The process of training your own wonder dog
Posted Mar 4, 2010 By EMC News
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Tweet ThisEMC Lifestyle - When we think of man's best friend the helpful tasks of "fetch my slippers", and "collect the newspaper" come to mind. Throughout history the media and entertainment industry has thrived on creating and highlighting clever, helpful and talented pets.
Humans young and old are amazed, captivated and intrigued by these 'wonder pets'. Creative pet owners have discovered creative and untraditional ways to make their pets useful or simply entertaining. Could it be our deep seeded need to humanize our pets that motivate us to teach them how to become active members of the household? Have pets proven that they can be more than just adorable, furry companions? Have we finally begun to recognize the awesome capability that even the average dog possesses? No matter what reason may be motivating you, appropriately teaching your pet how to acclimate to your human world can change both your lives forever.
DOGS NEED RULES
Dogs, for example, enjoy being useful. They need to know the rules in order to feel safe and secure, and believe me every household has rules. Unfortunately, your dog may have realized that one of the rules in your house is that in order to be greeted by guests, he must first jump up on each one with his muddy paws when they arrive. He may also have adopted the idea that when food is accessible, it's the fastest and sneakiest that gets to eat it. Make a list of the rules in your house according to your dog, you may be surprised to find out that somewhere along the lines you had a translation issue.
YOUR OWN 'WONDER DOG'
So...Do you want your own wonder dog? The first step is to acknowledge your dog's strengths and weakness. Does your dog have a good nose, love to chase objects, is extremely affectionate, or can nap on his own for hours? Next find out what motivates him. Most dogs are food-motivated, and I find that freeze-dried liver is a great currency. Make a list of things your dog finds rewarding and rank them highest to lowest. This is your pay scale. Payment must be equal to the task. Now, what do you what him to do?
Find the remote when one of your kids has left in an obscure location? Bring you the tissue box when you're sad? Wake you up if you fall asleep on the couch? The possibilities are endless. Perhaps you have daily chores that a dog can help with? Choose one task to teach at a time. Break the task into three or four parts.
FOR EXAMPLE: COLLECTING THE REMOTE CONTROL
Step #1- Locating the remote, Step #2 - Picking it up and holding it in his mouth, Step #3 - Bring it you. To get your dog interested in performing each step in this task, you must make it highly rewarding. Any offered behaviours that resemble the desired action should be rewarded. This process is called shaping. You may need to physically attach currency (a toy, treats, etc.) to the object to get him interested in it. Now have fun. If you have selected a task with your dogs' strengths in mind and are patient and consistent you will have your very own wonder dog. Every pet is capable of something amazing, you just need to give them the right tools to demonstrate it.
For more information on human-canine communication, or to set up a consultation, please contact me by email jessica@petbehaviour.net, or visit my website at www.petbehaviour.net.
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