Having a dog is one of the best joys in life. But sometimes, your dog may need some guidance on how to behave. Behavioral issues can occur at any time, especially if your pup is stressed or experiencing a change in environment. The best way to train your dog is through positive reinforcement. This training technique focuses on a reward system. Basically, your dog gets a reward for good behavior, while bad behavior gets ignored. The positive reinforcement reward system is easy for you too. One of the biggest advantages is that you’ll get to spend more time making memories with your best friend and less time trying to fix their bad behavior! Read on to learn about positive reinforcement and other training methods.
Keep Boredom at Bay
Bad behavior is often triggered by a lack of mental or sensory stimuli. Dogs who are bored behave badly for attention more often than those who are happily occupied. Examples of boredom-related behaviors include excessive barking, digging, or jumping. Essentially, your pup is just trying to get your attention. Keep your dog’s mind stimulated with positive training sessions that help them burn energy and have fun learning at the same time. Implementing more outdoor playtime can also decrease boredom and help to keep your dog from acting out. Whenever your dog shows positive behavioral traits, reward them with treats and praise. The behaviors that you reward are the behaviors that will be repeated.
Focus on Fun
It’s easy to focus on performing fun tasks with your dog. After all, dogs are intelligent creatures who value quality time with their humans. Boosting this quality time in fun ways shows your canine that good behavior equals more fun with you. Use fun and playtime as one of your rewards to them. You’ll notice your dog’s behavior change drastically once they recognize their new reward system. Their eagerness to learn and get rewards will often times outweigh their need to act out.
Build Communication
A key component of positive reinforcement is communication. Even though you can’t speak the same language, your dog can understand how you feel. They can, in fact, pick up on body language and tone of voice. However, it’s easier for them to perceive positive praise rather than negative actions. For example, let’s say you reprimand your dog for peeing on the couch. They can understand you are upset, but not necessarily what you're upset about. So, they will most likely still urinate on the couch, just not when you are around. With positive reinforcement, you would reward your dog for peeing in the backyard with a treats and praise. They’ll then associate a reward with this good behavior and seek to do it again.
Strengthen Your Relationship
These days, our dogs usually become an extremely important family member. They are some of the best companions because of their loyalty and trust. You can have a relationship with your dog just like you do with other people in your life. Positive reinforcement training helps you to strengthen this relationship with your canine friend. You and your dog are more likely to enjoy each other’s company with communication, fun, and rewards. Much like a human relationship, a dog’s relationship with you should be appreciated and nurtured.
Dog & Puppy Training in Denver
The best way to instill positive reinforcement is through patience and consistency. If you need help with this or other types of training, Happy Paws - PetCare can help. Contact us with questions or concerns regarding dog & puppy training options.