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Training Methods I Do Use
Positive Reinforcement: To positively reinforce a behavior you give your dog something he values immediately after he has performed the behavior.
- Giving the dog a treat after he sits when told to.
Negative Punishment:You remove something the dog wants to decrease the dog’s behavior.
- Turning your back on dog if he jumps up instead of sits.
Counter Conditioning
Counter Conditioning teaches the dog to associate a previously unpleasant event with something pleasant.
- A dog that is afraid of other dogs is fed tasty treats only in the presence of other dogs. The dog learns that the presence of other dogs leads to good things.
Desensitization: When using desensitization techniques, the dog is presented a stimulus (another dog, person, etc.) at a low level. Gradually the intensity of the stimulus is increased.
- A dog that is shy, under socialized is introduced to the stimulus at a distance and rewarded for any positive steps towards acceptance. The same method is used for dogs that are reactive to other dogs. Progress is slow and the dog must feel safe at all times in order not to create more negative experiences.
Why do these method work
- It is scientifically proven.
- By positively reinforcing the behavior you are increasing the likelihood of the behavior occurring again and create reliable behavior.
- By using positive reinforcement dogs learn to think and offer behaviors without being asked and many become second nature to them.