A Short Course in Advanced Obedience Canine Training
Advanced obedience is to a canine what putting down the toilet seat is to a man – it takes patient training but it is possible. Dog obedience training is one of the most rewarding experiences between a dog and his pet owner. You are not only doing your own self a great benefit; you are giving your pet a more complete and happy life. Well trained canines are well-adjusted, confident and more intelligent. You can be confident in his behavior even if you leave him alone with strangers.
The most essential thing to remember in attempting to teach your animal is to set your position as the superior in your relationship. When he ‘gets’ that you are his master, it is easier to [train|teach} him the commands he is expected to obey. Confusing the dog in this regard can be dangerous; he will be aggressive and try to control you himself. Don’t overcompensate and be excessively harsh to show you’re the boss; be firm, keep your ground and correct this critical trait as soon as you see it rearing its ugly head.
Make your authority known by using a strong and sure voice. When you give the command to “Sit!” gently push him down in the said position firmly. Each command will take several tries, especially in the initial stages. Development from basic to more advanced obedience training is relatively simpler once your dog understands the patterns you’ve established in your teaching classes.
Operant Conditioning is rewarding your dog with treats or accolades for correctly accomplishing the command. It is the single most effective way to train your dog; it’s what he understands. Applaud your pet each time he does what you say correctly. Sometimes, this is easy to overlook but take care not to. Dogs will get confused easily and recognizing good behavior every time will ensure that he remembers what is right.
Inversely, reprimand the animal whenever he commits a mistake. Do it during the mistake and not after so the dog will see the error of his ways. Scolding him will also highlight the difference between what is right from what is [wrong|bad}. For instance, if he starts finding the suspicious looking dirt on the street fascinating enough to eat, reprimand him as soon as he does it. Then put appropriate food before him to eat. When he starts eating his own food, be profuse in your praise.
To be able to progress in dog obedience training, keep it short and frequent. Be repetitive in what you teach. Don’t restrict training your dog during “school time” or set time blocks. Otherwise, he won’t want to study during summer vacation, so to speak.
Movie dogs awe you with the level of difficulty of the stunts required of them. But they all started with sit. Begin with the basics and progress to the more complicated commands from there. With persistence and constancy your dog will advance to more difficult stunts like growl, leave it, fetch and attack. Use the same standard in how you trained him earlier and you will taste sweet success in the more advanced levels.
Now that you’ve got working knowledge of a professional trainer’s guide to advanced obedience training for dogs, it’s time to roll up your sleeves, get the happy dog and commence the training!
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