Training Your New Puppy With The Positive Reinforcement Method

Using positive reinforcement to modify behavior in humans, particularly children, has been popular for a number of years. This is just a fancy way of saying that behavior that is acceptable to you will be rewarded and unacceptable behavior will be ignored. In recent times this same method has been found to have positive effects on non-humans.

Watching a Killer Whale doing a routine directed by two young women, I realized that they had trained the large animal to perform in that manner using positive reinforcement tactics. The same method will enable you to train your new puppy. Positive reinforcement is the choice method for most of the experts in the dog training field today. No other training method is considered as humane or effective.

Some of the popular dog training techniques of the past are completely opposite from today’s preferred method. Some of these outdated methods are now considered abusive and are avoided by all who wish to treat their dogs in a humane manner. Using the more humane positive reinforcement method you can have a puppy that is a well-trained and a loved member of the family.

As your puppy’s master she has a great desire to please you; the problem in training often comes because the puppy gets confused by your commands. For example, if you are training her not to get on furniture, you should use the same command every time. Don’t say “get off’ one time and “stay off” the next. Plan what words or phrases you will use for your commands and use them each time. Your puppy will learn what you expect if you are consistent in your demands.

Be sure that whatever rewards you use in training are ones that your puppy responds to positively. Don’t think a quick pat on the head and a half-hearted “good girl” will necessarily get the job done. If you are going to use physical affection as a reward be sure that you are touching as area of the body that she likes. For most dogs, this is not the top of the head. They usually like having their backs and chests rubbed, but be sure you’re not using something to reward that actually aggravates.

Puppies respond to food treats and physical affection, so be generous with these during your training sessions. Use treats she is already familiar with and likes. In giving physical attention be gentle and let her know how proud you are of her behavior.

Timing is very important in training. Be sure you know what behavior you are going to reward so that when your puppy obeys a command and gets a reward she knows exactly what she did that made her receive the reward.

Your verbal response can also mark the appropriate behavior and then give her the treat. You must be consistent in this too. If you say “yes” in a happy voice and then give her the treat, you must do this each time she follows a command. Saying “yes” to her response to commands only occasionally will not mean anything to her..

For puppy training to be totally successful you and your puppy must both find it pleasant. Do not schedule training time when you are exhausted; be sure that your rewards are something she is willing to work for.

Learn more about The Absolute Best Puppy TrainingStop by my-puppy-training.info/where you can find out all about Positive Puppy Training and what it can do for you.

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