Positive Reinforcement Tips To Train Your Dog

Training dogs using positive reinforcement and reward training has long been recognized as both highly effective for the owner and a positive experience for the dog.  Positive reinforcement training is so important that it is the only method used to train dangerous animals like lions and tigers for work in circuses and in the entertainment industry.

Proponents of positive reinforcement swear by the effectiveness of their methods, and it is true that the vast majority of dogs respond well to these training methods.

Reward training has become increasingly popular in recent years, but chances are some sort of reward training between humans and dogs has been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years.

One reason that positive reinforcement training is so effective is that is uses rewards to teach the dog what is expected of it.Provide the dog with a reward, most commonly in the form of a dog food treat, but it might also be a scratch behind the ears, a pat on the head or a rub under the chin when the dog performs the desired behavior.Always consistently reward the dog for doing the right thing, this is key.

When understanding what makes reward training so effective, some knowledge of the history of humans and dogs is very insightful.  The earliest dogs were probably wolf pups that were tamed and used by people for protection from predators, as alarm systems and later for guarding and herding livestock. 

 It is possible that the wolf pups that made the best companions were the most easily trained, or it is possible that these early dogs were orphaned or abandoned wolf pups.The wide variety of dog breeds that we see today, no doubt have their origin from the wolf.

 Wolf packs, like packs of wild dogs, operate on a strict pack hierarchy. Since wolf and dog packs hunt as a group, this type of hierarchy, and the cooperation it brings, is essential to the survival of the species.  Every dog in the pack knows his or her status in the pack, and except in the event of death or injury, the hierarchy, once established, rarely changes.

Every dog, therefore, is geared by nature to look to the pack leader for guidance.  The basis of all good dog training, including reward based training, is for the trainer to set him or herself up as the pack leader.  The pack leader is more than just the dominant dog, or the one who instructs all the subordinates what to do.The pack leader provides protection and leadership and their leadership is vital to the survival of the pack.

 It is important for the dog to see itself as part of a pack, to recognize the human as the leader of that pack, and to respect his or her authority.  Some dogs are much easier to dominate than others.You can quickly pick out the dominant and submissive personalities of puppies by watching them play for a little while. 

A dog with a more submissive personality will generally be easier to train using positive reinforcement, since he or she will not want to challenge the trainer for leadership.  Even dominant dogs, however, respond very well to positive reinforcement.  There are, in fact, few dogs that do not respond well to positive reinforcement, also known as reward training.

 Positive reinforcement is also the best way to retrain a dog that has behavior problems, especially one that has been abused in the past. When working with an abused dog it can be very difficult to obtain their respect and trust. Positive reinforcement is a much superior training technique than other at creating this bond.

No matter what breed of dog you are working with, chances are it can be helped with positive reinforcement training methods. Training methods should be based on respect and trust, rather than pressure and fear is the best way to obtain the most from any dog.