Teaching our dogs to do something on cue is so rewarding, especially when they get it right. But, before you start, there are a few things that you, as the owner, should know and understand. Don’t expect your dog to immediately understand what you want from him. You need to stay patient and first teach him step-by-step what the cue means. Once you get it right, it will be rewarding for both of you.
1. No scolding, please
Your dog might react to something you say, but he still doesn’t understand human language. Keep in mind that dogs read a human’s body language. A string of words has no meaning to him. Therefore, if you scold him, he doesn’t know what you’re saying. He knows that you are angry by looking at your body language, but he doesn’t know why.
2. Patience is key
Before you even get a dog, understand that you will need patience to teach him everything he needs to know. If your dog is tired, hungry or not feeling well, he will most probably not be at his best, and you will have to end your training session. Tomorrow is another day, after all. You might cause more damage by expecting him to perform when he isn’t in the mood. The same is true for you – rather wait and train your dog another time if you are having a bad day.
3. Positive reinforcement
You will achieve more with your dog by using reward-based methods. Every time your dog does something that you want him to do, give him a treat immediately. Be ready with the treats, as you have to be quick and feed him the treat the moment he does something well. This way, he will create an association between the action and the reward.
4. Treat size
The treat can be anything healthy that your dog loves. You can use shop-bought treats, small pieces of cooked chicken or very small pieces of cheese. The treat should ideally be soft (especially when he is still a puppy) and not bigger than a pinkie nail. Ideally, your dog should be able to chew it once, twice at most, and then swallow. Remember to add the calorie value of the treats to your dog’s total nutritional allowance for the day.
5. Clicker training
You can also use clicker training as a method to teach your dog. The secret with clicker training is timing. You have to click the moment your dog does what you ask him to do so that he can associate the click of the clicker with the action he performed. You have to reward him immediately after the click. This means you need to be fast in your reactions.
6. No distractions
A quiet environment with no distractions is ideal for teaching your dog something new. Just like you can’t teach him when he’s hungry, you can’t expect him to focus when something is distracting him. Whether it is his favourite ball, a pet sibling or a cat racing past – distractions will make it difficult for you and him to focus.
7. Short sessions
Keep the training sessions short. You can always start to gradually increase the training session later on by a minute at a time, but remember that long sessions will tire your dog. Read your dog’s body language, and if it is clear that he is not interested anymore, cut the session short and try again later. Five minutes, three times a day, might deliver better results than one 20-minute session.
8. Alternative rewards
At the end of a session, regardless of whether your dog did well or not, praise him and reward him with something special. It doesn’t have to be something he can eat. It can be one of his favourite toys to play with, a new toy or loads of affection and praise. Let him know what a special boy he is for participating in the training session.
9. Consistent cues
Always be consistent with your cues. Don’t use different words for the same action. For instance, if your dog jumps onto the couch when he is not allowed, use the same word every time as a cue to ask him to get off. If you use ‘off’ one day and ‘down’ the next day, you will confuse him. Also, don’t use the same word to mean different things. If you use ‘down’ when you want him off the couch, then don’t use ‘down’ if you expect him to lie down. It doesn’t matter which words you use, just be consistent with your cues.
Easy as pie
You will have to practise, practise and practise some more until it becomes second nature to your dog. Some dogs learn more quickly than others, but that doesn’t mean your dog is less intelligent. He just hasn’t made the connection yet. Go on – make the teaching and learning sessions fun for both of you.
