Dog training is a necessary adjunct to keeping dogs as pets. Dogs, particularly larger ones, must be obedient, or keeping them becomes a burden.
In addition to their appreciation for being fed, as pack animals dogs have natural instincts that favor training. These instincts are manifested as a desire to please a handler. This gives the dog trainer an unbeatable edge in shaping the dog's behavior.
While dogs can be trained for complex behaviors, such as rescue work, circus acts, or medical diagnosis, there are certain elements of training that almost all dogs can learn, to the benefit of both dog and handler.
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While there are many professional dog trainers, most in fact train people how to train their own dogs. This article assumes that the dog's owner—also referred to by different people as the dog's master, guardian, or handler—is the person training the dog. The term owner or master is not meant to disparage the relationship between a person and a dog: Dogs are not humans and having a master does not make one a slave.
Everyone who handles the dog should take part in the training, including the puppy kindergarten, because the dog should be equally obedient to everyone in the family or household. If you think your neighbor might have to call the dog in your absence, then you can work to help the neighbor learn Come and Sit, although it may not be necessary for the neighbor to learn more.
It is crucial for the trainer and the dog to attend class together, to learn more about each other and how to work together. Inexperienced people may believe that dogs know basic commands such as sit and down instinctively and are therefore excessively harsh when a dog doesn't immediately obey; it's important that someone new to training a dog learn what a dog does and doesn't know and how dogs learn.
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Dog training begins virtually at birth. Dogs that are handled and petted by humans regularly during the first eight weeks of life are generally much more amenable to being trained and living in human households.
Puppies should be placed in their permanent homes (also called homed or placed) at around 8 weeks of age, especially if they have been reared in a kennel environment. In some countries [such as the UK] it is against the law to home puppies before the age of 8 weeks. Before this age, puppies are still learning tremendous amounts of socialization skills from their mother. Puppies are innately more fearful of new things during the period from 10 to 12 weeks, which makes it harder for them to adapt to a new home.
Puppies can begin learning tricks and commands by this age; the only limitations are the pup's stamina, concentration, and physical coordination. It is much easier to live with young dogs that have already learned basic commands such as sit. Waiting until the puppy is much older and larger and has already learned bad habits makes the owner's training job much more difficult.
Formal training in classes is not always available until the puppy has completed all its vaccinations at around 4 months; however, some trainers might offer puppy socialization classes in which puppies can enroll immediately after homing as long as disease risk is minimal and puppies have receieved initial vaccinations. In most cases, basic training classes accept only puppies who are at least 3 to 6 months old.
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Fundamentally, dog training is about communication. The handler is communicating to the dog what behaviors are correct in what circumstances. A successful handler must also understand the communication that the dog sends to the handler. The dog can signal that he is unsure, confused, nervous, happy, excited, etc. The emotional state of the dog is an important consideration in directing the training.
Consider teaching a dog to down on command. The handler puts some food in his hand and puts his closed hand on the ground in front of the dog. When the dog lies down, the handler says "free" and opens his hand rewarding the dog. Once the dog has this concept the handler puts a command with the behavior. The handler says "down", waits a beat, then puts his closed hand on the floor. If after a bit the dog does not lie down, the handler says "uh-uh" waits for the dog to offer the correct behavior. When the dog does lie down, the handler says "free" and rewards the dog. Later the handler will want to prolong the down before rewarding the dog. The handler says "down" and the dog lies down. Then the handler says "good", encouraging the dog to continue the behavior. After a moment the handler says "free" and rewards the dog. Suppose the handler says "down" and the dog jumps up on the handler and starts biting at the treat bag. The handler says "no" and punishes the dog in an appropriate manner. Frequently use of the word "no" is sufficient punishment. Note that the reward marker and punishment marker end the behavior. Once the handler gives either of those messages, the dog is no longer expected to perform the requested behavior.
These messages do not have to be communicated with words. Other signals can be used. In particular, clickers are frequently used for the reward marker. It is critical that the signals or words used for these messages are used with absolute consistency. If the handler sometimes says "good" as a reward marker and sometimes as a bridge, it is difficult for the dog to know when he has earned a reward. The handler must always reward the dog in some manner after using the reward marker, treat, play, praise, etc. Failure to reward after the reward marker diminishes the value of the reward marker and makes training more difficult.
Dogs are not born understanding these messages. They must be taught. The reward marker is easily taught by sitting down with a bag of treats and pairing the signal, "free", with giving the dog a treat. Free, treat, free, treat, free, treat, ... Do this for two or three minutes several times a day for a week and the dog will understand the reward marker. The bridge is easily taught while training a simple behavior like down. Simply saying "good ... free" and gradually increasing the time between "good" and "free" will quickly introduce the bridge. The no reward marker and the punishment marker are also taught as part of training a simple command. The no reward marker seems to be a subtle thing for many dogs and handlers to understand. It is not a harsh punishment. It should communicate to the dog "Thank you for offering that behavior, but it is not what I want. Please do something else. If you do the right thing I will reward you." Once a dog understands these four messages it is much easier to train the dog, to teach the dog to perform a wide variety of different behaviors on command.
