A Brief Introduction To Pet Training With Positive Reinforcement
The time and effort you put into pet training can yield many benefits. You may want to establish household rules, curb unwanted behavior, or keep your animal from danger. Or you may simply want to teach an intelligent animal to perform amusing tricks. Whatever your motivation, training will provide your pet with attention, encouragement and stimulating mental exercise. The most enjoyable and effective form of training makes use of positive reinforcement.
Animals are naturally keen to perform actions that they know will lead to positive outcomes. Positive reinforcement means rewarding your pet for good behavior, rather than punishing him for bad behavior. The rewards most commonly used in training are enthusiastic praise and a tasty morsel of food.
You've probably already trained your pet through positive reinforcement without realizing it. If a dog or cat scratches at the door and you open it, they learn to associate the behavior of scratching with the reward of going outside. You reinforce the behavior every time you let them out when they scratch.
To train pets to do what you want them to do, you'll need to get them to perform actions in response to commands. Decide on a specific desired behavior and think of a cue word to prompt it. Single syllable commands such as 'down' or 'shake' are easier for animals to understand than two word phrases like 'lie down' or 'shake hands'.
As soon as your pet performs an action in response to a command, reward him with enthusiastic praise and a tasty treat. Always give the reward before the animal engages in any other behavior. If you are teaching a dog to obey the command 'sit', praise and feed him while he is still in a sitting position. If he moves first, he may think he is being rewarded for standing up.
To train an animal to get off the furniture, use a straightforward cue word like 'off'. When you walk into a room to find your pet sitting on the sofa, get one of her food treats and put it in your pocket. Make sure you have the animal's attention and clearly speak the word 'off' before moving her to the floor. Praise her immediately and present her with the treat. Repeat this procedure every time you find her lounging on the couch. Eventually she will respond to the 'off' command by jumping to the floor herself.
When an animal has learned to reliably respond to the cue word, you can gradually stop rewarding her with treats. But do persist in offering praise and affection in return for good behavior. Dogs are eager to please their owners and generally require no other motivation. Depending on their individual personalities, and the extent to which they have bonded with their owners, some cats and birds will also continue to obey commands once the food incentive is withdrawn.
Pet training requires patience on the part of both the teacher and the pupil. There will be good days and bad days. Do not continue with a dog training Kelowna session if your pet seems tired or distracted. Never resort to scolding or punishment for bad performance. This will cause your animal to associate the cue word with negative consequences. Training should be an enjoyable experience that both you and your pet will be keen to repeat.
Animals are naturally keen to perform actions that they know will lead to positive outcomes. Positive reinforcement means rewarding your pet for good behavior, rather than punishing him for bad behavior. The rewards most commonly used in training are enthusiastic praise and a tasty morsel of food.
You've probably already trained your pet through positive reinforcement without realizing it. If a dog or cat scratches at the door and you open it, they learn to associate the behavior of scratching with the reward of going outside. You reinforce the behavior every time you let them out when they scratch.
To train pets to do what you want them to do, you'll need to get them to perform actions in response to commands. Decide on a specific desired behavior and think of a cue word to prompt it. Single syllable commands such as 'down' or 'shake' are easier for animals to understand than two word phrases like 'lie down' or 'shake hands'.
As soon as your pet performs an action in response to a command, reward him with enthusiastic praise and a tasty treat. Always give the reward before the animal engages in any other behavior. If you are teaching a dog to obey the command 'sit', praise and feed him while he is still in a sitting position. If he moves first, he may think he is being rewarded for standing up.
To train an animal to get off the furniture, use a straightforward cue word like 'off'. When you walk into a room to find your pet sitting on the sofa, get one of her food treats and put it in your pocket. Make sure you have the animal's attention and clearly speak the word 'off' before moving her to the floor. Praise her immediately and present her with the treat. Repeat this procedure every time you find her lounging on the couch. Eventually she will respond to the 'off' command by jumping to the floor herself.
When an animal has learned to reliably respond to the cue word, you can gradually stop rewarding her with treats. But do persist in offering praise and affection in return for good behavior. Dogs are eager to please their owners and generally require no other motivation. Depending on their individual personalities, and the extent to which they have bonded with their owners, some cats and birds will also continue to obey commands once the food incentive is withdrawn.
Pet training requires patience on the part of both the teacher and the pupil. There will be good days and bad days. Do not continue with a dog training Kelowna session if your pet seems tired or distracted. Never resort to scolding or punishment for bad performance. This will cause your animal to associate the cue word with negative consequences. Training should be an enjoyable experience that both you and your pet will be keen to repeat.
About the Author:
Training a puppy can be frustrating, dog training requires discipline and consistancy. When experiencing problems, consult a professional. Bark Busters offer a reliable and affordable service for house puppy training.
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