Fast Track your dog training without cruelty
Effective dog training can be a tough mental battle at times. You’ll find this to be especially true if your dog is of a stubborn breed. Sadly, some dog owners become frustrated and angry when training isn’t progressing as well as she or he thinks it should. (If you do see this, you can report it to the SPCA here) Some masters take to treating the dog cruelly. Hitting or kicking a dog for any reason aside from self-protection during an attack will only complicate matters. If you’re to establish yourself as the pack leader, then you’ll need to earn his respect. A dog who respects his owner will obey his or her commands. On the other hand, a dog that is treated with cruelty and disrespect will only become afraid of their master. This fear can lead to the dog turning to biting the hand that strikes him. Being in the dominant position within the dog’s mind can only be brought about through mutual respect and a strong, positive bond between you and him. Positive reinforcement along with firm but gentle leash control is really the only way to carry out dog training successfully. If you find yourself becoming angry with your dog then you may want to take a time out and calm down. You don’t want to allow yourself to resort to cruelty in any form. It’s unrealistic to believe that you can control your dog if you can’t control yourself. Once you’ve regained your composure you can try again. Remind yourself that you’re looking for opportunities to praise your dog for obeying you rather than to punish him for disobedience. The old adage, “you’ll catch more flies with honey…” certainly rings true when training a dog. There are other forms of cruelty besides physical violence. Anything that violates the dog’s rights as a living creature or purposely causes the dog become fearful or despondent is cruelty. This includes:- Keeping a dog tied to a chain without opportunities to get adequate exercise, especially if they are a working dog.
- Lack of nutrition or water
- Unhealthy living conditions
- Leaving a dog in his crate for extended periods of time or otherwise keeping him contained in tight quarters.
In summary
- Establish a positive relationship with your dog
- Reward good behaviour and habits
- Set them up for success – start basic and easy and build from there
- Reach out for support or help from a local trainer
- Dogs can feel our emotions such as when we get frustrated which makes it harder for them to learn
- Be consistent with training so it becomes a habit
