HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DOG:-TAKE CONTROL OVER YOUR DOG-
You may think that by speaking to your dog the way you would speak to a person or a child you could command obedience and control. Not always. Specifically, not if you have a problem dog. Some dog behavior and psychology experts even tell us, it starts with being in control of yourself.
When I first saw on TV Cesar Millan of The Dog Whisperer being interviewed on the O'Reilly Factor, the dog-scared in me thought he was some super human who whispered to dogs into obeying him. Not quite. Watching this TV show on dog rehabilitation and training the humans -- free with our Comcast On Demand subscription -- I came to the conclusion that his power over dogs seemed to come from a clear understanding of dog psychology that he could work even the most reticent one into submission. He was fearless in the face of fierce and problematic dogs even as he meets them for the first time. It also made sense to me how owners can cause their own dog problems, as Millan pointed out, by treating them as if they were humans and expecting them to behave like humans.
There is the frustrated owner who cannot stop his dog from getting out of control as soon as it gets out the door. The dog bolts and each time, he has to run after it. No amount of talking or stern warning, even pulling, worked. Or the little terror pooch who barks and snarls and looks every inch like it is ready to nip at anyone who comes within a few feet of it - even at the owner herself. To talk or communicate with these pets is indeed a big challenge.
On the other hand, I have actually seen dogs immediately sit and look adoringly at their master when told. Or run to their master by a simple call, no matter how busy it was with something else. Others could be made to do some cute little tricks, like roll, play dead, give me five, or what-have-you. Something connects and works.
I would not go into the tricks part yet. That is another level, another discussion. Rather, I will go into the basic obedience part where one should be able to control his dog, big or small. I am not an expert in dog training but from watching all those dog shows on TV, I have come up with four major bullet points that were shown to have worked:
- You have to be calm when you try to control your dog. Being upset, agitated or scared are signs of negative high energy that your dog picks up on and translates into more negative energy. So before heading out the door, calm it down first by a click of your fingers so you have its attention, then speak the command word. Make it sit or stay, or whatever word you would prefer. When the dog has calmed down, make sure you head out the door first, then the dog behind you. Make that the drill: you first, the dog next.
- Have no fear when you are out there with your dog and you see another dog or person coming. Just hold it on short leash such that its head is just high enough as to walk straight. Let your mind focus on other things, not the walk, to help you walk calmly and normally. After a few situations like this, it may be ready to sniff at other dogs and talk in their own language.
- Dogs express their reaction to situations differently than humans. When it barks agitatedly at somebody at your door, it is simply protecting its territory. The guest at the door is not part of its familiar territory. The guest has to become familiar -- and slow, calm introductions have to be made. With the dog on leash but not doing anything else to excite it, have the guest come in slowly and let the dog get familiar with the new scent. It will connect that new scent to a harmless situation and the guest then becomes part of its familiar territory.
- Dogs need exercise not just for physical health but behavioral health. Unexercised dogs have a lot of unspent energy which translate into aggression, barking, and thus, difficulty for the owner to control. Exercise your dog by walking, running, playing, even swimming for breeds that love the water.
I took seriously each lesson learned from watching how the challenges were overcome and the happy outcome of each dog show episode. Challenged dog owners learned to change their own behavior and with that they gained confidence in controlling their dogs and in making them happy companions in or out of the house. Seriously, I wanted the actual experience and test the theories myself.
So maybe I could have a dog. I remember the first time the thought crossed my mind. It was after watching with my husband three episodes of Dog Whisperer -- in one sitting. The next time again, I thought aloud and asked him if could have a dog. Husband: No, dear. That was it. And then I started looking at the Pets for Adoption section of the morning paper. I was closely looking at the dog faces and their descriptions. Something I never did before. And I thought they were really creatures I could love.
I was fast learning the language of dog training. But I still had to use the power of human language to persuade my husband to let me have a dog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6308182
No comments:
Post a Comment