Reward-based training for your dog

Training is a great way to keep your dog’s mind active and helps make sure you both understand each other. Shouting at your pet will only make them confused and anxious!

The key to successful training is to make it fun and the most effective way to do this is by a method known as “positive reinforcement” or “reward-based” training. Your dog will soon learn to behave in a certain way if offered a treat or reward each time he or she behaves that way. By repeating this several times (eg “sit”), your dog will eventually respond to the word without needing a reward.

Basic reward-based training can start from as young as six weeks but it is never too late to begin.

These golden rules should be followed to ensure the training is effective:

• Offer a reward your dog really likes, food treats or some may prefer praise or a special toy.
• The reward must be given during the appropriate behaviour or within half a second of the behaviour you are rewarding.
• Keep sessions short so your dog odes not lose interest.
• Make it fun and positive and end on a high, when your pet has learned a signal.
• Focus on one signal at a time and make the signal unique to the behaviour you are training.
• Be patient and keep repeating and rewarding the behaviour you want your dog to do.
• Ignore mistakes; it will take time for your dog to master the behaviour. Just give a reward the next time they get it right.
• Never use punishment! Shouting, rattle cans, choke chains and smacking will only cause anxiety, pain and fear. Dogs that are punished learn very quickly that people can’t be trusted which leads to a range of behavioural problems later in life.
• Everyone who has contact with your dog should praise the right behaviour, use the same signals and ignore mistakes. This avoids confusing your dog.
• Make sure any training classes that you are thinking of joining use only reward-based training.

Members of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers such as local behaviourists and trainers Pets in Practise use reward-based methods only and run many local classes.

Pets in Practise dog training session: Sunday 18th March

Pets in Practise, run by local pet behaviourist Kristina Glover, are holding an extremely informative day-long training session highlighting the benefits of reward based training and giving dog owners the confidence to try techniques themselves. The day promises to be a lot of fun too! Download a PDF flyer for further details or visit the Pets in Practise website.