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Learn to Communicate and Teach!
Communicating with a dog, or any animal for that matter, is a big challenge. We can't just sit down and have a conversation with them and explain to them what we want them to do or how we want them to behave. We need some help. We need tools to help convey our intentions. We also need to be in a good frame of mind. We can't communicate effectively with each other let alone a dog if we're up tight, insecure or demanding.
There are many types of equipment available on the market to help us communicate with a dog. A slip training collar and a 6' leash are more than adequate for a pet. They are inexpensive and they will alter a dog's behavior quickly when used correctly. The 6' foot leash keeps us in close proximity to the dog so we can make timely behavior corrections. The collar and leash will become the resistance the dog will encounter when he displays a behavior that is unacceptable. We rely on the collar and leash to do the work and the less we say the better.
We need to reward the dog when he responds. The reward is praise because, we know he thrives on our attention and affection. The dog only gets the praise when he does respond. He has to know what is acceptable; the praise lets them know.
Unacceptable behavior has to dealt with quickly. It has to be solved quickly. If a behavior problem persists, our resistance is not strong enough; it's as simple as that. The resistance has to be consistent. A dog can't be allowed do something one time and not the next. And, he can not be expected to know the difference. Everybody in the family has to offer the same level of resistance to a behavior problem so he doesn't play one member of the family against the other. Believe it; he will if he can.
A dog will do anything we want him to do if we are in the right frame of mind and we know how. Our mind set is the most important factor when dealing with a dog. We must think in terms that the dog will do it. If we think in terms of asking him to do it, we're in trouble. There is no gray area with a dog. Either he does it, or he doesn't do it, there is no in between. Once we accept this fact, we can deal with any behavior problem that may come up.
How do we offer the resistance necessary to correct a behavioral problem? This is where professional help comes in. Yes, there are books on the subject and they are good to refresh your memory once you know how. But, nothing beats a hands-on tutorial. Professional Dog Trainers take great pride in getting dog owners to understand their dog's natural behavior, teaching them to communicate and teach their dog and expect results from their efforts.
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