Dog Training Tips

We have compiled some dog training tips we have learned through the training of our dogs. We are not dog trainers by trade, and would appreciate any corrections (aem@inicom.com).

First, here are our dogs:

 

1. General Notes
   
   • It is amazingly important to be consistent and repetitious with the training. Failure to be consistent will prevent the dog from learning the appropriate cues. Failure to be repetitious will prevent the dog from remembering the lessons. Always give the commands the same way, and do it often until it has been learned and remembered. Again, Consistency and Repetition. Repetition and Consistency.
   • Use verbal cues to make the dog understand. When correcting bad behaviour, make sure the dog knows you are angry. Be loud and let the anger be clear in your voice. When giving a command, do it authoritatively. Project from the diaphram! Don't whine like Colonel Klink (Hooogannn!) but command like General Patton. Do it! When praising your dog, let the happiness come through. You've done a good job! Make your dog feel good -- they've done the right thing.
   • Practice. Practice. Practice. Everyday. Several times. Just like when you learn something, frequent practice for short periods are much better than infrequent long study sessions. Practice frequently, and in different places so that your dog learns that commands always apply, just not in the house or in the yard.
   • Consistency in commands. Give the dog the command once, not twice or thrice. Your dog has much better hearing than you. You don't need to repeat the command. Give it once, and if the dog fails to obey then correct. And don't make the commands optional. If you give your dog a command make sure they follow it, or correct them immediately.
   • End training the right way. Finish the training with an obedient dog. Don't let the dog win a session, it'll make it harder the next time. Pick a point when the dog is being obediant to end the session.
2. Basic Training
   
   • General Objectives
     To stop any undesired behaviour that the dog has learned and to teach the dog to be consistently obediant despite any environmental distractions.
   • Correction/Reward Cycle
     It is important to consistently correct bad behaviour. It is also important to reward good behaviour.
   • Correcting the dog
     There are many methods of correcting the dog. Typically these include choke collars, water squirt guns, electroshock, and sound. We don't like the idea of electroshock ("electric collars"), and our dogs didn't have an aversion to being sprayed in the face with water. So we opted for choke collars. Despite the common name (also known as slip collars or snap collars), they are not intended to choke the dog. They are intended to pinch the fur or neck skin in such a way to immediately grab the dog's attention, but without causing actual harm. To do this, it is very important to use them correctly. Incorrect use can hurt the dog. And choke collars should never be left on an unattended dog.
     Correct use of the choke collar means that it is put on correctly: The ring that slips should go under the neck around to the top, and the ring that attaches to the leash should be on the top of the neck. Since a dog should heel on your left side, the collar should wrap around (from slip to leash) in a counter clockwise direction (with the dog facing you). There should be no other collars (including flea collars) between the choke collar and the dog's skin. When you apply correction using the choke collar, you start out with slack in the leash. Snap the leash suddenly so that the collar slides tight. Some fur and skin from the back of the neck will catch in between the rings and chain and pinch the dog. This is very much like how a mother dog will correct a puppy - grabbing the skin at the back of the neck with her teeth.