Basic Dog Training Tips
The basic dog training tips that apply to everything you do with your dog are governed by the fact that what you do is most important. You can know everything there is to know about dog behavior and basic dog training - but if you don’t actually work with your dog, all that knowledge isn’t going to help you a bit.
And yet, it is useful to know a little basic dog training theory. Why? Because your dog is unique. No trainer has ever worked with your dog. No writer has ever written a book about your dog. Understanding the basic dog training heories can help you come up with creative ideas and solutions, even when your dog’s behavior doesn’t quite fit anyone else’s experience.
So take the time to learn a little behavioral theory. Then, if your dog does something that seems really strange, you’ll be better prepared to understand it, why it happened, and how you should respond.
Basic Dog Training Tips - Understanding Body Language
It’s also helpful to learn how to read a dog’s body language. We like to think we know our dogs, and that we can empathize with our dogs. But the fact is, we can’t really get into a dog’s brain and experience what a dog experiences.
But we can observe dogs. And we can come to reasonable conclusions about their general states, such as whether they are relaxed or aroused. These observations, in turn, can help make us better trainers. They can help us understand how our training is going.
For example, if my dog becomes too aroused, she’s more difficult to train. It can be hard for me to even get her attention. By watching her body language, I can adjust my expectations and avoid setting her up for training failures.
Dogs who are aroused may have raised hackles. Their ears will be pricked. They may hold their tails erect.
A dog who is anxious may hold his tail between his legs. He may crouch or "slink" along the floor. He may turn his head away from whatever is making him anxious. Every dog is different. The better we become at reading our dog’s responses to our basic dog training methods, and to the environment, the better trainers we become.
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