Are you struggling to train your dog? It might be because you are following the incorrect technique. Dog training isn’t just about forcing your furry friend to follow instructions; it’s about building trust, communication, and mutual respect. Before hiring an expert for dog training in Yaxley, you must learn about the positive reinforcement methods. These methods shape your dog’s behaviour and contribute to successful future training.
What are the Positive Training Methods To Shape the Behaviour of Your Dog?
Make Clear Communications
Dogs don’t understand long and complicated speeches. Therefore, always use short, simple commands such as sit, stay, or come for easy understanding. Additionally, stick to the same words each time to reduce the chances of confusion. You can combine verbal cues with consistent hand signals to reinforce understanding.
Don’t Lure While Commanding
Typically, people believe that luring a dog with a treat to follow a command is one of the easiest and most effective methods of dog training in Yaxley. It might work at the beginning; however, it ruins the ability to think freely. Therefore, focus on communicating and connecting with your pawsome friend instead of luring. Even if you start the training with a treat, gradually reduce treats and replace them with verbal praise or affection.
Make the Sessions Short
To train your canine friend, you must think like them. Unlike humans, they have really short attention spans. Therefore, limit training sessions to 5–10 minutes. To maintain or increase the effectiveness, you can do it several times a day.
Hold Your Horses and Be Consistent
Before starting the sessions, remember that your furry friend might not meet your expectations. They might not learn quickly, respond the way you want and forget everything. Avoid showing frustration — dogs are sensitive to your emotions and can fall into depression due to harsh behaviour. Consistency is key to successful training. Follow the same command tone and routine, and always reward them with loads of love and cuddles.
Emphasis on Socialisation
Only giving some commands won’t help with training or shaping behaviour. For this, you must focus on socialisation. Controlled socialisation helps prevent fear-based behaviour and improves adaptability. A perfectly socialised dog is more relaxed and obedient, even in unfamiliar situations.
Strictly Avoid Punishment-Based Training
It is a common belief that punishing your paw-friend for not following the instructions helps in training. Well, it is one of the worst things you can ever do to these pure souls. Negative reinforcement or punishment can damage trust and lead to anxiety or aggression. To avoid it, redirect the behaviour into positive directions with a reward-based approach.
End Every Session With Something Positive
Whether it is a successful session or not, always end it with some positive reinforcements. Simple gestures like a cuddle or paw-shaking are enough to make your dog happy and feel good. Remember, when they feel good from the inside, they learn faster.
Mastering the commands is not about becoming the master. It is all about building a partnership. Follow these steps to help your dog in learning simple commands and shape behaviour.
Are you struggling to train your dog and looking for an expert in Yaxley? Contact us. At 4 Paws K9 Specialists, we have a team of professionals for dog training in Yaxley and use a science-based training method to support effective learning.
Contact us to book a training session now.