Being a dog owner is a huge responsibility as getting an animal is not just for fun but is 10-15 years of commitment. The dog should be trained and nurtured in such a way that it can live in harmony with other animals and humans. This is why training a dog is essential.
While your dog may adore you, it may not behave the same way with guests that come home. Dogs that are not trained or socialize end up either being aggressive towards others or fearful. This is why training the dog is essential for the well-being of the dog and your ease of handling it as well.
The problem arises in current times because there are so many self-proclaimed dog trainers on the internet that you may assume the wrong information to be true. When you use the wrong techniques to train your dog, it may become more fearful or aggressive towards the method instead of being trained.
The Pioneers of Dog Training Methods:
Two of the most sought-after celebrities, as we can call them with their popularity with dog owners, are Ceaser Milan and Victoria Stilwell. The common trait in them is that both are well-known dog trainers, the difference is that their technique is as different as the moon and the earth.
While Ceasar Milan is popular for his hand gestures with dogs to show dominance which has been cleverly incorporated in the famous American Sitcom South Park, Victoria is known for her compassion and her training is based on understanding deeply the reason for the behavior first.
Cesar Millan has existed for over a decade and is famously called a dog whisperer, but his methods were looked down upon by animal activists over the past few years, which led to the dog whisperer tragedy. His famous show The Dog Whisperer got canceled after the completion of successful 9 seasons.
He also ended up with a handful of litigations along the way in which most of them got to the judgment where Ceasar was not charged for anything. His methods of training the dogs were not based on connecting with the dog but dominating it, which was condemned by animal lovers.
On the other hand, Victoria works with animals and trains them by first learning why the anima has such behavioral issues. Along with her training, she also works on the dog and owner relationship. Her famous show It’s me or the dog has received a lot of appreciation from dog owners and animal activists.
Should You Seek Experts Help?
Watching the video of experts may teach you a thing or two but cannot make you an expert. You will find a lot of other content online that can be helpful as well.
Well, training a dog is a time-consuming task and cannot happen in a day. It also depends on the temperament of the dog. Your dog may be harder to train than others, hence you may struggle with the training. Yet again, this is a slow and time-consuming process and you need to be consistent with it.
With so much content online, you can do it yourself most of the time but if you fail in teaching your dog to behave, it is best to call an expert as soon as possible who can help your dog correct the behavior.
A Few Tips That Will Make a Big Impact:
Training at home or taking your dog to an expert trainer, there are a few tips that will yield better results.
1. Be Consistent:
Teaching your dog manners is not a one-day task. This has to become a habit that will only happen if your dog is trained frequently. Even if you hire an expert, repeat the exercise now and then to ensure the dog learns the commands and behavior changes that you expect from it. Consistency is the key to owning a well-trained dog.
2. Positive Training Method is a Must:
We strongly recommend you avoid Ceasar’s techniques as much as possible as it does not associate the training with a positive event. It can stress the dog out further. The training session needs to be a happy one with lots of treats as your dog shows its progress. This will motivate the dog to learn fast and they will enjoy the session.
3. Avoid Punishments:
Punishing the dog when it misbehaves can be something a lot of people advise, but you should avoid it as much as possible. When you punish a dog, it gets confused many times about why is it being punished. As they do not understand our language, it is tough for them to understand, hence it will not help them. Rather, they get anxious for some time. Stick to a positive reinforcement method, which may take some time but will help you in the long run.
4. The Choke Collar is Not Advisable:
A lot of trainers insist on the use of choke collars for overly excited dogs. This makes the training process faster, but what the owners do not realize is a hyperactive dog can actually not care about the choke collar and injure themselves in the process.
5. Start Early:
Training a small puppy is much easier than an adult dog. This is because the puppy is already in a learning phase and is ready to learn new things. Older dogs are already living their lives a certain way, any changes in them can be brought by training, but that is going to take more amount of time as they are not just developing new habits but also leaving the old ones.
The Bottom Line:
A training session with your dog can also be a bonding time with the pet. Even if you hire a trainer, be involved in the process. The dog should listen to your commands not just the trainers. The entire session should act as a learning as well as a bonding time. The pet should be willing to listen to you rather than being forced by using barbaric methods. Once the pet learns to respect the owner, the training session can go as a breeze.