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Training Tips

Everyone loves a dog who comes when he's called but canine obedience doesn't come naturally. It's all in the training, so here are some basic principles to get you started.

Unlike humans, dogs don't distinguish between right and wrong, they operate by association. If an action has pleasant consequences, they repeat it. If the results are unpleasant, they avoid it. Hence the first principle of dog training: reward the behaviour you want to see repeated.

Choose the right reward. If your dog responds well to food, reward him with his favourite treat. If he reacts positively to praise, be really upbeat when you give it. If he enjoys being petted, make it personal. Try stroking his hair in the direction it grows or scratching him on the chest...if his tail wags, you've got it right.

Training works best when he's highly motivated. Food rewards are appreciated more when he's hungry. Praise and attention are more welcome if he hasn't seen you for some time. So choose your training times carefully - before meals or when you've just come home.

To discourage negative behaviour, withhold the reward. That generally works better than punishment but, if you need to discipline him, a firm 'No!' or a quick pull of his collar should be enough.

Timing is vital. Give a command, wait for his response and if he gets it right, reward him immediately. Wait until he's stopped and he won't make the connection. Consistency is important too. Stick to the same commands and keep them short. Switching between 'Sit!' and 'Sit down!' will only confuse him.

Practise training in different environments to improve his recall and give plenty of verbal feedback. Tell him to 'Come!' and praise him when he's coming. Tell him when he's out of line. He may not understand the words but he will soon recognise the tone of voice.

Techniques – Sit

1.
Hold your chosen reward between your fingers, allow your dog to sniff and lick at it, and then slowly raise it so his head tilts upwards. (At first it may be a good idea to give a small reward after a short time in this position. This will encourage him to keep his head tilted back long enough for him to sit).

2.
Keep your hand still once his head is tilted back while providing him with enough of the chosen treat to keep him licking and chewing at it. After a while he will find it more comfortable to sit.

3.
As soon as his bottom touches the floor, feed him the treat and praise him. After several repetitions, your dog will begin to realise what is needed. Once he is sitting every time, add the voice cue. Eventually you can reduce your hand movement to a hand signal and, after a while, the hand signal can be phased out as your dog begins to respond to the voice cue only.

Techniques – Down (from Sit position)

1.
Allow your dog to sniff and lick at your chosen reward. Hold it tightly between your fingers.

2.
Lower the reward slowly, so that your dog's nose points down between his paws. (If he gets up, ask him to sit and try the technique again). Be patient and make sure he finds it rewarding enough to stay in position by allowing him to chew off little bits of the reward.

3.
Feed the rest of the reward as the elbows touch the floor and praise well.

Above all, enjoy your training sessions. End each lesson on a high note with a command he's sure to obey and a guaranteed reward. That way you'll both feel positive. And don't expect too much, too soon - take it slowly and you will get there!

TRAVELLING

For some dogs, travelling can be an exciting adventure - something to share with the family, with a promise of a walk on arrival. For others, it can be a terrifying and thoroughly uncomfortable experience. So how do you make sure that your puppy reaches his destination safe, well and happy?

The trick is to be prepared.

Before you set off on any journey, make sure that your dog is fitted with a collar and a tag with your address and telephone number. Alternatively, you can use a microchip implant, which is more reliable and permanent form of identification. Making sure he is suitably identified in public is, in fact, a legal requirement but it also helps you prepare for the unexpected - making life a lot easier if, for example, your dog gets lost.

Before a long journey, have him checked over by your vet. Take plenty of fresh water with you, particularly when travelling in hot weather, and stop regularly to allow your dog to drink and exercise. And never leave your dog unattended in the car. The temperature inside a stationary vehicle can rise to deadly levels even on a mildly warm day.

Some dogs are a little anxious when first travelling, but eventually the noise and motion of the car will calm them and most dogs usually fall asleep.

If your dog suffers from motion sickness, make sure that he is not fed within an hour of the journey. And be considerate when you are driving. Accelerating and decelerating smoothly can go a long way towards preventing motion sickness.

Dogs are permitted to sit on the back seats of cars or in the rear of a hatchback or estate car. Small dogs and puppies should be transported in pet carriers. Wire or plastic carts are the best devices, which can be strapped to the seat or carried in the footwells.

If your dog does travel on the seat, he should wear a safety harness that fixes to the car seat belts. This helps prevent injury to your dog and to any passengers.

When travelling by air, contact the airline well in advance to find out what rules it may have about transporting dogs. Dogs travel in the cargo hold in specially designed travel crates. Make sure you arrive early for the flight, as cargo is usually loaded first. The travelling box should be marked as containing a live animal and your contact details should be displayed. If your dog is going abroad, make sure you contact your vet well in advance to find out which vaccinations and health certificates he will need.

If your dog is a nervous traveller, you may want to ask your vet for a sedative before going on a long journey. Your vet will examine him beforehand and may well prescribe a drug that you can administer yourself. In that case, take care to follow the vet's instructions clearly. Sedation is not a good idea before air travel. A drowsy dog is much more likely to be injured if the flight is bumpy and he is thrown around in his box.

BARKING

If your dog is allowed to bark excessively, he's not only going to disturb the neighbours, he's going to find himself ignored when he's genuinely agitated. Constant barking can be a sign of boredom, so make sure he's physically and mentally stimulated with regular walks. Keep him on a lead and observe all the local regulations.

Your dog has a repertoire of a dozen different barks and each has up to forty different meanings. Can you tell the difference between a 'yelp followed by a howl' and 'three grunts and a whine' or is his incessant noise simply driving you barking mad?

While barking to deter people from entering your property is fine in principle, it can become a complete pain if your dog barks every time anyone passes nearby. As far as your dog is concerned, the fact that most people go away proves that he has successfully chased them off.

Shouting at your dog will simply not work as he will think you are barking too and, as a result, will bark louder. It may even turn into a method of gaining your attention when there is no-one there at all.

One of the best ways to teach your dog not to bark is to teach him how to bark on command.

First, find a way to entice him to vocalise. It may be as simple as holding his food bowl or a beloved toy up in the air. When he does bark, praise him and repeat the command 'Speak!'. Repeat the exercise often enough and he will associate the word with the act of barking. Then you will be able to get him to bark on command.

Now, while he is barking, introduce the word 'Quiet!' or 'Stop!' and give him a toy or food treat when he goes quiet. With repetition, your dog will associate the signal to be quiet with the cessation of barking and a reward. As with any training, just make sure you praise him while he's doing the right thing, not afterwards.

Reinforce this good behaviour by rewarding him when he's quiet in situations which would normally set him off. When he lets your relatives enter the house uninterrupted or doesn't bark at the postman, cover him with praises and reward him.

CLEANING UP

It’s up to you to make sure that your dog does not soil parks, gardens, beaches or streets. Give him every opportunity to relieve himself in his own garden before a walk. If 'accidents' happen, be prepared to clean up his mess with a plastic bag or 'pooper-scooper'.