Dog training is a discipline aimed at teaching your dog the right behaviors to adopt and the rules to respect to live in harmony with those around him alongside his master.
This stage of the dog’s life is decisive in the future relationship he will have with his master, but also with the other animals and human beings he will meet during his life.
Also, the education of your dog should not be left to chance, and it is advisable to be well informed about the methods to be used to allow him to evolve serenely in his environment and to interact correctly with other living beings. These aspects have a lasting impact on their well-being and balance.
Dog training, what is it?
Canine education is a discipline bringing together a set of methods and techniques to teach the dog the right behaviors to adopt and the rules to respect to interact well with its environment and the living beings that evolve there, including its master.
This discipline can be practiced by the master of the dog himself or by professional canine educators, the latter being specialized in the field and often better able to correctly interpret the dog’s behavior and know how to deal with it.
Indeed, the basis of canine education is intimately linked to understanding the dog, respecting its needs and mastering the right attitudes to adopt according to the different behaviors it shows.
There are many methods of canine education, but today, we mainly use positive education, which is more respectful of the well-being of dogs, and which offers the best results.
Positive education aims to reinforce the good behavior of the dog through their reward, while avoiding punishing bad behavior.
Also, positive education appears as a modern method, which banishes violence and brutality, processes long used, but now gradually abandoned because of their proportions to give rise to deviant behavior, often symptomatic of deep unease.
Contrary to what many of its detractors claim (because there are some!), positive education is not just about distributing treats to your dog when he obeys an order.
In reality, it is a question of creating good behavior in the animal by taking care to meet all its daily needs, in order to avoid creating any distress in it that is the cause of bad behavior, which would put it in a situation of failure.
Also, dog training is a real professional discipline, which can pose many challenges to novice masters, and even more to those whose dog is a little rebellious. (1)
The importance of dog training on dog well-being
Training your dog is not just about making him an obedient animal, it has a crucial impact on his well-being by conditioning the relationship that he will develop with his master, as well as with the other animals and humans he will meet throughout his life.
To fully understand the impact of a well-conducted canine education, it is necessary above all to know that it is based on a good understanding of the dogs and their needs, the latter having, above all, to be met to allow the dog to stay balanced.
Indeed, many dogs with behavioral problems, and in particular destructive animals that tear the furniture and property of their masters to pieces, are animals that show discomfort following a way of life or an environment which does not suit them.
For example, hyperactive dogs are generally doggies who do not exert themselves enough physically and intellectually (this second point being left aside by many masters), and not animals suffering from a real cognitive disorder. .
In fact, in these animals it would be ridiculous to begin an education process asking them to concentrate and remain calm, when their need for intellectual and physical solicitations is not met.
Positive education therefore consists of beginning by understanding your dog, namely, in the example above, being able to determine that the hyperactivity is linked to a need that is not met, identifying this need to respond to it and , finally, to implement educational methods adapted to a dog that we know, in fact, very demanding in solicitations.
In fact, the whole education process is based on great attention paid to the animal, and knowledge of its needs and the meaning of its behavior, in order to ensure that it is happy and can develop a good balancemental.
A well-educated dog will then be able to interact correctly with his surroundings to meet some of his needs, and in particular his need for attention, solicitation and socialization.
Indeed, by engaging in clumsy interactions with humans or other dogs, a poorly educated doggie risks being severely rebuffed, which does not allow him to obtain what he has come for and can plunge him into a great distress.
Also, the education of the dog is essential so that he can communicate and build healthy relationships with those aroundhim, things essential to his development. Note that the dog is a social animal, and interacting properly with other living beings is essential to its well-being. (2)
education off to a good start The education of your
dog must be done through methods and techniques adapted to its character and behaviour.
In fact, we can say that the education of your pooch begins from the moment you choose the furry companion who will accompany you throughout his life.
Indeed, as we mentioned above, it is vital to be able to meet all his needs to make him a pleasant companion to live with and well educated, something that can be difficult when the dog has needs that don’t fit your lifestyle.
In fact, if you’re more of a sedentary person, you’ll probably find it hard to meet the needs of an energetic, enduring Husky, and if you’re away a lot, you usually won’t be able to keep a little glue pot of Bichon happy.
