Practical Dog Training Tips

Principles of Training

The Principle of Effectiveness...

The principle of "effectiveness" is very simple. It goes something like this;

"If it works, use it. If it doesn't, throw it out, and try something else that looks as if it might work".

I can't tell you how many times I've seen people continue, day after day, using the same ineffective training method, over and over, in the hope that sooner or later the dog will get the message.

I've got news for you! He's already got the message. And the message is that you are ineffective.
He's also got your number, and even if he does know what you want, he probably isn't about to give in to someone who is so easy to outsmart.

It's important to be effective when you train.
It's better to do nothing than to keep doing things that don't work.
If the dog doesn't know that you are ineffective, then at least there's always the hope that he won't push too hard, just in case, but once you show him you're ineffective, you can pretty much count on him using that knowledge to his advantage.

So how do you know if you're being effective or not? Easy.

Watch your dog - he'll tell you.

God never made a more straightforward creature than a dog.
He won't lie to you.
If he says he's going to bite you; ...watch out for the teeth.
If he says you can be the boss; ...good.
If he says he's scared to death of you; ...shame on you.
If he says

"OK, I'm not afraid of you, but I know you're the boss."

; ...hooray you've got it right!

Dogs with ineffective handlers are easy to spot. Typically, they go about doing their own thing; sniffing in the ditch for something more interesting than what's on the other end of the leash; dragging their hapless owners over to the nearest fire hydrant or parked car; good stuff like that.

If your dog behaves like that; good news. A few minutes of effective" training will have you wondering if somebody switched dogs when you weren't looking.

Effective training will transform your dog. You will see a definite change in his attitude. Instead of gopping all over, and ignoring you, you will become the center of his focus. His demeanor will tell you that he now considers you worthy of attention. He will try harder to learn what it is you want him to do. And yes, by God, when he discovers what is expected of him, he will actually do it.
Congratulations; you are now training "effectively".

One last very important consideration:

Effective does not mean harsh or brutal.

It means understanding how a dog learns and applying all the principles of training adapted to your individual dog and the circumstances of the moment.
If you haven't already done so, have a look at the other principles of training and the articles on how a dog learns.

Good luck with your training!

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