Pet Training

Dog Training

The process of teaching a dog (Canis lupus familiaris) to perform certain actions at the behest of somebody in response to certain commands which the dog is trained to understand . It is a general term not describing by itself either what or how the dog is taught. There are many methods and objectives of training. Dogs may be trained to:

• follow obedience commands (part of obedience training)
• perform tricks casually or for circus acts
• be a guide dog to lead the blind
• be a rescue dog to find victims of a disaster
• be a hunting dog to aid in hunting
• aid in herding, tracking, and retrieving
• follow agility commands
• serve as a guard animal

As pack animals, wild dogs have natural instincts that favor cooperation with their fellow dogs. Many domestic dogs, either through instinct or breeding, can correctly interpret and respond to signals given by a human handler. Most dogs, no matter their eventual advanced training or intended purpose, live with people who want them to behave in a way that makes them pleasant to be around, keeps them safe, and provides for the safety of other people and pets.

Dogs do not figure out basic obedience on their own; they must be trained. The hardest part of training is communicating with the dog in a humane way that he understands. However, the underlying principle of all communication is simple: reward desired behavior while ignoring or correcting undesired behavior. Basic pet obedience training usually consists of 5 behaviors: sit, down, stay, recall ("come" or "here"), close (or loose-leash walking), heel.
 
Corrections should never include harmful physical force or violence. Using force while training is controversial and should not be taken lightly, because even if it ends the behavior, when applied inappropriately with some dogs it may lead to a loss of drive (enthusiasm for the given task), stress, and in some cases even aggression. A handler may decide to use force, however the standard used by most trainers is the minimum amount necessary to inhibit the unwanted behavior.

For more information, contact Cheryl Luna, our Professional Pet Trainer at Bear Valley Animal Hospital.