Usually when I sit down to write my blog, I try to bring to mind topics that I end up discussing with a lot of my clients because I want these entries to speak to as large an audience as possible. One aspect of my training program that I discuss quite often is the different phases of training. I have separated my training techniques into 3 phases:
1. Fun, Easy, Rewarding
2. Inevitable
3. Why is it important to YOUR dog?
These phases are different than the levels of training classes I provide (such as rookie, intermediate, advanced). There are different commands learned in each level of classes, i.e. Rookie=Sit, Intermediate= Park it, etc. All 3 phases can be applied to just one command (i.e. sit), in order to make the command solid in varying situations. So what are these phases and what do they entail? I am glad you asked!...
PHASE ONE
Look how fun, easy, and rewarding this training thing is!!!!
Most of my puppy or rookie curriculum focuses on this phase. Just as the name suggests, we want them to realize how fun and rewarding responding to our commands can be. Ever heard the famous motivational speaker line: "Help enough other people get what they want and you will end up getting what you want"? That's exactly what we want to teach our puppies! If they do what we ask, they will probably get something they want, whether that is a treat, a pat on the head, belly rub, game of fetch, or simply a "good dog!". The two most important factors in this phase is setting up your dog to be successful in the commands you are asking him to do and rewards, rewards, rewards!
In my group classes, on the week we start working on the Come When Called, I tell them their homework is that for the next week they have a 100% success rate in getting their dog to come to them. I almost always get several funny looks from my owners. This isn't surprising since many of my clients are in class BECAUSE their dog won't Come When Called. The question that follows is always this: HOW ON EARTH DO WE DO THAT?!
It's simple really, for the next week; do not call your dog when you know he isn't going to come. How many of have gone out into your yard, called your dog knowing they won't come, and then end up having to go catch them anyways? Did calling their name help? No, it just gave them a head start! Not only that, but every time we say a command and they do not perform the behavior they are learning that non-compliance is an option. So the first phase is all about setting up your environment so that you are successful in getting what you want from your dog. Not only so you are productive, but also so that your dog enjoys training! (No one likes doing something they aren't good at).
I have many owners who are reluctant to work on the Come When Called inside the house, they say, "but my dog comes to me in the house, he doesn't come when we are outside!". First of all, your goal isn't to get your dog to come to you, your job is to see how EXCITED you can get your dog to come to you. The more overjoyed they are to come to you inside the house, the more of that will spill over into the outside world. If you start with just enough excitement inside then you don’t have nearly enough "want to" outside.
Secondly, many owners overlook the importance of rewards in getting a behavior to be reliable. They feel that the treats should only be used until the dog knows the command. In reality, treats should be used until the behavior is a habit (BIG DIFFERENCE!). I may KNOW I should drink more water every day, but actually developing the HABIT of drinking more water every day will take some time.
Also, I encourage owners to use their dog's primary reinforcing reward (almost always food) until the behavior is as strong as we want it to be. You see, the treat is NOT just their reward but actually a reinforcer for the behavior. Imagine you are setting concrete and you are placing rebar (steel rods) into the concrete to make it stronger. Your dog's behaviors are the concrete and the reward is the rebar. While you are putting in the concrete, the more rebar you include, the stronger the concrete will be, even after it is set up and you are no longer adding rebar! In other words, science has proven that if you use a primary reinforcer (like food) to teach something, even after you change to a secondary reinforcer (like verbal praise) the dog will still feel the same way about the behavior as they did when getting the primary reinforcer! But only if you used the primary reinforcer long enough for them to build an association between the two.
What are you waiting for? Go get started showing your dog how fun training is!
Check out next week's blog entry to hear about Phases 2 & 3!
1. Fun, Easy, Rewarding
2. Inevitable
3. Why is it important to YOUR dog?
These phases are different than the levels of training classes I provide (such as rookie, intermediate, advanced). There are different commands learned in each level of classes, i.e. Rookie=Sit, Intermediate= Park it, etc. All 3 phases can be applied to just one command (i.e. sit), in order to make the command solid in varying situations. So what are these phases and what do they entail? I am glad you asked!...
PHASE ONE
Look how fun, easy, and rewarding this training thing is!!!!
Most of my puppy or rookie curriculum focuses on this phase. Just as the name suggests, we want them to realize how fun and rewarding responding to our commands can be. Ever heard the famous motivational speaker line: "Help enough other people get what they want and you will end up getting what you want"? That's exactly what we want to teach our puppies! If they do what we ask, they will probably get something they want, whether that is a treat, a pat on the head, belly rub, game of fetch, or simply a "good dog!". The two most important factors in this phase is setting up your dog to be successful in the commands you are asking him to do and rewards, rewards, rewards!
In my group classes, on the week we start working on the Come When Called, I tell them their homework is that for the next week they have a 100% success rate in getting their dog to come to them. I almost always get several funny looks from my owners. This isn't surprising since many of my clients are in class BECAUSE their dog won't Come When Called. The question that follows is always this: HOW ON EARTH DO WE DO THAT?!
It's simple really, for the next week; do not call your dog when you know he isn't going to come. How many of have gone out into your yard, called your dog knowing they won't come, and then end up having to go catch them anyways? Did calling their name help? No, it just gave them a head start! Not only that, but every time we say a command and they do not perform the behavior they are learning that non-compliance is an option. So the first phase is all about setting up your environment so that you are successful in getting what you want from your dog. Not only so you are productive, but also so that your dog enjoys training! (No one likes doing something they aren't good at).
I have many owners who are reluctant to work on the Come When Called inside the house, they say, "but my dog comes to me in the house, he doesn't come when we are outside!". First of all, your goal isn't to get your dog to come to you, your job is to see how EXCITED you can get your dog to come to you. The more overjoyed they are to come to you inside the house, the more of that will spill over into the outside world. If you start with just enough excitement inside then you don’t have nearly enough "want to" outside.
Secondly, many owners overlook the importance of rewards in getting a behavior to be reliable. They feel that the treats should only be used until the dog knows the command. In reality, treats should be used until the behavior is a habit (BIG DIFFERENCE!). I may KNOW I should drink more water every day, but actually developing the HABIT of drinking more water every day will take some time.
Also, I encourage owners to use their dog's primary reinforcing reward (almost always food) until the behavior is as strong as we want it to be. You see, the treat is NOT just their reward but actually a reinforcer for the behavior. Imagine you are setting concrete and you are placing rebar (steel rods) into the concrete to make it stronger. Your dog's behaviors are the concrete and the reward is the rebar. While you are putting in the concrete, the more rebar you include, the stronger the concrete will be, even after it is set up and you are no longer adding rebar! In other words, science has proven that if you use a primary reinforcer (like food) to teach something, even after you change to a secondary reinforcer (like verbal praise) the dog will still feel the same way about the behavior as they did when getting the primary reinforcer! But only if you used the primary reinforcer long enough for them to build an association between the two.
What are you waiting for? Go get started showing your dog how fun training is!
Check out next week's blog entry to hear about Phases 2 & 3!
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