Dog Health & Wellness
Whether you have a puppy just learning the ropes or an adult dog who could use a refresher, positive reinforcement, repetition, and a few high-value rewards can help even the most “stubborn” dog learn some new cues.
We spoke with Laura Holder, Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Executive Director of Conservation Dogs Collective, and she shared some tips for teaching your pet in a positive and healthy way.
When it comes to learning, positive reinforcement is essential. When training your dog, focus on rewarding good behaviors rather than punishing bad.
The exact nature of the reward will vary from dog to dog, based on what motivates them. Some dogs may be motivated by food, while others may be motivated by toy play or even verbal praise. Whatever the reward is, training should be a positive and enjoyable experience for both you and your dog, and can lead to more success and a healthier relationship.
“When a dog starts to show signs of frustration, they might start to avoid interactions with the human a little bit more,” Holder said. “Positive reinforcement naturally brings in a level of enjoyment to training, and it creates a much more healthy relationship between human and dog based on trust and respect.”
It’s critical to pay attention to your dog during training. Because our canine friends communicate their needs and emotions to us through their body language, paying close attention to them gives them the best chance of success during training.
Puppies have short attention spans due to their growing brains and bodies, yet they’re incredibly intelligent at a young age and can start training very early into their lives. However, it’s important to be aware of their growing and often uncoordinated bodies. It may be difficult or unsafe to teach more complex physical tricks and puppies often require more patience and consistency.
Adult dogs, on the other hand, have more mature bodies and mindsets, and can mentally handle longer training sessions – and even multiple sessions on the same day. While adult dogs are often labeled as stubborn or hard to train, Holder disagrees.
“If a dog is refusing to do a familiar cue, I first ask if the dog is in pain,” Holder said. “It’s also important to understand that adult dogs come with a learning history. A seven-year-old dog has seven years of behaviors that have been reinforced, and behaviors that haven’t been reinforced.”
Holder also notes that as a dog ages, their preferences are going to change. They might've had a speedy recall as a young animal, but now as a senior dog, they're experiencing some challenges, such as aches and pains or loss of vision and/or hearing. It’s important to be patient and work to understand the different needs of your pup over the course of their lifetime.
Just like humans, dogs are motivated by rewards.
“We like to work to get a paycheck, right?,” Holder said. “Dogs are the same way; they value a reward for their hard work in training.”
Each individual dog is motivated by what they find to be rewarding. What one dog finds pleasing, another dog may not. Finding a high-value reward that your dog likes – whether it be dog food, a piece of cheese, or a flavorful, soft and savory treat like Fromm Tenderollies – makes training much easier.
When learning a new skill, Holder recommends using higher value rewards to help encourage training success. When practicing familiar cues and skills, more simple snacks like Fromm Crunchy Os, Pop’etts or even your dog’s normal kibble are a great option to give some credit to your canine.
Remember that puppy tummies are small, too. When feeding your pup treats while training, limit the amount of goodies you give them. Too many treats can lead to an upset stomach the next day. Cutting high-value savory treats into smaller “nibbles” for positive rewards can help stretch those treats further and limit the volume you’re truly feeding your pet.
No matter your pet’s age, Holder emphasized the importance of training to encourage good behaviors in your pet. And remember, new skills are rarely learned in a single repetition. Training often takes place over the course of many repetitions and some skills (coming when called, for example) should be practiced and reinforced for the lifetime of your dog’s companionship.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," Holder said. “Working alongside a positive reinforcement trainer, whether that’s in a private setting or a group class, can be really helpful to build important life skills and set you and your dog up for success.”
Fromm Family Foods offers a variety of tasty treat options that make outstanding training aids for dogs. To learn more about dog treats from Fromm, visit www.frommfamily.com.
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