There are many reasons to begin a training regime with your pet. You may want to stop an animal's bad behavior such as clawing or chewing the furniture. You may want to keep him under control in social situations. Or you may want to teach him to perform tricks on command. In any case, the animal will benefit both from the mental exercise required and from the time and attention you give him. The most satisfying form of pet training uses positive reinforcement.
Animals naturally learn to repeat actions that lead to desirable outcomes. Positive reinforcement works by rewarding pets when they do something right as opposed to punishing them when they do something wrong. Rewards in the form of a human praise combined with a food treat are highly effective.
You've probably already trained your pet through positive reinforcement without realizing it. If a dog or cat scratches at the door and you open it, they learn to associate the behavior of scratching with the reward of going outside. You reinforce the behavior every time you let them out when they scratch.
Intentional, rather than accidental, training involves getting pets to respond on command. Envision the specific action you want the pet to perform and come up with a single word to trigger it. Cue words of one syllable such as 'stay' or 'come' are less likely to confuse an animal than more complex commands.
As soon as your pet performs an action in response to a command, reward him with enthusiastic praise and a tasty treat. Always give the reward before the animal engages in any other behavior. If you are teaching a dog to obey the command 'sit', praise and feed him while he is still in a sitting position. If he moves first, he may think he is being rewarded for standing up.
To teach an animal to get off your favorite lounge chair or any other piece of furniture, use a simple command like 'off'. When you find your pet sitting where she shouldn't, go get one of her treats. Stand near the chair, make sure your pet is looking at you and say 'off' in a loud, clear voice. Gently push or lift the animal to the floor. Immediately praise her and hold the food to her mouth. Repeat the training process every time she climbs into the chair. After a number of trials, she will jump to the floor unassisted when she hears the word 'off'.
Once an animal has learned to perform the required action in response to the cue word, gradually stop giving the treat reward, but continue to let her know you are pleased. Dogs respond well to verbal praise and physical affection such as a scratch on the ear. After training, this is usually all the reward they require. Some cats and birds also crave their owner's affection and can be taught to perform on command without a food reward.
Pet training can be frustrating at times. If the animal is distracted or tired, he may not perform as well as on previous occasions. Be patient and do not expect too much too soon. You should never resort to shouting or punishment. This will have negative consequences as your animal will come to fear you and be hesitant to engage in future sessions. If you make dog training Kelowna fun and give your pet plenty of positive feedback, he will look forward to learning new commands. - 39815
Animals naturally learn to repeat actions that lead to desirable outcomes. Positive reinforcement works by rewarding pets when they do something right as opposed to punishing them when they do something wrong. Rewards in the form of a human praise combined with a food treat are highly effective.
You've probably already trained your pet through positive reinforcement without realizing it. If a dog or cat scratches at the door and you open it, they learn to associate the behavior of scratching with the reward of going outside. You reinforce the behavior every time you let them out when they scratch.
Intentional, rather than accidental, training involves getting pets to respond on command. Envision the specific action you want the pet to perform and come up with a single word to trigger it. Cue words of one syllable such as 'stay' or 'come' are less likely to confuse an animal than more complex commands.
As soon as your pet performs an action in response to a command, reward him with enthusiastic praise and a tasty treat. Always give the reward before the animal engages in any other behavior. If you are teaching a dog to obey the command 'sit', praise and feed him while he is still in a sitting position. If he moves first, he may think he is being rewarded for standing up.
To teach an animal to get off your favorite lounge chair or any other piece of furniture, use a simple command like 'off'. When you find your pet sitting where she shouldn't, go get one of her treats. Stand near the chair, make sure your pet is looking at you and say 'off' in a loud, clear voice. Gently push or lift the animal to the floor. Immediately praise her and hold the food to her mouth. Repeat the training process every time she climbs into the chair. After a number of trials, she will jump to the floor unassisted when she hears the word 'off'.
Once an animal has learned to perform the required action in response to the cue word, gradually stop giving the treat reward, but continue to let her know you are pleased. Dogs respond well to verbal praise and physical affection such as a scratch on the ear. After training, this is usually all the reward they require. Some cats and birds also crave their owner's affection and can be taught to perform on command without a food reward.
Pet training can be frustrating at times. If the animal is distracted or tired, he may not perform as well as on previous occasions. Be patient and do not expect too much too soon. You should never resort to shouting or punishment. This will have negative consequences as your animal will come to fear you and be hesitant to engage in future sessions. If you make dog training Kelowna fun and give your pet plenty of positive feedback, he will look forward to learning new commands. - 39815
About the Author:
Training a puppy can be frustrating, dog training requires discipline and consistancy. When experiencing problems, consult a professional. Bark Busters offer a reliable and affordable service for house puppy training.
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