travoltabuzz
05/23/2008
02:36:02 AM
|
New Puppy
Here are some common mistakes
1) When a puppy wakes up or approaches us, we often speak to them in a high pitched, almost whining voice; (dog language for "lets play"). For some, this immediately causes them to dissolve into a bundle of perpetual motion. The truth of the matter is, they are just as happy to see us if we speak in a normal tone of voice and calmly give them a gentle soothing rub down.
2) When they're doing something they shouldn't; we often speak to them in a deeper than usual or excited voice, getting them all fired up and ready to roughhouse. When they're biting us we shrilly tell them "no" and push them away with our hands, making our hands an exciting moving target to chew on or chase.
|
 |
|
rockston
05/23/2008
03:06:48 AM
|
Mistakes
Here are some more
1) We often make the mistake of fussing over them when leaving them alone (a great way to create separation anxiety) and making an even bigger fuss when we return as if they were human infants. In the long run puppy and owner are much better off if these situations are handled calmly and quietly and without unnecessary excitement.
2) Another common mistake is encouraging that cute tiny puppy to jump up on us so we can pet him instead of bending over to reach him. By the time that pup is 5 or 6 months old we'll be posting in a forum asking how to correct a behavioral problem with jumping that we've actually been encouraging all along. It's cute when they're puppies but not when they weigh 50 or more pounds.
|
|
|
jesash
05/24/2008
09:28:36 AM
|
Focusing on punishments rather than rewards
Considering how much we love our animal companions, it is surprising that one of the big mistakes people make is focusing on punishing their pets for things they don't like rather than rewarding them for what we consider good behavior. A perfect example of this is letting a pup eliminate on the rug (by not supervising them properly) and then yelling at them for doing so. Dogs think in pretty simple terms, so it is unlikely they are thinking they are in trouble for eliminating in the house. They probably think you don't like to see them eliminate, so they learn to hide behind the couch to do so. In this and most cases, punishments don't tend to be very effective and often cause negative side effects as bad as or worse than what they were intended to resolve.
Punishments are also likely to damage your relationship with your pet. Instead, focus on managing them (using supervision and confinement, such as keeping them on a leash or in a pet-proofed room or crate) to set them up for success and rewarding for good behavior. This will prevent problem behaviors from becoming habits, reinforce appropriate behaviors and improve your bond with your pet.
|
|
|
ashley
05/24/2008
11:01:12 AM
|
Assuming your pet is a person in fur clothing
It's wonderful that most people adopt pets into their home as full-fledged members of the family. However, while most pets adapt incredibly well to living with people, many people forget they are still animals. Keep in mind that pets tend to think in different and often much simpler terms than we do. They aren't walking around all day plotting how to get back at you for leaving them at home while you go to work or to punish you for what you have or haven't done for them lately. Accusing an animal of being spiteful or stubborn does a great disservice to them and tends to create a barrier to a healthy relationship.
So, the next time your dog digs in the yard, consider that he is probably doing so because it is fun for dogs and he's probably bored, not to punish you and ruin your newly planted yard.
|
|
|
sophia
05/24/2008
11:15:42 AM
|
Using Food As A Reward Every Time They Follow Your Command
Sometimes it is extremely difficult to resist those big wide eyes staring at you when your puppy wants a treat. However rewarding your dog for every correct command followed is a sure way to make your puppy training harder. There was a study a while ago where researchers trained monkeys in two groups to follow commands. The first group received a treat as a reward every time they followed a command and the second group was rewarded randomly with treats for following a command. The researchers found that the first group became dependent upon the reward and only would follow a command if a treat was offered for doing so. The second group however would follow the command every time because they didn’t know whether they would get a treat or not. How does this relate to training your puppy you ask? The same thing can be found with your pooch. Instead of giving a treat for every correct command followed, only reward them with food some times. Of course this doesn’t mean that you can’t always praise them with a pat for following your command.
|
|
|
jessica
05/24/2008
11:18:34 AM
|
Don’t Ignore Bad Behaviors
You may have found information informing you to ignore bad behavior and reward good behavior when you learn how to train a puppy. This is poor advice as your puppy needs to know right from wrong. Should you never correct them, the bad behavior will become an acceptable behavior to them. By all means this does not mean to hit or use any harsh punishment on your dog for a bad behavior. Simply telling your dog "no" and showing them the correct behavior is a simple way to remove bad behaviors. Things such as chewing your favorite shoes or barking unnecessarily can become a large problem should you leave it go without correction.
|
|
|
albertrulezz
05/24/2008
11:20:50 AM
|
Hitting Your Dog Or Using Harsh Corrections
Quite simply put, this is a quick way to lose trust with your puppy. There is a big difference between your dog following your commands out of respect and trust as opposed to out of fear. The old ways of learning by hitting the nose of your puppy or spanking are out of date. In fact it is the cause of many dog attacks as irresponsible owners have hit their dogs as a teaching method. When another person attempts to pat the dog it becomes fearful and attacks the person out of defense. So if you want your dog to know they have done something wrong, correct them verbally and then show them the correct way of doing things. If you don’t know how to train a puppy without using violence then it might be a good idea to find a professional trainer to help.
|
|
|
albertrulezz
05/24/2008
11:22:36 AM
|
Patting Your Dog Or Praising After Correcting Them For Doing Something Wrong
A very common mistake made when people learn how to train a puppy is to pat their dog after they have just corrected them for doing something wrong. In fact who can blame you for feeling bad about correcting your dog when they look at you with their gorgeous puppy eyes. However by patting your pooch directly after correcting them, it provides a mixed message. In fact your dog may associate doing something wrong with being patted after they are corrected. Instead it is better for you to correct your dog and then show them the right way to do things. Should they do this right, then it is a good idea to praise them so they associate the new behavior with being rewarded. This doesn’t mean scolding your dog for misbehaving and then ignoring them for the rest of the day. Your puppy will know pretty quickly when you are displeased with them, just make sure you help them do the right thing and then offer praise.
|
|
|
sophia
05/24/2008
11:24:56 AM
|
Punishing Your Dog For Doing The Right Thing Without Knowing
You might look at this common mistake and think what on earth are we talking about? An example to use is when you walk your dog off lead and then for some reason you need them to come. You call your dog and then their reward is being put back on the lead. Obviously you are putting them on the lead for good reason however your puppy will associate being called with being told off. This is a problem. To counter this, use a similar solution to the rewards one mentioned above. If every time you call them they go on the lead, obviously they won’t come because they assume they will be put back on the lead. Instead call your dog on walks and when they come praise them and give them a pat. Maybe take a couple of treats with you and randomly give those as well. This way your dog doesn’t always think they will be put on the lead when called. This also applies for many other things so it is important to always think about how your dog would associate your commands.
|
|
|
jessica
05/24/2008
11:26:34 AM
|
Rubbing Your Dog’s Nose In His Latest Toilet Mishap
Surely this mistake would have been removed from the basic trainer’s handbook on how to train a puppy. Unfortunately this very old school method of training still exists and is practiced in some places. Rubbing your puppy’s nose in the mess they left behind hours earlier is not going to accomplish anything a part from irritating your dog. Surely you wouldn’t want to pat your dog after their nose has been in their left behind mess either. Showing your puppy the right place to go to the toilet is the best way to potty train your dog. The hard part is that the only way to show them is by catching them as they do it and taking them to the right place to go. It is hard work but worth it.
|
|
|