dog wouldn’t learn anything?

How many times have you heard somebody complain that their dog wouldn't learn anything?  They may say their dog is dumb or their dog won't listen to them.  Yet as soon as someone else tries to teach the dog something the dog learns right away.  How do we explain these cases?  Has the dog suddenly gotten very smart?  Probably not.

 

The truth is that a lot of dog training depends on the attitude of the trainer.  If you approach training your dog with the belief that you can't do it or that your dog is not smart or is unable to learn anything, then most likely training won't go well.

 

Your attitude about training and your dog is more important that anything else.  It's more important than the equipment you buy, the training system you choose, or even the breed of dog.  If you have the wrong outlook about training it is likely doomed to fail.

 

Dogs are very social animals.  They love human companionship.  If you approach them in the right way they can be very receptive to learning nearly anything and they will want to do things to please you.  That's why a good attitude is so important on your part when it comes to training your dog.  When you are positive and pleasant your dog will respond the same way.  When you're excited about teaching your dog, your dog will be excited about learning.  A dog reflects your attitude, so if you have a good attitude about training your dog will have the same attitude.

 

A good attitude about training can also make the training experience much more enjoyable for both the owner and the dog.  You will be able to give better instruction and the dog will be able to learn more.  You will both benefit.

 

To achieve the best results in training your dog you should try to maintain a positive perspective.  Keep a mood that makes training fun for both you and the dog.  Otherwise you can be looking at a disaster.  You can keep this positive attitude with any kind of quality training method.  Good training requires positive reinforcement, which utilizes praise and affection.  These are best given by someone with a positive attitude.  Training can be offered with lots of encouragement and praise — key components of training.  All of these things are best done with a positive attitude.

 

You can be both firm and positive at the same time.  You don't have to be angry or lose your temper with your dog.  You don't have to adopt a severe tone during training.  You don't have to try to pretend to be mad.  You can simply move from your normal upbeat tone to a serious tone.  A lower, serious tone will be enough for your dog to understand that he has not done something correctly.  There's no need to overdo things.  Dogs are sensitive animals.  Then you can return to the normal praise and instruction in a positive, happy tone of voice.  Your dog will be very happy and motivated to learn with this kind of interaction.

 

You should always keep in mind that training your dog should be fun for both you and your dog.  When it's not fun for you it won't be fun for your dog.  It should be just as much fun for you as for your dog.  You should be trying to make the training process both exciting and enjoyable.  Make the training itself a reward for the dog — something that he looks forward to everyday.  It should be fun for him to spend this special time for you.  In this way your dog will be motivated to learn and perform.

 

If your training is a mandatory task, something that you and your dog are doing by rote, you should rethink why you are training your dog.  Unless you are excited about the training your dog won't be excited either.  You should be happy about spending this time together.  If training is a chore then don't be surprised if your dog doesn't learn.  These are negative attitudes and no one learns well with a negative attitude.

 

If you pursue training your dog with a negative attitude or with harsh methods your dog will not learn well and it's doubtful that you will enjoy the training yourself.  Try training with a positive attitude and you will see a great difference.

 

Look for the fun in training your dog.  Try training with a positive attitude and enjoy spending time with your dog.  Your attitude is all important for your dog's success.  Your dog can't do it without you.