Welcome to the DogSmith and an overview of our training philosophies and methodologies. If you are embarking on a dog training career or if you just want to further educate yourself and your dog then you are about to commence a fascinating journey into the world of interspecies communication. What exactly does that mean? Well, to train dogs we first need to understand how to communicate with them. As we all know, we speak human and they speak dog. We are primates and they are canines. Of course the other side of the communication coin is that we need to understand how they communicate with us using their bodies and vocal tones. In addition, we need to understand what they are physically capable of doing and of course we need to understand what motivates them. To motivate a dog to do something it is physically capable of doing we need to accept that dogs are a predator and an opportunist and every behavior they display is designed to support their survival. There are millions of dogs in the world. Biologists consider the canine species, because of their numbers, to be hugely successful. There are more dogs than wolves and there are more dogs than almost any other animal so domestication has been a critical component of their success. Yet domestication means dogs rely on us for much of their needs. We humans are in a position of control and power in relation to our dogs and we are necessary for their ongoing wellbeing and survival.
Some methods are inhumane, cruel and abusive while others are just plain ineffective. At The DogSmith we work toward a world where people and their pets live together to the mutual benefit of each and where, by our efforts, we can significantly reduce the number of unwanted pets and provide abused, neglected, and abandoned pets an opportunity to find their “forever home”. Our mission exists to enhance the lives of pets and their owners by improving their relationship and the quality of the life they share through:
1) Providing professional support and training to pet dog owners,
2) Supporting and assisting animal shelters and rescue organizations to minimize the number of unwanted animals, and
3) Offering affordable and professional care to family pets so that pet ownership is never a burden.
Our vision and mission is guided by some very stringent values. First, we seek to do no harm. Secondly, we emphasize a ‘holistic’ approach to pet care by attending to the physical, emotional, and environmental well being of all pets and, thirdly, each DogSmith will support, through its deeds, efforts and sponsorship, animal shelters and rescue organizations to promote and implement the “no kill” animal philosophy.
How did the DogSmith training methodology and training philosophy evolve? Having spent considerable time researching and studying psychology while working with pet dogs and their owners, we recognized that dogs learn in two ways. The first way dogs learn is from their environment (acquisition learning). This type of learning is going on all the time. In the ‘pet dog world’ examples of this include learning that takes place in and around the home on a daily basis whether under supervision or not, at the dog park, at their day care or when they are out and about with their owners. Dogs do what works for them and what brings them rewards in their daily life. It is not hard to imagine how dogs pick up and develop unwanted behaviors when owners unknowingly and repeatedly reinforce the wrong behaviors exhibited by their dog. The other way dogs learn is in a formalized learning environment such as a dog training class or during periods when you specifically work with your dog to train them on a particular skill or task. This learning is more structured and formal. This is learning derived from education rather than from the accumulation of experience. With formalized learning the pet dogs are involved and active in the learning process.
Niki Tudge is the President of The DogSmith, America’s Dog Training, Dog Walking & Pet Care Franchise. Niki holds numerous certifications and diplomas for dog training, dog behavior counseling, business management and people training. CPDT –KA, E-Nadoi, CBC, AABP- PDT, DIP. ABT, Pet Care Services CPCT, CAPCT, AKC “CGC” Evaluator, TS1, TS2 & TS3
Niki is a professional member of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers, The National Association of Dog Obedience Trainers and the Association of Animal Behavior Professionals.
You can reach Niki via email at NikiTudge@DogSmith.com
To learn more about joining the DogSmith visit http://www.DogSmithFranchise.com
Is Reward Training or Dog Collar Training the Best Dog Training Method To Train Your Dog
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 .
Article Source: ArticleSpan