There is a lot of controversy about how dog training should be handled. A large number of people have been misled to think that they must dominate and intimidate their pets in order to get any type of cooperation from them. This is largely based on misunderstandings, however, and really is not the best way to go about gaining your pet’s obedience. If you want to have an animal that is a joy to have as a member of your family, you should focus on positive techniques for Dog Training VA.
Positive training techniques are those that focus on rewarding your dog for the behaviors that you want to see more often, as well as making sure that you are clear about what you want and expect. Most of the time, offering rewards means providing treats, since virtually every dog loves to get a special snack to show that he has done something good. For particularly active and driven dogs, though, this can also mean offering a chance to play. For example, you may ask your canine to obey your request to sit before you will throw the tennis ball that he loves to chase and retrieve.
Much of the value of these techniques comes from the fact that they promote trust and communication. Providing rewards well does require that you pay attention and focus in on the moment when your dog is offering you what you want, so that you can communicate to him in turn that you are pleased with his efforts. Domesticated canines are exceptionally eager to bond with and please humans, so they are actually fairly easy to guide once you build a relationship with them and get a feel for how to guide your dog toward spending more time doing things like quietly chewing on a bone while also intervening before he builds up bad habits like running off with your shoes.
Punishment is not a necessary part of training. After all, the trainers of large and very dangerous animals like orcas manage to get extremely sophisticated behaviors without ever having to punish the creatures who are in their care. The key to success in Dog Training VA is to keep it positive and to focus on how to let your dog know what you want.
