If there was one secret I could pass on to you as the key to all dog training, it would be this: learn to understand your dog’s behavior. Understanding your dog’s behavior is the key to altering that behavior, or accepting the behavior as-is. Dogs and humans are completely different species, with no common language and only the most rudimentary methods of communication. But if you can learn to understand how your dog thinks and why he does the things he does, you can utilize effective training techniques.
Get Inside Your Dog’s Head
There are two important components to getting inside of your dog’s head: understanding dogs as a species, and observing your dog as an individual. To really comprehend dog behavior, you must understand dogs as a species. Dogs are pack animals. They way they relate to one another, and to us, is based on a pack hierarchy. Dogs are also social animals, and they generally want to be where the pack is. Some breeds are more aloof, and may not be as social as others, but these generalizations are valid for most breeds.
Dogs are also living, breathing, thinking creatures. They’re not toys that you can put on a shelf when you’re done playing with them. Like people, dogs can get bored or lonely, and they like to have a task or something to do. If you keep this in mind at all times, you’re already well on your way to understanding why your dog does some of the things he does.
Next, observe your dog. Look at the chain of events that causes specific canine behaviors to get a sense for how your dog thinks. Most dog owners learn, over time, to recognize a specific walk, a turn, a sniff or a sequence of motions that leads up to eliminating. When you pay attention to your dog, you’ll notice other behaviors that may signal yet other behaviors, or other behaviors that your dog exhibits only at certain times. Learn to recognize these behaviors, and you can begin to get an idea of how your dog thinks.
Watch the sequence of events that leads up to specific canine behaviors, and you’ll learn to spot these events and even predict your dog’s behavior. This is important for identifying specific triggers for your dog’s behavioral problems, as well as better understanding your dog.
Tailor Training Techniques for Your Dog’s Needs
Once you begin to recognize why your dog does the things he does, you can create custom training routines that are tailored to your dog’s needs. One effective training method is to distract your dog when he’s about to engage in a behavior you want to prevent. You can also learn to identify when your dog is about to engage in an unwanted behavior, and remove him from the situation. Finally, you can learn what training methods your dog responds to best; be it food rewards, attention or playing with a favorite toy; and effectively utilize those methods to train your dog.
Not sure how to understand your dog? Secrets to Dog Training is a good place to start. It gives you a good basic understanding of how your dog thinks and how to interpret his behavior, as well as case studies and help dealing with common issues. Check it out, and get to know your dog better!
