What is it?
Training is a way of modifying your dog’s behaviour so that they fit in with society and the required standards of conduct in public. It is important to train your dog using positive techniques, for example, by rewarding them with savoury treats or extra attention for ‘good’ behaviour.
The reward has to be more interesting than anything else that is going on, and it should be something that your dog really likes so that it clearly is the best thing on offer.
Using ‘negative’ training techniques such as rubbing a puppy’s nose in any mess it may have produced will not help. A puppy will not understand what is ‘wrong’ in its owner’s eyes as it has not got enough memory to connect the punishment with the behaviour.
Why do it?
Inappropriate forms of behaviour that are most commonly seen in dogs include rough playing, aggression, jumping up, stealing, destructive chewing and excessive barking.
You can try to prevent these unacceptable behaviours through training, which helps form or reinforce the bond between you and your pet.
An untrained dog can be a danger to itself, the owner and members of the public.
Hand signals
As a dog gets older it may develop hearing difficulties and so it will not be able to respond to verbal commands alone. Hand signals therefore become an invaluable aid in communicating with your dog.
When rewarding spoken commands, the savoury treat is held in one hand. Use the same hand to give consistent visual commands (as illustrated).
House training
House training is one of the first lessons. You need to observe your dog very closely. At about three weeks of age a puppy starts leaving its mother to go to the toilet. At around 8 weeks it will start sniffing the ground for scent marks before it performs.
Find an area indoors that you can clean easily and put down plenty of newspaper. Put your puppy on the paper and when it goes to the toilet, praise it. As soon as your puppy is fully protected by vaccinations, you can let it go into the garden. Put newspaper outside and use the same technique.
Gradually do away with the paper.
Another method involves close observation of your puppy for the sniffing signs that show it wants to go to the lavatory. When it does this, move it to the area you want it to use, and praise it when it performs. Usually a combination of these two methods, using the paper only at night, works best.
If an accident does happen, the area should be thoroughly cleaned as soon as possible. Use a warm solution of a biological washing powder, rinse with cold water and then allow the area to dry. The aim is to remove the smells completely, not just to mask them.
