Before I delve into the details of dog training, let’s talk about training philosophy. If you own a dog, you will quickly find out that everyone has an opinion on dog training philosophy. Here’s mine. If you don’t agree with them, no need to read further than this post, as this blog is not the place for you. 🙂
- Reward Based Training, not Pain Based Training
Dogs thrive with reward based training with lots of positive reinforcements. If the dog gets praise and treat for following commands correctly, then they want to do it again. It’s simple as that.
Let’s talk about why pain based training is a bad idea. There are two reasons – psychological and physical. To the dog, the handler is their protector. It is your responsibility, as a handler, to keep the dog safe at all times. In order to cultivate a strong bond between you and the dog, it is critical that the dog trusts you. This trust is broken if you are the one inducing pain to the dog. Now the dog thinks that you cannot be trusted to keep them safe. In addition, some breeds of the dog are more prone to clamp their jaw when they feel pain. This becomes rather problematic when your pup reaches 1~2 year mark and you have to start aggression training (there will be a post on this).
- Crate Training
Do you like having your own personal space? So does your dog. Crate training creates a safe space for your dog, where they can go and relax. Key thing to remember is that crating your dog is not a punishment; it’s a fun activity for your dog. When you do “crate time” or “playpen time,” make sure that the said command is accompanied by a treat, even though the reason they are getting crated is because they are misbehaving.
And yes, there will be a post on crate training and 10+ reasons why it’s useful.
- Structure
Dogs thrive when there is structure to their daily routine. Knowing when the food is coming, when their humans are going to be around, when it’s hangout time vs. crate time, simply lowers their stress level. Just like if you’re stressed, you are not the most productive person. If your dog is stressed out all the time, chances are it’ll be harder to train the said dog. If you are not the kind of person who does well with structure, you may need to consider training yourself before getting a dog.
- Flexibility
WTF, you need to have structure but also be flexible!? Yes, you do, and it’s a different kind of flexible. Training your dog is similar to fitness training. You need to keep in mind that every dog is unique, and that dog training is not a one size fits all situation. You need to set a goal (i.e. leash training), then figure out the path to get there by understanding your dog’s temperament and maturity. This is what excites me the most about dog training, and what motivated me to start writing this all down.
- In Conclusion…There are No Bad Dogs, just Bad Humans
If you feel like smacking your dog, just go ahead and smack yourself instead. Whatever the “bad” behavior that your dog is exhibiting, if you peel back the layers enough, you will reach some root cause where a human is at fault. It is up to the handler to train their dog responsibly, so that they can have a good dog life.
Dog training will teach you humility, and being ok with being wrong. You will often find out that one training method doesn’t work, and you have to adjust. You’re doing a great job as long as you keep adapting your training methods to your dog’s personality and temperament. Above all, please don’t give up.