Whatever your choice, make sure you know the profile of the dog you are going to adopt and that you are ready to do everything to meet its needs, even if it means upsetting your habits.
Once your companion is home, it is important to be attentive to all his behaviors to understand them well, which often involves questioning yourself, especially if you tend to practice anthropomorphism, that is that is, to lend your dog human feelings.
No, a dog is never jealous, revengeful, or petty, and if he destroys your apartment, seems grumpy or withdrawn, it is certainly because he has a physical disorder or emotional distress, and certainly not because that he wishes you harm.
Canine education therefore begins here, in the analysis of the behavior of his dog and the causes which are at the origin, in order to act directly on them.
To get your dog’s education off to a good start, it is also important to put in place strict rules of life that will be followed at all times.
There is no question here of being strict in making life difficult for your dog, and you can completely authorize him to do almost anything if you wish (sleeping by your side, accessing all the rooms of home, asking for food when you’re at the table, etc., as long as you remain logical and consistent.
Also, be sure of yourself when developing the rules of life that your dog will have to follow (ideally before welcoming him into your home) so as not to improvise when the time comes and risk disrupting his education.
Enforcing your dog to respect the rules of life in the house is then done through positive education, which aims to reward good behavior and ignore bad ones, while avoiding placing your doggie in situations of failure.
For example, if your dog is not allowed to enter your kitchen, do not put his bowl in this room under his nose, at the risk of pushing him to make a mistake, in order to avoid a situation of failure.
If the animal follows you into your kitchen when it is not allowed to enter it, it should be escorted to the door systematically, without reprimanding. When he waits for you at the door without crossing the threshold, reward him generously.
As a reward, it should be noted that we are not talking about sweets all the time, contrary to what many critics of positive education claim.
Often, what a dog likes even more than small treats are hugs, congratulations and flattery from his master, or even games and walks, the reasons for which he solicits you.
Rewarding your pet by throwing it their favorite toy, taking it for a walk or congratulating it out loud is often sufficient, and also helps to meet its solicitation needs, teaching it at the same time how to interact correctly to obtain What he wants.
So yes, treats are often very effective aids, but positive education is not just about that, and it is rather advisable to find other reward systems that your dog appreciates so as not to depend on these little candies. whenever you want to be obeyed.
Frequently asked questions by owners about dog training
Why train your dog?
Educating your dog is essential to teach him to behave in the right way towards his master, but also towards other humans and animals he may encounter during his life.
A good education allows the dog to conform to standards that make him a pleasant companion to live with, but also prevents him from putting himself in situations of failure pushing his master to reprimand him, often without him understanding why.
In fact, effective education is very important to allow the dog to flourish and build a healthy relationship with his master.
How to train your dog?
You can educate your dog yourself, or call on a professional dog trainer, always opting for positive methods.
Brutal, violent, or punishment-based methods are now considered obsolete by dog training experts and should no longer be practiced.
In addition to being less effective, they tend to traumatize animals and cause more deviant behavior than they prevent.
Does positive education make my dog capricious?
No, positive training will not make your dog capricious, contrary to what many of its detractors claim.
This method makes it possible to avoid placing your dog in a situation of failure and to reward his good behavior, a healthy way of educating him by avoiding the traumatisms likely to cause deviant behavior.
For many laymen in the matter, “positive education” rhymes with “treat”, which contributes to tarnishing the reputation of this discipline. This amalgam is not justified, and positive education is not limited to offering sweets to your dog when he has been good, far from it.
What are the mistakes to avoid in dog training?
Dog training is based on a good understanding of your animal and meeting all its needs, so it is important to be able to question yourself in the face of your dog’s deviant behavior or in the absence of results.
Ask yourself the right questions, and never use punishment or brutal methods to try to get what you want, this could make things worse and evaluate the bond of trust you have forged with your companion. .
Educating his dog requires certain self-sacrifice, the master having to apply himself to understanding his animal in the first place – which is not always an easy task – and endeavor to meet all his needs before demanding from him that it behaves in the desired way.
Suppose you have doubts about your methods or the meaning of certain behaviors in your pooch. In that case, the best solution is to turn to a professional dog trainer, online or physically.
This expert will provide you with relevant advice to accompany you during this crucial stage in your dog’s life to make him a pleasant companion to live with and feel good about.