Most dog training professionals agree that the best way to train any dog is by a process called positive reinforcement training. This is a technical term for a very simple theory:

Rewarding the desired behavior you want your dog to repeat, while ignoring the undesired behavior, is positive reinforcement. This method has replaced the now outdated old world of dog training that at times could be very cruel. Inflicting physical pain and intimidation, such as choking an aggressive dog or using shock collars as corrective techniques.

Positive reinforcement works with your dog. Her natural instinct is to please you – the theory of positive reinforcement recognizes that lessons are more meaningful for dogs, and tend to “stick” more, when a dog is able to figure out what you’re asking under her own steam (as opposed to, say, learning “down” by being forced repeatedly into a prone position, while the word “down” is repeated at intervals).

When you use positive reinforcement training, you’re allowing her the time and the opportunity to use her own brain. Some ways for you to facilitate the training process:

- Rewards that mean something. A little rub on the head and a “good girl”, gets pretty boring for a dog. (some dogs don’t even like being rubbed on the head.)

- You can tell if a dog doesn’t like its head beaning touched, does he or she cower or bark when a hand comes down to them? It is better to use “primary intensives”, such as food or a more physical reward.

- In other words, they’re both significant rewards that most dogs respond powerfully and reliably to.

Tags: Animal and Pet Articles, animals, Dog training guide, dog training tips, dogs, home, pets

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 27th, 2009 at 12:30 pm and is filed under Animal and Pet Articles, Labrador Retriever Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.