Good Boy!

Our dogs bring us joy, companionship and protection. They’re part of the family and we want to give them a safe, loving and adventurous life. But when they continually disobey orders or exhibit behavioural issues, they can also be a serious source of stress. Making sure your dog is properly trained has a huge number of benefits, not only for his or her welfare, but for your own peace of mind too.

No matter its age, breed or temperament, every dog could do with some training. A well-trained dog is a naturally happier dog. It knows what you want it to do - or not do – and is less likely to be stressed, bored, aggressive or destructive.

A well-trained dog is also safer. It stands to reason that the better you can control your dog with voice commands, the better you can protect it. The world is full of hazards that dogs don’t understand. A dog that bolts when off the leash or doesn’t return when called is much more likely to slip out of the gate, run in front of a car, or cause issues with neighbours or accommodation hosts if you take your pooch on holiday.

Failure to properly train your dog could also result in destructive behaviours like digging, chewing, jumping up on people and many other unwelcome behaviours. Untrained dogs can also behave aggressively towards people or other animals.

A well-trained dog is likely to be a well-travelled dog. If you have a vision of taking your beloved doggie with you everywhere you go, it’s vital that you are in control and that your dog is obedient and well-behaved. It means you can visit friends, go away for weekends, go hiking or even possibly go to work with your dog in tow. If your dog follows commands and comes back to you immediately when called, it means they can have more freedom and you can walk them on mountains and beaches off leash, rather than always tethered.

HOUSE TRAINING

The first opportunity you will have to train your dog will be when you are teaching your puppy not to mess in the house. The golden rule is to use positive affirmation rather than punishment. When training your puppy to “do its business”, help them out by being aware of when they relieve themselves and being ready to put them where you want them to go. For instance, most puppies will want to relieve themselves straight after a nap or after drinking water. Put them outside whenever there’s a chance or you see any signs, such as sniffing the ground and walking in a circle. Praise them when they go in the right place. When they go in the wrong place, immediately say “uh-uh” or “no!”, without frightening the dog or being physical. It’s important to only give the “yes” or “uh-uh” if the behaviour has just happened. If you wait too long, they won’t know what you are praising or scolding them for.

THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDS

Whether you decide to train your dog yourself or hire a professional, these are probably the first commands your dog will learn. Even if these are the only commands they learn, you will have a well-trained dog, that you can control a lot more easily.

• Come

Whether he’s escaped the garden, seen a squirrel across the road, or about to approach an unfriendly dog, it’s important that your dog returns to you immediately when you want him to.

• Heel

This command says you want him or her to walk next to you. Teaching this command will make your walks a lot more pleasant.

• Sit

The most common instruction we give our dogs, and very useful to get them to immediately be “at attention”. They love to sit for treats, praise or head rubs.

• Paw

A dog’s way of saying “please”.

• Stay

Very useful if you want to be able to take your dog with you when you go places.

• Down

Besides being very cute, it’s also a good way to get your dog to be in a submissive position, for instance if you are introducing your pooch to a kitten or to a person who might be a bit afraid of dogs.

• Yes and No

It’s also useful to immediately start using a “good” word and a “bad” word, so that your dog learns early on which behaviours are acceptable to you and which are not. You could for instance say an excited “yes!” whenever your doggie follows a command or exhibits good behaviour, and a firm “no!” or “uh-uh!” when he or she is in the process of doing something you don’t want them to do.

PUPPY TRAINING

Between the ages of 3 and 17 weeks, puppies experience a peak learning period, when they are most receptive to training, so it’s a great idea to take them for at least a few puppy training classes. Not only will they learn the basic commands, they will also socialise with other puppies, in a safe and controlled environment. They will be taught essential life skills like patience and friendly play. Puppy school will teach your dog to be comfortable around other animals, without showing any signs of aggression or anxiety. If your dog doesn’t get this kind of exposure, there’s a chance that they’ll react aggressively towards other dogs when they are older.

TEACHING AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS

Of course, the best time to train your dog is when it’s still a puppy, but it’s never too late for them to learn. If your adult fur-baby is having behavioural issues, obedience training will undoubtedly help. If you have a particularly boisterous or disobedient dog, you may want to enlist the help of a professional dog trainer, even if you have the trainer come around two or three times, and you continue the training on your own after that. The trainer will encourage you to give the commands and take over the training – this way, your dog sees you as the pack leader and you get to know one another better.

Whether you are taking a puppy to obedience school, training your dog yourself or trying to teach an older dog to obey commands, it’s important that you adapt your training to the individual dog. Some dogs are motivated by treats, others by toys, and some just want cuddles or praise. Get to know your dog’s favourite things, and adapt your training so that you are offering the best rewards for following commands.

Dogs inherently want to “please” their owners and enjoy an adventurous, stress-free life as part of the family. Training them can be challenging, but it will also be fun, educational and a bonding experience!

There are two common methods of training a dog.

1. The first is the aversive-based method, which uses techniques like loud, unpleasant noises, physical corrections, and harsh scolding when your dog doesn’t do what you want it to do.
2. The second is the reward-based method, which uses rewards whenever your dog does something you want it to do. Treats, praise and petting are used to reinforce that a behaviour was good. General consensus these days is that reward-based training works best to instil the right behaviours and create a strong bond between you.