Dogs & Conformation Training

A healthy and well balanced dog should be able to listen and respond to the commands of its owner. Successful conformation training will teach a dog to respond positively to an owner's commands through repetition and positive reinforcement. Proper training will also enhance the bond between dog and owner. The dog's trust will increase and the entire household will benefit.

  1. The Basics of Conformation Training

    • There are several key elements in successful dog conformation training. First, timing is very important. Correcting bad behavior and rewarding good behavior must be done immediately for a dog to make the appropriate positive or negative associations with their actions. Consistency is also important. Bad and good behavior need to be corrected and praised on a regular basis in order for the dog to learn how to behave. Essentially, a dog will learn through repetition. Third, rewarding a dog for good behavior is just as important as correcting a dog for bad behavior. Lastly, always be firm and never get angry.

    Issues Regarding Different Breeds

    • Conformation training must be tailored to the type of dog being trained, since different breeds have different character traits. For example, bull breeds such as the bull terrier, bulldog, and pit bull are notoriously stubborn. These breeds may need extra repetition in their training regimens. High-energy breeds such as those from the terrier group may need to be exercised before conformation training begins. Having too much energy during conformation training may shorten a dog's attention span.

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    Learning Theories

    • Two major dog conformation learning theories are classical training and operant conditioning. Classical training involves positive and negative reinforcement for good and bad actions, respectively. Operant conditioning uses a dog's natural instinct to repeat actions with positive consequences. When a dog does something that it naturally thinks is good, a conditioned reinforcer (e.g., affection or food) is given to the dog. This gives the dog an extra incentive to repeat the action.

    Puppy Training

    • Puppies learn quickly but they are also vulnerable. While it may be hard due to the excitement of having a new dog, puppies should be trained with normal levels of enthusiasm (i.e., how a dog owner would train a fully grown dog). The negative effects of using frustration and anger while training are worse when used against a puppy, since they are impressionable. Patience and tempered enthusiasm while training are key.

    Clicker Technique of Conformation Training

    • One increasingly popular technique of dog conformation training is clicker training. A "clicker" (a small plastic box that makes a clicking sound by pressing a button) is used every time a dog does something positive. The dog will then associate the clicking sound with positive actions. With repeated use, the clicker becomes a powerful tool in dog conformation training.