Learn The Ins-n-Outs of Basic American Dog Training Techniques

Christopher M Stigson

Americans have plenty of dog training techniques. They train a huge varieties of dogs. Dog training has various types because it depends on behavior related issues. Hence, there are two main categories. While the first is a theory based technique, the second is related to canine behavior.

The first category mainly focuses on the modification of behavior. It usually disregards the natural and typical dog behavior. On the contrary, the latter focuses on the natural behavior of the dog and ignores the present learning theories.

Dog training techniques fall under three main types, including mixed dog training, positive dog training and traditional dog training.

The first type includes those techniques that take the help of negative reinforcement, punishment and positive reinforcement, as the main way to educate the dogs.

Traditional Dog Training Technique:

Initially, dog training was developed to train dogs in times of war. This was very helpful during the First World War. Shortly after the Second World War, even civilian trainers embraced this technique. Thereafter, this became the standard way to train dogs. Since Colonel Konrad Most established this technique, many Americans consider him the father of the modern dog training. This form of dog training did not involve modern scientific learning principles. It was an empirical technique.

The main teaching ways of traditional training are punishment and negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is the process that strengthens a behavior. For instance, pushing the shoulders of the dog can provoke an unpleasant situation for the dog. In case the pressure over the shoulders disappears while the dog lies down, there is a high possibility that the canine may do the same, simply to avoid any unpleasant sensation. This is how the dog learns through negative reinforcement. On the other hand, punishment is an unpleasant consequence of a particular behavior. Even though punishment can weaken the behavior, there is no guarantee that this will happen. Besides, the punishment technique usually has undesired effects. A classic instance of punishment is when the dog owner hits the dog because the dog climbed on the armchair.

Positive Dog Training:

Positive dog training is the main way of teaching good techniques. It is not the same as reward, a common misconception. It is mainly a process which strengthens a dog’s behavior simply because of the occurrence of a pleasant situation due to the result of a particular behavior. For instance, if the dog owner offers food or a treat to the dog while it is lying down, there is a greater possibility that the dog will do it more often to get treats from the owner. This is how the dog learns to lie down with the help of positive reinforcement.

In many countries the most popular technique is clicker training. The main difference between other positive techniques and clicker training is the use of clicker. A clicker is a small device that offers a click sound while squeezing it.

In short, irrespective of the techniques, a dog training exercise is absolutely beneficial and advantageous.

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