Thursday, August 30, 2018
Focusing on the Positive
Focusing on the Positive
Focusing on the positive will keep our dog�s training fun for both us and him. Keep stationary commands calm and pleasant and call the dog enthusiastically. Corrective commands, such as �Off� and �Leave it�, should be firm but not shouted or directed with anger.
While working with our dog it is easy to get frustrated and correct all the mistakes our dog makes and forget one of the most important parts of learning: Praise. Praise plays a big part in learning and lets the dog know a correct behavior has been performed well and that we are happy with his response.
For example, say you call your dog and he quickly comes to you. The dog is then praised for a correct response. Now say your dog approaches your toddler�s stuffed toy which the child is currently holding. You correct with �Off� or �Leave it� and your dog backs away and is redirected to some other activity or one of his own toys. Your dog deserves praise for following the command. Keep in mind that without the praise, the command becomes nothing more than a correction.
To keep our training positive we treat all commands the same. As the dog learns the commands he is always rewarded with praise for the correct response. Remember, we want the dog to gladly drop what�s in his mouth just as much as we want the dog to enthusiastically come running to us when called.