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Most training revolves around giving the dog treats (food or favorite toys) and praise when it obeys, and withholding attention, treats, and praise when it does not. A sharp No is useful as long as the dog does not show signs of fear or anxiety. Physical punishment, such as smacking, should be avoided. Hand contact must remain unequivocally nonthreatening; otherwise, some dogs may begin to behave defensively when stroked or handled. Keeping a puppy on a leash in challenging situations or in his crate or pen when not closely supervised prevents the puppy from getting into situations that might otherwise invite an owner's harsh reaction (such as chewing up a favorite pair of shoes).
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When giving commands to a dog, a calm, firm, authoritative voice is most effective. Dogs do not respond well to hesitant, pleading voices, nor to yelling, which might sound to the dog like threatening barking or scolding. It is also important that the word used for the command and the pitch of the voice be consistent each time the command is delivered so that the dog can more easily learn what the owner means (siiiiiiiiiiiit does not sound the same as sit, for example).
Using the puppy's name before a command ensures that the dog knows that a command is coming, that it is for him (rather than for other dogs, children, or people), and that he should pay attention. This is important because dogs hear a lot of human speech that has no relevance for them at all, and it is easy for them to disregard commands amongst the babble.
To reinforce the command, the dog always gets some kind of reward or reinforcement (praise and usually a treat or toy) when it performs the action correctly. This helps the dog to understand that he has done a good thing.
Note that not all dogs are trained to voice command. Many working breeds of dog are not trained to a voice command at all; they are taught to obey a combination of whistles and hand signals. Deaf dogs are perfectly capable of learning to obey visual signals alone. Many obedience classes teach hand signals for common commands in addition to voice signals; these signals can be useful in quiet situations, at a distance, and in advance obedience competitions.
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Here are a few commands that almost every dog should respond to:
Come: This command, also referred to as the recall, is crucial. If the dog won't come when called, it is not an obedient dog. One method for training begins by allowing the dog to wander out on a long leash or line, then calling it by name and the command Come. This method might require a quick, light tug on the leash to get the dog moving when first teaching this command. Like all commands, it is successful only if the dog is rewarded when it completes the command and only if the practice is repeated—under different circumstances and distances and gradually removing the controls—until the dog performs flawlessly.
Sit: This command is also crucial. Sitting dogs are under the handler's direct control. It is common to precede other commands, such as the Stay command, with a sit command. One method for training uses a treat held in front of the dog's nose and passed back over its head, forcing the dog to sit. Sit and Stay are used in conjunction with many other commands.
Stay: This command gives peace of mind. An owner can park her dog while doing something else. One method of training involves placing the dog in a sit or a down position, then telling it to stay while stepping away from the dog. If the dog stays, the handler rewards it while it is still in the position. Indoors, use this command to park your dog under a favorite table or bench.
Lie down or down: this command allows even greater control than sitting. One training method uses a treat drawn forward and down across the dog's face, forcing it to lie down to get at it. Since even people without dogs are familiar with this command and use it when dogs are bothering them, the better the dog is at it, the better it can get along with strangers and visitors.
Go to bed or get in: Directs the dog to go to its bed or its crate and to remain there until released. The dog has freedom of movement in that location to stand up, turn around, or lie down, unlike when placed in a Stay. Useful to keep a dog out from underfoot and safe in a busy or complicated situation.
Drop or drop it: Dogs pick up all sorts of things, some of which they shouldn't have. A dog that drops anything on command, no matter how attractive (which to a dog can be rotten and smelly), is a dog under control that the owner can prevent from eating dangerous items or from destroying valued personal property.
Leave it: An adjunct to Drop, directing the dog to not touch an item. Also useful before the dog has picked anything up. One method of training involves leaving a treat on the ground and walking the dog past it without allowing the dog to pick it up. Leave it is also used in conjunction with Take it.
Take it: The dog leaves a desired object, such as a toy or treat, untouched until given this command. This can protect an owner's, visitor's, or child's fingers.
Heel, Close, By me: The dog walks with its head directly next to the handler's leg and does not deviate until released. One method of training accompanies the command with a slap to the thigh indicating where the handler wants the dog's head.
Okay, Free, Break, or Release: Releases the dog from Stay, Heel, Sit, and so forth. Also a general release to play.
The specific command word is not important, although the preceding list covers some of the more common words. Short, clear words that are easily understood by other humans are generally recommended; that way, people will understand what a handler is telling his dog to do and other handlers have a good chance of controlling someone else's dog if necessary. In fact, dogs can learn commands in any language or other communications medium, including whistles, mouth sounds, hand gestures, and so forth.
While dogs can be trained far beyond these rudiments, a dog that obeys these commands will be a pleasure to keep and take out. Off-leash obedience is the hallmark of a well-trained dog.
