An Introduction To Pet Training With Positive Reinforcement

There are many reasons to begin a training regime with your pet. You may want to stop an animal’s bad behavior such as clawing or chewing the furniture. You may want to keep him under control in social situations. Or you may want to teach him to perform tricks on command. In any case, the animal will benefit both from the mental exercise required and from the time and attention you give him. The most satisfying form of pet training uses positive reinforcement.

Animals are naturally keen to perform actions that they know will lead to positive outcomes. Positive reinforcement means rewarding your pet for good behavior, rather than punishing him for bad behavior. The rewards most commonly used in training are enthusiastic praise and a tasty morsel of food.

Although you may not be aware of it, you have probably already trained your pet using positive reinforcement. If your dog or cat stands near a door and barks or meows, and you open the door for them, they will associate their actions with the reward of being let in or out. The next time they want you to open the door, they will repeat the same behavior in anticipation of getting the same reward.

To train pets to do what you want them to do, you’ll need to get them to perform actions in response to commands. Decide on a specific desired behavior and think of a cue word to prompt it. Single syllable commands such as ‘down’ or ‘shake’ are easier for animals to understand than two word phrases like ‘lie down’ or ‘shake hands’.

As soon as your pet performs an action in response to a command, reward him with enthusiastic praise and a tasty treat. Always give the reward before the animal engages in any other behavior. If you are teaching a dog to obey the command ‘sit’, praise and feed him while he is still in a sitting position. If he moves first, he may think he is being rewarded for standing up.

To teach an animal to get off your favorite lounge chair or any other piece of furniture, use a simple command like ‘off’. When you find your pet sitting where she shouldn’t, go get one of her treats. Stand near the chair, make sure your pet is looking at you and say ‘off’ in a loud, clear voice. Gently push or lift the animal to the floor. Immediately praise her and hold the food to her mouth. Repeat the training process every time she climbs into the chair. After a number of trials, she will jump to the floor unassisted when she hears the word ‘off’.

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 can be frustrating at times. If the animal is distracted or tired, he may not perform as well as on previous occasions. Be patient and do not expect too much too soon. You should never resort to shouting or punishment. This will have negative consequences as your animal will come to fear you and be hesitant to engage in future sessions. If you make dog training Kelowna fun and give your pet plenty of positive feedback, he will look forward to learning 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.