The time and effort you put into pet training can yield many benefits. You may want to establish household rules, curb unwanted behavior, or keep your animal from danger. Or you may simply want to teach an intelligent animal to perform amusing tricks. Whatever your motivation, training will provide your pet with attention, encouragement and stimulating mental exercise. The most enjoyable and effective form of training makes use of positive reinforcement.
Training with positive reinforcement involves rewarding pets when they perform the right action, rather than punishing them for doing something wrong. Rewards are typically in the form of small food treats combined with praise. Once animals learn to associate certain actions with positive consequences, they become eager to repeat them.
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.
Before beginning a formal training session, you will need to determine the precise action you want your pet to perform and think of a command or cue word which will initiate the action. Single syllable cue words such as ‘come’ or ‘stay’ are easiest for the animal to recognize and for you to remember.
When your pet performs the desired action in response to the command, immediately reward him with verbal praise, swiftly followed by a treat. Consistency and speed are vitally important. If you are trying to teach a dog to respond to the word ‘sit’, and you wait until he is standing again before rewarding him, he won’t know which action to associate with the positive response.
To train an animal to get off the furniture, use a straightforward cue word like ‘off’. When you walk into a room to find your pet sitting on the sofa, get one of her food treats and put it in your pocket. Make sure you have the animal’s attention and clearly speak the word ‘off’ before moving her to the floor. Praise her immediately and present her with the treat. Repeat this procedure every time you find her lounging on the couch. Eventually she will respond to the ‘off’ command by jumping to the floor herself.
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 requires a degree of patience and some sessions will go more smoothly than others. When an animal is excited, distracted or tired, he may not perform at his best. Avoid the temptation to chastise your pet if he refuses to cooperate. It could lead him to associate the action you are trying to teach with negative consequences. If your pet gets only positive attention during dog training Kelowna, he will be eager to learn new commands.
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.