A Short Overview in Advanced Obedience Canine Training
Advanced obedience is to a canine what putting down the toilet seat is to a man – it takes patience in constant reeducation but it can be done. Dog obedience training is one of the most rewarding experiences between a dog and his pet owner. You are not only doing yourself a great benefit; you are giving your animal a happier and fuller life. Obedient dogs are well-adjusted, self-assured and more intelligent. You can be confident in his behavior even if you leave him alone with strangers.
The most important thing to remember in attempting to train your animal is to set your position as the head in your relationship. When he understands that you are the top dog, so to speak, it is easier to [train|teach} him the commands he is expected to obey. Confusing the animal in this aspect can be dangerous; he will be assertive and strive to control you himself. Don’t overcompensate and be excessively harsh to show you’re the master; be firm, stand your ground and correct this unfavorable trait as soon as you see it rearing its ugly head.
Make your authority known by using a strong and sure tone in your speaking. When you give the command to “Sit!” gently guide him in the said position firmly. You may have to go through several tries with each command, especially in the beginning. Development from basic to more advanced obedience training is relatively simpler once your dog recognizes the patterns you’ve set in your teaching classes.
Operant Conditioning is rewarding your dog with doggie treats or accolades for correctly doing the command. It is the single most effective way to train your pet; it’s what he comprehends. Praise your dog each time he does what you say correctly. At times, this is easy to overlook but take care not to. Dogs will get confused easily and distinguishing good behavior every time will make certain that he will remember what is right.
Conversely, reprimand your dog whenever he makes a mistake. Do it during the mistake and not after so the dog will see the error of his ways. Scolding him will also emphasize the difference between what is right from what is [wrong|bad}. For instance, if he starts finding the unidentified dirt on his path interesting enough to eat, reprimand him as soon as he does it. Then put appropriate food before him to eat. When he starts dining on his own food, be profuse in your praise.
To be able to see growth in dog obedience training, keep sessions short and as often as possible. Be repetitive in what you teach. Don’t restrict teaching your dog during “school time” or set time blocks. Otherwise, he won’t feel like studying during summer vacation, so to speak.
Dogs in movies awe you with the level of difficulty of the stunts asked of them. However, do remember that they all started with sit. Begin with the basics and climb your way up. With persistence and constancy your pet will advance to more challenging commands like growl, leave it, fetch and attack. Employ the same standard in how you trained him before and you will find sweet success in the more advanced levels.
There, now that you’ve got working knowledge of a professional trainer’s guide to advanced obedience training for dogs, it’s time to roll up your sleeves, get the happy dog and start training!