Three Types Of Positive Affirmation That A Trainer Will Use With Your Dog
If your family dog has obedience issues that are frustrating you, it's time to seek help from a local trainer. Whereas you might have developed a habit of scolding your pet whenever it does something that you don't like, it's a relief to know that a professional trainer won't take the same approach. Rather, obedience professionals often focus on positive affirmation when a dog does something right. When a dog receives this positive affirmation, it will be happy and thus keen to behave in a manner that leads to a reward again. Here are three types of positive affirmation that your dog trainer will use.
Play Time
For many dogs, there's nothing more fun than playing with a human. Your dog trainer knows this about your pet and will use it as a reward. For example, if the trainer is working on getting your dog to come when he or she calls it, the trainer will reward each successful behavior with a short period of play. For a breed of dog that loves retrieving, the trainer might throw a toy several yards away that the dog can bring back. These frequent intervals of playtime can make obedience training a fun experience for your dog.
Praise And Touch
Dogs are highly sensitive to what humans say. You might be aware of how your dog wags its tail simply because you say a kind word to it. You can expect that your trainer will use a combination of praise and touch as positive affirmation during the training process. For example, when the dog does what it's supposed to, the trainer will tell the dog "good girl" or "good boy" and give it a scratch behind the ears or a rub on the belly. It won't take long before the dog realizes that these interactions have a direct link to its behavior, which can compel it to behave properly.
Treats
You can also expect that your dog trainer will use treats as a form of positive affirmation. There are few dogs that aren't keen on getting treats, so the trainer will occasionally offer treats when your dog succeeds in completing different tasks. Most trainers will focus on other forms of positive affirmation and use treats only at specific times. This is especially true when training a small dog, as a large number of treats during a short training session could eventually cause the dog to gain a bit of weight. Contact someone for more information about dog obedience lessons in your area.