Copyright (c) 2009 James Mahoney
Reward training is considered by many dog training professionals as the most modern method of training a dog, but reward training is probably a lot older than other methods of dog training. It may be that reward training for dogs has been around as long as there have been dogs to train.
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It is believed that the early humans used some informal kind of reward training when taming the wolf pups that eventually evolved into modern dogs.
Reward training or positive dog training generally consists of keeping the attention on what the dog is doing right, is usually recognized as not only the most effective method, and as a method that a positive experience for the dog, but also the most modern method of training a dog, but reward training probably is likely older than the other dog training methods, and probably goes way back thousands of years.
It is quite conceivable that reward training for dogs has been around as long humans have interacted with dogs.
The earliest known domestic dogs go back to the domestication of abandoned wolf puppies the early humans took in from the gray wolf several tens of thousands of years ago. These early domesticated dogs were trained to do task for humans that included acting as a guard animal, or to herd animals.
Early humans probably used some kind of reward training when they started taming the wolf pups that would eventually evolve into modern dogs.
This unique connection existing between dog and man continues up to today. Dogs now usually perform many tasks for their owners, like herding, guarding, hunting, and rescue work or special assistance.
Many advocates of reward training are far less enthusiastic about other methods of dog training, such as those that involve the use of the traditional leash and dog collar training method.
However, as far as many other experts are concerned, the best way to train any individual dog is usually a combination of leash/collar training and reward training.
Something that complicates thing a bit is that a training method that works well for one dog may be totally not be appropriate for another dog.
Some dogs will only respond well when it comes to reward training but not very well with dog leash training or even dog collar training. It the same time there are other dogs that can respond to leash/collar training but may not be motivated by reward training.
It is believed that most dogs will tend to fall somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
Clicker training is considered to be one of the most popular forms of reward training used today. While clicker training may not be the correct form of training for every dog, it can be a really effective method of training many dogs.
How clicker training works by teaching the dog to associate a clicking sound with a reward, like a treat.
You can actually teach your dog the learn without any physical compulsion or correcting at all. The clicker is just a toy-like device used in the initial stages of dog draining.
The trainer clicks the clicker when the dog does something good, and is followed immediately by a treat. Over time, the dog will soon learn to respond to the clicker alone.
Positive reinforcement using treats and unlimited praise is the all important key to proper dog training, whether it is with reward training, or dog leash or dog collar training, because it is effective at getting your dog’s respect and attention.
Both you and your dog will benefit, since in time you will have a faithful companion you can be proud of.
J. Mahoney is the owner of Dog Trainers Ideas.com. Just feel free to visit http://www.dog-trainers-ideas.com , where you will find a resource providing you with advice on all aspects of dog training, house training and dog health. If you want to find more info on Reward or Dog Collar Training, visit http://budurl.com/rewardtraining2 .
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