Training A Dog And Communicating With It

Fundamentally, training a dog is all about communication. From the human point of view the handler is communicating to the dog what habits are correct, desired, or perhaps preferred in what circumstances. From the canine point of view the handler should communicate what behaviors can give the dog the most satisfaction to his natural instincts as well as emotions. Without that inner satisfaction a dog is not going to work well.

A good handler should also understand the communication that the dog sends to the handler. The dog may signal that he is unsure, confused, anxious, happy, thrilled, and so on. The emotional condition of the dog is an important consideration in directing the dog training, as a dog that is worried or distracted will not learn effectively.

According to Learning Theory there're 4 necessary messages that the handler can send the dog:

Reward or release marker

Proper behavior. You have earned a reward. For example, "Free" followed by a reward.

Bridge

Correct behavior. Keep on and you will earn a reward. For instance, "Good".

No reward marker

Wrong behavior. Try out something else. For example, "Uh-uh" or "Try again".

Punishment marker

Improper behavior. You have earned punishment. For example, "No".

Making use of consistent signs or words for these messages allows the dog to understand them quicker. If the handler occasionally says "good" as a reward marker and sometimes as a bridge, it is hard for the dog to know when he has earned a reward.

Rewards may be treats, play, praise, or anything that the dog finds rewarding. Failure to reward after the reward marker lessens the value of the reward marker and makes training harder.

These four messages do not have to be communicated with words, and nonverbal signs are often used. In particular, mechanical clickers are often used for the reward marker. Hand signals and body language even play an important part in training a dog.

Dogs generally do not generalize commands easily; that is, a dog who has learned a command in a particular place and situation may not immediately recognize the command to other situations. A dog that knows the way to "down" in the living room may experience genuine confusion if asked to "down" at the park or in the car. The command should be retaught in each new situation. This is sometimes called "cross-contextualization," meaning the dog has to use what's been learned to many different contexts.

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