Advanced obedience is to a canine what putting down the toilet seat is to a man – it takes patient training but it can be done. Dog obedience training is among the most satisfying experiences between a dog and his pet owner. You are not just doing yourself a favor; you are giving your animal a happier and fuller life. Obedient dogs are well-adjusted, self-assured and mentally quicker. You can be confident in his behavior even if you leave him alone with strangers.
The most essential thing to keep in mind in trying to teach your animal is to set your role as the head in your relationship. When he ‘gets’ that you are his master, it is easier to [train|teach} him the commands you expect him to obey. Confusing the animal in this aspect can be dangerous; he will be assertive and strive to dominate you. Don’t overcompensate and be excessively harsh to show you’re the master; be firm, keep your ground and fix this critical trait as soon as you see it rearing its ugly head.
Make your leadership known by employing a strong and sure tone in your speaking. As you say “Sit!” gently guide him in the desired position firmly. You may have to go through several tries with each command, especially in the beginning. Development from basic to more advanced obedience training is pretty much simple once your dog recognizes the patterns you’ve established in your teaching sessions.
Operant Conditioning is rewarding your dog with treats or praise for correctly accomplishing the command. It is the single most useful way to train your dog; it’s what he comprehends. Applaud your pet each time he does what you say correctly. Sometimes, this is easy to overlook but take care not to. Dogs will get confused easily and recognizing good behavior every time will make certain that he will remember what is right.
Inversely, reprimand your dog whenever he makes a mistake. Do it while he is making it and not after so the dog will see the error of his ways. Scolding him will also emphasize the difference between what is good from what is [wrong|bad}. For example, if he starts finding the unidentified dirt on the street fascinating enough to eat, reprimand him then and there. Then put appropriate food before him to eat. When he starts eating his own set meal, be lavish in your praise.
To be able to see growth in dog obedience training, keep sessions short and as often as possible. Be repetitive in what you teach. Don’t restrict teaching your canine during “school time” or certain hours of the day. Otherwise, he won’t want to study during the most part of the day.
Dogs in movies awe you with the complexity of the stunts asked of them. However, do remember that they all started with sit. Begin with the basics and climb your way up. With patience and consistency your dog will advance to more difficult commands like growl, leave it, fetch and attack. Use the same standard in how you trained him earlier and you will taste success in the more advanced levels.
There, now that you’ve got the professional’s secrets in advanced obedience training for dogs, it’s about time to roll up your sleeves, get Fido and start the training!