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Pet Tips |
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Pet Tips |
| Training | |
| Over the past few years we've
been asked to recommend professional trainers for "mans best friend", the family
dog. Although I'm not a professional trainer, I've come in contact with many dogs
who have not yet acquired the basic social graces which keep them out of the dog house and
in the family room with "the boss". As a pet owner and father, I've
learned that "there is no such thing as a bad child", or an
un-trainable dog.
Most dogs acquire bad habits because first of all, they don't know how to behave
like people. For a dog, learning to act like a dog is easy. But even that
skill is hard to learn unless there are other dogs around to learn from and then the
things learned are usually not what we humans call "proper". Things like
jumping up on people, using the ottoman for unspeakable acts of passion, or other annoying
and downright maddening things like ignoring the command to "COME". When
my standard poodles are with me outside the compound one at a time, they will stay by my
side or wander a couple of hundred feet away, even out of sight sometimes, but they will
come when called and happily so! BUT!, If two of them get out together, they are
GONE!! Sometimes for days! So you see they have learned that it's much more
fun to run and play with their own kind than to lolly-gag along with a mere human, even if
he is the one that feeds them. Most bad habits can be corrected. It takes time, attention and most of all patience!! Once your pet has the idea that it can "get away" with something, the battle, although not lost, it's going to be extremely hard to achieve even the smallest victory. A really incorrigible, difficult dog usually requires a skilled professional to correct bad habits. This is akin to shock therapy treatment, to let the pet know that there is another way to behave and one which when learned, will make life a lot easier. These shock therapy sessions need to be intense, one-on-one training episodes with a trainer who can spend at least 1/2 an hour, twice a day for several days. At this point, the dog needs to be evaluated as to whether the owner should be brought in, or the professional training period extended. No two dogs are alike. It takes an experienced trainer to recognize the signals indicating that the training is having the desired effect. In any case, the owner or owners need to take an active part in the final stages of the training. This may take a few hours or few days. There are many variables involved with the transfer of knowledge from the trainer to the handlers (owners). Basic training such as "NO", "OFF", "SIT, "STAY" and "COME", can be done by the owner. There are hundreds of books on training your puppy. Get a book and take the training chapter by chapter, day by day, until you're satisfied that you can trust your friend to walk with you to the corner store without embarrassing you. You'll be happier for it and so will your buddy. The biggest problem we face today is TIME! There never seems to be enough to go around. And the last thing one wants to do after a long busy day is take the dog out. Don't despair, the puppy has no concept of time. A few minutes a day, like maybe 20 or so will be enough if it is consistent and not all discipline. If your schedule is just too tight to permit a calm, consistent, regime for the training sessions, contact a training professional. As with children, dogs need to understand the limits of permissible behavior! These limits should be established with firm, gentle correction! The key word being correction. There are several fine trainers in my area, who are available when we need to help a wayward dog find it's way in life. Should you find that you require the services of a professional, or just want to get your friend off to a good start, call us at CANINE CAMP or send me an email message. I'll do my best to help. STAN HARDY Owner, operator Unique Boarding Photos Map References Contact Us Pet Mail Home
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Content copyright 1999, Stan & Diane Hardy
"CANINE CAMP"
Created By www.electricdesigns.com
Copyright © 1999 [Electric Designs
™]. All rights reserved.
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Page last updated
June 27, 2007
