Dog Training – Keeping Your Dog Motivated

Keeping the attention of a dog while training is not always easy. Dogs can be easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the training sessions to be sabotaged by boredom. Making training fun for the dog and the human alike is vital to creating a happy, well adjusted and well trained dog.

Providing random positive stimuli during the day is a great way to keep the interest of the dog. טאן דאס דער הונט ענדזשויז, ווי גיין אין די פּאַרק, ריידינג אין די מאַשין, און פּלייינג מיט אנדערע הינט, איז אַ גרויס וועג צו האַלטן די הונט ס ופמערקזאַמקייַט און באַלוינונג אים פֿאַר קליין סאַקסעסאַז.

For instance, אין סדר צו באַלוינונג דער הונט פֿאַר קומען צו איר, for instance, פרעגן די הונט צו קומען צו איר, אָן געבן קיין קלוז וועגן אַ גיין, אַ מאַשין פאָר, אָדער אנדערע טריץ. נאָך דער הונט האט קומען צו איר און אָובידיאַנטלי אנידערגעזעצט, צוטשעפּען די שטריקל און אָנהייבן די באַלוינונג. דעם קענען זיין אָדער די אַפאָרעמענטיאָנעד גיין אין דער פּאַרק, פאָר אין די מאַשין, אָדער עפּעס אַנדערש דער הונט לייקס צו טאָן.

פּראַוויידינג עטלעכע מין פון באַלוינונג, צי אַ מייַכל, אַ ספּעציעל עקסקורסיע, אָדער נאָר אַ קראַץ הינטער די אויערן, יעדער מאָל די הונט טוט עפּעס איר ווילן, איז אַ גרויס וועג צו האַלטן דיין הונט מאָוטאַווייטאַד. If the dog knows something great is going to happen every time he obeys your command, he will be motivated to please you every time.

Distraction training

When training any dog, it is important to not let distractions disrupt the training. The dog must be taught to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and focus on what is being taught These types of distractions can even be used as rewards when training the dog to come when called.

For instance, if your dog enjoys playing with other dogs, whether in a local dog park or with the neighbor’s dogs, let him play freely with those other dogs. Then go into the park or yard and call your dog. When he comes to you, provide lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the dog to go back to playing with his friends. Repeat this several times and praise the dog each time he comes to you. The dog will quickly learn that coming to you means good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being taken away from the park).

If the dog does not master this particular type of training right away, try not to get discouraged. So called distraction training is one of the most difficult things to teach. Dogs are naturally social animals, and breaking away from the pack is one of the most difficult things you can ask your dog to do. Most dogs will be understandably reluctant to leave their canine companions, but it is important to persist.

Training the dog to come to you may require some creativity on your part at first. For instance, waving a favorite toy, or a lure, is a great way to get your dog’s attention and put the focus back on you. If your dog has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator as well.

Once the dog begins to get the hang of coming when called, you can begin to reduce and eliminate the visual cues and focus on getting the dog to respond to your voice alone. It is important that the dog respond to voice commands alone, since you will not always have the availability of a toy or other lure.

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