Welcome to Hospitable Hounds, where we embark on a journey to transform your canine companion into a well-behaved and joyful member of your family. We're thrilled to guide you through achieving your dog training goals with tips that bring real results. Under the expertise of certified pro dog trainer Liz,, Hospitable Hounds is all about fostering a strong bond between you and your furry friend. From force-free methods to inspiring good behavior through play, we're here to make training a joyous journey for you and your canine companion. Let's dive in and unleash the best in your dog together!
1. Choose force free and reward-based training methods.There are many philosophies on what is the most effective way to train your dog, but scientific research has shown that a force free and reward-based training plan is more effective than using aversive methods. By fostering an atmosphere of trust and encouragement, positive reinforcement training not only teaches you how to communicate effectively with your dog but also builds a strong bond between you and your dog, while aversive methods and tools can increase your dog’s anxiety, aggression, and fearfulness.
2. Teach the foundation concepts your dog needs to succeed: Just like people, dogs are born with certain traits that make up their personality and guide their behavior. Every dog will have some strengths and some weaknesses that determine how they react to every situation. Areas of weakness can cause your dog to behave inappropriately at times, but with concept training you can re-shape your dog’s brain and build a foundation of essential skills your dog needs to turn their behavior struggles into strengths!
3. Play Games that Inspire your dog to make good behavior choices: Traditional obedience work teaches your dog a series of commands so that you can tell your dog what to do in any given situation. While it’s definitely important to be able to communicate with your dog in this way, it puts all of the responsibility on you to monitor your dog’s behavior and step in when necessary. Wouldn’t it be great if you could empower your dog to make appropriate choices on their own? By infusing play and interactive games into the training process, dogs become active participants in their own learning journey. This not only boosts their engagement, but teaches them to think appropriately in a variety of situations and control their arousal levels which in turn helps them control their own behavior.
4. Train for the situation, not in the situation: Most behavior modification plans require you to put your dog in a situation where they struggle with the goal of desensitizing them to their fears and counterconditioning a positive behavior response. Even when this is done with positive reinforcement strategies, it puts your dog in a very vulnerable position that can create a conflict of emotion where your dog is worried and/or fearful about the situation, but also wants to earn reward. This inadvertently creates an environment where it is not only difficult for your dog to learn how to truly change their behavior, but one that can be potentially dangerous especially when working with dogs who can be aggressive. In order to achieve better and long-lasting results, it’s important to start by teaching your dog the skills they need outside of the situation when they are relaxed and confident. Then, when they are ready you can grow their skills by exposing them to low level triggers where they may be a little distracted, but are still able to stay engaged with you rather than become reactive or shutting down.
Building good behavior and a strong connection with your canine companion is a continuous and rewarding process. By choosing force-free methods, teaching foundational concepts, incorporating playful games, and training outside of challenging situations, you're setting the stage for a harmonious relationship and real-life behavior change. Hospitable Hounds, is here to support you on this transformative adventure. Celebrate the small victories, cherish the progress, and always prioritize the well-being and happiness of your furry friend. Begin your training journey with Hospitable Hounds today!
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