What Affects a Dog's Training?

Providing your dog with training can be the difference between having an obedient dog and an uncontrollable dog. There are factors that can affect your dog's training in a positive or negative manner. Consistency and proper training technique are two essential factors when training a dog but there are many things that need to be considered.

  1. Training Technique

    • Training techniques can affect your dog's training in a good or bad way. According to the Perfect Paws website training your dog should not take more than 15 minutes per day. Sticking to a set time every day will get your dog used to the training. For the best training results you should use the same training commands during times that you are not training your dog as you do when you are. If you don't do this your dog will get confused and training will take longer. When your dog does something right positive reinforcement is essential but when she does something wrong negative reinforcement should not be so severe that she starts fearing you.

    Use Of Commands

    • The way you use commands can affect your dog's training. For example if you command your dog to "come here" during training and then proceed to give him a bath or clip his nails he will associate the command with negative, unpleasant actions and he will want to disobey you. Then when you punish him for disobeying you it confirms to him that he should never come to you when you use the "come here" command. During training if your dog comes to you practice positive reinforcement and then let him go back to what he was doing. This way he will not associate "come here" with negative consequences.

    Motivation

    • Your dog's motivation can affect her training. If the dog is not motivated she will not listen and you will have trouble getting her to do what you want her to do. To find out if your dog is ready for training wave a piece of kibble or a treat in front of her. If she's enthusiastic and interested you can proceed with the training. If she shows no interest wait awhile and try again when she develops an appetite for it. If needed have your dog skip a meal. Saving treats for training instead of feeding them to your dog all through the day will also provide motivation for her to participate.

    Training Location

    • Training your dog in the wrong environment or location can affect training. For example if you start training your dog in a busy park he might be too distracted by his surroundings to pay attention and learn. Birds, other dogs, and anything else that moves will get his attention. He will be distracted and will not focus on the training at hand. When training a dog you should start off at home in a familiar environment that has minimal distractions. Encourage your dog to focus on you by kneeling down to his level and looking into his eyes. Once he obeys your commands at home you can gradually work your way outdoors. Distractions will still be tempting to him but since he will already be familiar with your commands he will learn much quicker in the new setting.