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Now, you are going to actually train your dog in some easy steps.
Sit - Get a treat or favourite toy to tempt your dog. Then, hold the treat or toy in a closed hand. Raise the treat or toy above and back over your dog's head and say Sit. Repeat this process and then, after about twenty goes, just say Sit without the hand movement.
Leave it/Take it - Every time you give your dog breakfast, lunch or dinner, tell him to sit. Then, say Leave it. Start putting your dog's meal down. He will rush to it so when he rushes at it, bring it back up, tell him to Sit (see above) and Leave it again. Keep doing it until he gets the point. Then, when he has successfully Left it, say Take it. If he doesn't, shake the bowl to tempt him. This can also be used for things your dog isn't allowed to touch.
Stay -Get a treat or favourite toy to tempt your dog. Then, tell your dog to Sit (see above). Then, with your hand out flat, put your hand out in front of your dog's nose and say Stay and walk two or three steps away from your dog. Then say Take it (see above). Repeat this process several times. Each time you do it, take one or two steps further.
Drop or Down - Get a treat or favourite toy to tempt your dog. Then, tell him to Sit. Then, bring the treat down just in front of his front paws on the ground and say Drop. I don't recommend pushing down on his back because most dogs will bite you. When he is lying down, say Drop or Down again. Repeat this process about twenty-five times. Then, say Drop or Down without the hand movement.
Look - Get a treat or favourite toy to tempt your dog. Tell him to Sit (see above). Then, raise the treat or toy to your eye and say Look. Keep eye contact for three seconds then give him the treat. Repeat this process ten times and then five times without the hand movement.
Shake paws - Get a treat to tempt your dog. Then, tell him to Sit (see above). Then, take his paw and shake it like you would shake someone you didn't know's hands and say Shake or Paw. Repeat this process ten times, then five more times without picking up his paw.
Twirl - Get a treat to tempt your dog. Then, put it in front of your dog's nose and go round in a circle and say Twirl. Make sure your dog follows. Repeat this process seven times and then three more except without the hand movement.
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Leash training is training a dog to walk on a leash without pulling or jerking. There are many methods for doing this, such as simply turning and walking the other way when the dog moves in front of the handler, or firmly grasping the leash at the collar and guiding the dog into position beside the handler.
Today, many trainers advocate using a plain collar and leash for leash training rather than specialized training collars, such as slip collars and prong collars. Both of these can potentially inflict damage to a dog's neck and should not be used except in specific cases when recommended by, and supervised by, a knowledgeable trainer. Historically, slip collars have been used as a matter of course, and some trainers still recommend them for basic training on any dog; such collars should be used in a way that makes a quick popping or zipping sound to startle the dog and are then quickly released, not to choke the dog or to put tight pressure on the dog's neck. Advocates of plain-collar training encourage students to ask their instructors to allow them to use plain collars, not slip collars; the techniques for training, however, are slightly different and some instructors might not agree.
However, hard pulling even on a plain collar can damage a dog's neck, so during times when it is not possible to work on training and the dog still pulls on the leash, owners can use a nose halter instead of a collar; these are sold under brand names such as Gentle Leader and Halti. Even these must be used carefully, not for harshly jerking a dog, as they can jerk a dog's head suddenly to the side.
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There are a few commands that many domestic dogs learn, but that are not part of the basic repetoire.
Stop – a dog that will simply stop whatever it is doing and lie down on command no matter how far it is from its keeper is a dog that can be taken anywhere. Some handlers use the word Platz(related to "place", i.e. stay in position.) for this action.
Back up – keepers of large dogs or dogs with a reputation for aggressiveness can make strangers more comfortable by teaching the dog to back up on command.
Growl – the inverse of backing up. Some owners teach non-aggressive dogs to growl on a subtle command – not the word growl, usually a small hand gesture – as a way of letting strangers know that you and your dog value being left alone.
Steady – keep near by. The dog can walk free, but not dash off. Train to this command with a long leash, calling out Steady when the leash is taut. Continue off leash.
Stand – dog stands still. Train from lying-down position by lifting under belly while repeating command. Useful for grooming. Many dogs are groomed frequently and need to stand quietly during the process.
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Many dog owners teach their dogs tricks. This serves several purposes: Develops a stronger relationship between the dog and human; provides entertainment; and engages the dog's mind, which can help to alleviate problems caused by boredom. For example, the shake hands trick involves the dog raising its paw and placing it into an outstretched hand. An example of a useful trick is teaching a dog to ring a bell to go outside. This helps prevent the stress placed on an owner when trying to recognize whether the dog needs to relieve itself.
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At anywhere from three to six months of age, a puppy begins to get its adult set of teeth. This period can be quite painful and many owners do not recognize the natural need to chew. By providing specific chew toys designed to ease the pain of teething (such as a frozen nylon bone), attention can be diverted from table legs and other furniture.
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