How To Train Your Dog With Positive Methods

15 August 2009 No Comment

by Harry Littman

Dogs naturally do many things that we don’t like – they chew, they bark, they pee and poo where they are not supposed to, and so on. It’s important to understand that they don’t figure out how to behave the way we want them to behave on their own. If you want a well-behaved dog, you must train him. In this article we’ll take a look at the basic dog training methods.

There are two basic approaches on how to train a dog – positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Today, most experts in the field agree that positive reinforcement should be the main method of training.

What is positive reinforcement training? It’s a method where the trainer reinforces a desired behavior with a reward, with something that the dog likes or wants. Every time a dog performs a desired behavior, he gets a reward which makes it more likely he will repeat the behavior in the future. A reward could be a tasty treat, a hug, a favorite toy, or just attention and interaction with the owner.

Negative reinforcement, sometimes called a harassment training, is the opposite of positive reinforcement. It uses punishment as its main motivating factor to discourage unwanted behaviors. Punishment is a negative consequence that causes a specific behavior to occur with less frequency.

Most experts agree that dog friendly training based on positive reinforcement is more effective that negative reinforcement. It’s not associated with fear, discomfort, pain, or avoiding something and in general produces better results.

Negative reinforcement has its benefits and it would be quite unrealistic to think that you can properly train a dog using only positive reinforcement. But because it can have serious long-lasting consequences, it has to be used very sparingly and carefully.

I always use positive reinforcement to train my dogs and I had great results. This kind of training really strengthens the relationship between the dog and its owner. Always remember, dogs need training not punishment.

About the Author:

Dogs should always be trained with positive methods. If you would like to know more about positive dog training courses, visit dog obedience training.