A well-trained dog is a must and in the early years, puppy training is something to be taken seriously, especially social interaction skills with humans and other dogs, says Rosie Tilley
Training a dog is not always easy. It will be time-consuming, often frustrating, and can leave you at your wit’s end wondering why you thought a dog was the pet for you in the first place. It is, however, achievable, rewarding, and of optimum importance in creating a well-mannered canine addition to your family. It is also important regarding the safety and wellbeing of the people and other dogs who you will encounter on a day-to-day basis.
A well-trained dog is a must, and in the early years, puppy training is something to be taken seriously, teaching commands, boundaries, and social interaction skills with humans and other dogs. This is, perhaps, one of the reasons that many rescue dogs come to us with behavioural issues. Combined with a traumatic past life, lack of training is another contributing factor to the behavioural issues encountered back when I first rescued my own dog Mishka. As previously mentioned though, achieving a well-behaved dog isn’t impossible, and even a rescue dog like Mishka can turn into a very perfect hound with your patience and the right guidance. Dogs are smart and often, their behaviours and reactions, once we understand them, make sense to us. It is therefore important to speak with an expert trainer, or do some research yourself in the field of dog training before beginning work with your new dog.
An untrained dog can be unruly, destructive, vicious, and can go on to live a very unhappy, anxious life if not given the time, teaching, and socialising they require. Not only is it unsafe for the household, general public, and other dogs, it is also both unsafe and unfair to leave a dog in this state of behavioural difficulty. It’s worth noting that the wrong type of training will also be counterproductive, leading to a dog becoming confused and frustrated, much the same as the owner, the bond between the two becoming tense and negative, rather than building a bond of trust and happiness with your canine best friend. Me and Mishka worked hard on correcting her behaviour, and adjusting her mindset, for the first year after she was rescued and brought to the UK. Even now, almost six years later, we are still improving on her initial fear of people, and her, once very negative, relationships with other dogs. Perhaps one of the best achievements I have made with Mishka’s training is her behaviour around acquaintances of the canine variety. At the time of rescue, Mishka showed fear and aggression towards any other dogs we encountered. This was very worrying as it could have become a safety risk for anyone involved with walking her, and with those who we came across when on our daily adventures. However, with the correct training, force-free exposure therapy in this case, Mishka was able to overcome her fears to feel safe in the company of other dogs, and even to build strong friendships with other dogs…two of those being her best friends, Willow and Clover. Two very well-trained dogs, Willow and Clover have taught Mishka that not all dogs are scary, these two in particular providing the safety net of a ‘pack’ on fun adventures. With them she is able to feel comfortable playing, running, and also very importantly, learning that aggression is not the correct response to other dogs. When taught early enough in a dog’s life, or in the correct way for an older, more troubled rescue dog, behavioural issues, such as fear aggression, can be unlearnt. Through exposure therapy, and allowing the dog force-free interactions with their fears, you, the owner can aid your dog into changing their thinking and habits, letting you take control of a situation that could otherwise turn nasty. We hear in the news of dog attacks, dog fights, and other traumatic events – all at the expense of badly trained dogs. But is it the dog, or is it perhaps the owner at fault? Through working closely with a trainer, we can begin to understand why our dogs act the way they do, adjust their thinking patterns, and see results…And often notice the changes sooner than you’d expect. We mustn’t blame our dogs for reacting poorly. We mustn’t become frustrated. Instead, we must understand them, praise their progress, and help them to become the very best versions of themselves possible. A well-trained dog is a happy dog.
Do’s and don’ts of dog training
- Do be firm, confident, and positive when handling and training your dog. A dog bounces off the mood of their owner. Happy you, happy pup.
- Do be consistent. While dogs are quick learners, they do need consistency and practice at learning new commands and behaviours, much in the same way humans do. Practice makes perfect.
- Do praise your dog’s good behaviour. Dogs are, for the most part, eager to please. They’ll be happy to earn your praise, a confirmation that they’re doing the right thing.
- Always train in a safe and secure area with the assistance of a knowledgeable trainer who can help guide you with what you want to achieve.
- Don’t become frustrated when things go wrong. Your dog will pick up on your frustration and become hesitant, thus being more difficult to train.
- Don’t train your dog when you are feeling sad, angry, or stressed. Training a dog requires patience, and any negativity could lead to a bad experience in training sessions for both of you.
- Never put yourself, your dog, or other people and animals at risk of becoming hurt in the process of training. Remain aware that dogs can become aggressive when frightened or experiencing something unfamiliar. However well you think you know your dog, it’s important to be on guard.
- Don’t give up! There will be ups and downs to this journey, and things won’t always go to plan. The important thing is that you and your dog enjoy the time spent together. Training time is bonding time.
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