Today I’d like to share with
you some key ideas of an article by Julie Cantrell that I found very valuable
and instructive for dog training. Julie put in the focus of dog training
process the human-dog communication. The main thing, as she sees it, is your concentration
on dogs behavior, your ability to communicate with your dog through body
movements, voice and tones.
Herein are some extracts from
the article.
Please share and comment.
Effective Communication in Dog Training
Dogs are amazing creatures. They adapt
to countless situations. They are phenomenal at associations: including
learning the meaning or implication of many sounds, such as human language. A
dog's "vocabulary" can reach upward of 150 distinct words! However,
regardless of how smart, how skilled, and how adaptable they are, dogs will
never be verbal animals. Their first language, so to speak, is not words, but
body language. Because of this, it's only natural that your dog will interpret
your words though a "filter" - of body language, facial expression,
tone of voice, even your attention. And if one or more of these
"disagree" with the words you are using, most dogs will
"obey" your body language!
In my
experience, most snags in the dog training process result from
miscommunication, not willfulness, stubbornness, or dominance. While this
article is geared toward training the family dog, the fact is that whether your
dog is strictly a family pet, a competitor in canine sports, or a full-time
working dog, getting the most out of your training time means learning to
communicate effectively with your dog.
Communication Begins with Attention
Possibly
the most fundamental form of communication is your attention. This is true
whether you are teaching some new skill, practicing an old one, or refining an
advanced behavior. When you give your attention to something your dog does -
through touch, voice, eye contact, smiling, or laughter - you draw attention to
the behavior. This tells your dog that you find the behavior worthy of
interest. Dogs, being sociable creatures, find most interaction and attention
reinforcing. They value it, and will work to get it - and this is not even
considering whether or not the dog finds the behavior reinforcing in and of itself.
So when training, keep in mind that you don't have to actively reward a
behavior to reinforce it.
Bring
yourself into a training session committed to focusing on your dog to the same
extent that you are asking him to focus on you. Avoid training when you are
distracted or pre-occupied.
The Body Language of Effective Dog Training
Training
your dog is the ultimate expression of leadership: you are taking the
initiative to teach, guide, and direct your dog. Your body language, therefore,
should reflect your role as teacher and leader, communicating a calm
self-confidence and composure. Let's look at the components of non-verbal
communication as they affect your dog:
Your body language begins at the top, with your face.
Training should be a positive, pleasant experience for you and your dog. Before
you begin, and periodically throughout, consciously relax your facial muscles.
Smile gently. Soften your eyes.
If you find yourself becoming flustered, frustrated,
tense, or anxious, your may find that your dog reflects your emotions:
·
He may seek
calmness elsewhere, by avoiding looking at you, or even trying to move away
from you. Some dogs become exaggeratedly slow and sedate, or even show
submissive behaviors, as they try to calm you.
·
He may "act
out" in an attempt to distract you or diffuse the situation. This type of
dog may become generally agitated, or even resort to silly antics to distract
you from yourself!
·
If you become
nervous, many dogs will reflect that nervousness, either distracting themselves
from an uncomfortable situation, or looking around to find the source of your
tension.
If any
of these happen while training your dog, before you direct your frustration at
him, look to yourself first. Take a deep, steady breath, relax your face and
your body, smile, and try again!
More than Just Words
Communicating
clearly and effectively to your dog includes becoming aware of how your tone of
voice, and delivery of cues, affect how your dog learns and responds. When
training your dog, keep in mind that your voice conveys more than just the
command itself.
First, be consistent. Dog owners new to training often vary their cue delivery, switching
back and forth between, for example, a nice, straightforward "sit", a
loud and forceful "SIT!", and a sing-songy, not particularly
confident-sounding "si-yit?" To a dog, each of these sounds is very
different, not like the same cue at all!
If you do
need to use your voice to indicate that you don't want a particular behavior -
whether you say no, or ah-ahh, wrong, etc - the sound should be dismissive, not
angry or frightening. The point is to educate, not intimidate. Remember, as you
work with one another, both you and your dog will make mistakes. The point is
not to make him feel badly for his mistake, but to learn how to best help him
be right. A dog trained this way will understand your message, while continuing
to want to work with you.
Putting it All Together
So, when
working with your dog, make up your mind to relax, smile, be calm, and have
fun. Can you do it another way? Sure. But this article is about helping you
make the most of your communication with your dog, and maximizing the
effectiveness - and enjoyment - of your training time together. Remember, both
you and your dog will make mistakes as you go along. It's not only okay, it's
natural and a to-be expected part of the learning process. Now get out there
and enjoy yourselves!
Copyright 2010 Julie Cantrell / Cahttp://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Cantrellnine Behavior
Services ~ All rights reserved.
Julie Cantrell BSc (Zoology), CPDT, CDBC is a
professional dog trainer, obedience instructor, and dog behavior specialist. In
the past 20 years she has helped thousands of dogs and their owners learn to
get along with one another. She draws on both her formal training and her
extensive practical knowledge to sort dog training fact from fiction, and
provide sound, solid, "user friendly" advice to get dog owners on
track to a happier, more satisfying relationship with their best friends.
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