EcoWatch: Unruly trained dog
BY HARRY KALAJIAN
As a dog owner, sooner or later you will opt for some obedience classes.
Owners must realize professional dog trainers are not magicians, they just know the proper steps needed according to your dogs character and temperament. They also know what method and tools will be necessary for the training. Each dog is different in their learning curve.
Once you start the classes, week after week new commands are taught over an extended period of weeks. A standard time frame is usually 10 weeks, reason for that is you don’t want to overload the dog nor do you want to rush it. Advancement to new commands should be only taught once the dog understands the previous commands that were covered.
If taught well, each command will compliment the other. So each command seamlessly will fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
If the owner practices the commands daily of a minimum of 20 minutes or during their walks they implement the commands they will see a huge change. If not practiced not only the dog will tell the trainer but the sluggishness of the command will be evident and the dog will still be unruly. On your walks you must do 75 pecent of proper heeling and applying the commands as well. Also during your walks allow the dog some leisure time let them be a dog. Make sure when they are on a leisure walk that they don’t pull on the leash, and if they do just say easy and give a small wrist snap correction so the leash will be slack.
As the weeks progress and you have been vigilant with your training the dog will know what is expected of them. Once your classes are over you must continue and apply what you have learned. If you don’t; slowly your dog will revert and gradually do what they please, and that’s when they become unruly. If you wait too long it will get very difficult to bring them back inline. You must always use your commands, so it stays fresh in their minds. They first learn through habit then understanding and then it becomes conditioned. Conditioning is the process of the owner randomly giving commands. If the dog does not obey go to them and have them do it, then praise them verbally. While you’re training in a distraction free environment slowly begin exposing them to distractions in different environments and implementing the commands will further their conditioning in obedience.
The most difficult times when walking and training your dog is when strangers are coming up to your dog and over exciting them. It’s normal for your dog to go nuts; however tell the people not to over stimulate the dog. If you want; tell the people that you must correct the dog every time it tries to jump or become unruly. Tell them once the dog stops that they can approach or pet the dog, as long as you the owner wants them to. Some people will say they don’t mind the dog jumping on them, be firm and say that you do. You can also say your dog is in training, and you were instructed not to allow your dog to jump on people. Never let strangers give a treat to your dog. That treat may not settle well for your dogs’ digestive system.
Also your dog does not need to meet and greet every dog in its path. If you do what happens is every time your dog sees another dog it will go crazy to go meet the other dog. Only allow your dog at your discretion, once the dog is trained and you have control over them. Even if the other person asks if they can meet, just say no that your dog is in training. Plus you don’t know if the other dog or your dog will start a fight. Even though the people say oh my dog is friendly, I’ve seen times like that and one dog or both end up at the veterinarian’s office. Best is to avoid. If you have a friend and your dogs get along let them play, but be vigilant with strange dogs.
As a final note, even after you are done with obedience school you must still keep it up.
If you don’t, the unruliness will begin to resurface.
If you are interested in having your dog evaluated and trained, give us a call at 941-447-8234.
If you are fed up with burrs sticking on your dog we have a solution tool to remove them with ease. If you are interested please visit our other website burroffdogs.com
Training isn’t hard as long as you are willing to put the time and follow my formula to have success; Patience, Persistence, Consistency & Repetition.
If you still fail, it’s on you not your dog. You didn’t stick to the formula.
Have a woof woof of a month.
Harry Kalajian, M.D.T. With over 35 years experience All aspect of training, Behaviorist, Ethologist & Psychologist Executive Dog Training Inc. executivedogtraining.com caninebehavioraldiagnostics.com 941-447-8234
