirt on his path fascinating enough to ingest, reprimand him then and there. Then put dog food before him to eat. When he starts dining on his own food, be profuse in your praise.
To be able to progress in dog obedience training, keep sessions short and as often as possible. Be repetitive in what you teach. Don’t restrict teaching your canine during “school time” or set time blocks. Otherwise, he won’t feel like studying during the most part of the day.
Movie dogs awe you with the level of difficulty of the stunts required of them. However, do remember that they all started with sit. Begin with the basics and progress to the more complicated commands from there. With patience and constancy your dog will advance to more difficult commands like growl, leave it, fetch and attack. Employ the same standard in how you trained him before and you will find success in the higher levels.
Now that you’ve got working knowledge of a professional trainer’s guide to advanced obedience training for dogs, it’s about time to roll up your sleeves, get Fido and commence training!