Dog Obedience Training--Proven Dog Training Methods

More and more dog trainers these days advise using a crate to train your dog. For many people, using a crate is as essential as using a leash for basic dog training. Each year, thousands of pets are abandoned by their owners because they are unable to deal with the problems that come with having a pet. Crate training can help alleviate these problems.

What is a dog crate?

A dog crate is an enclosure to keep your dog in during the short periods of the day that you cannot keep an eye on him or for when you need to keep him away to clean up a mess or accident. Dog crates are also a very effective way to potty train your dog, since dogs don't like to soil their own spaces!

Dog crates come in many sizes, and can be made of wire, wood, or molded plastic. They work great when you need to safely transport your dog in a car or airplane. Training your dog to use a crate will make transport much easier and safer.

Is it cruel to crate my dog?

Many pet owners fear that keeping their dog in a crate is like using a cage, and associate crates with an extreme act of cruelty. The fact is, dogs are animals with a den instinct. They want a place to go to feel safe and secure, especially when they are feeling tired or sick.

To a dog, a crate is like his or her own little space or home. A crate may have toys and blankets, and offers a place to relax from the stresses of dog life. Do dogs really experience stress? Yes, dogs will get stressed out by a number of things, such as keeping a constant watch over the house, unfamiliar people in the house, or being punished for things they don't understand.

After your dog gets used to the crate, he will begin to go in on his own when he needs a rest.

The dos and don'ts of crating your dog

Always make sure the crate is big enough for your dog. He must be able to move around and stretch out. The crate should always be big enough for him to stand all the way up in. If he can't move around freely, then it definitely won't be a positive thing for him. He will feel confined or trapped.

Make sure your dog has blankets and toys to play with or chew on when he is in the crate. When training him to use the crate, it's a good idea to give your dog a treat when he goes in so he will form a positive association.

Absolutely never put your dog in the crate for more than 8 hours a day or night. They may enjoy the comforts of their "den," but dogs need to run and play. Long periods of confinement are not healthy for your dog.

Clicker training is a form of training dogs (and other animals) using a small box with a metal piece that makes a sharp "clicking" sound when pressed and released. This method has gained popularity in recent years because of its gentle way of training. The correct term for this type of training is Operant Conditioning.

What is Operant Conditioning? Operant Conditioning is a way of learning that implements the use of positive reinforcement for positive actions, and negative reinforcement for negative actions. Animals (including human beings) tend to repeat actions with a positive consequence, and cease actions with a negative consequence.

So how is a clicker used to train a dog? Clicker training is used to teach your dog a behavior by sounding the mechanical "clicker" to mark a command, with the combination of the verbal command. You only use the clicker during the training phase, and gradually bridge the clicking sound with the command word or phrase. Treats are an important part of this method as well.

Here is how you would train your dog to sit using the clicker method:

* At first, you won't use any words, just the clicker and treats.

* Stand your dog in front you. Have the clicker ready in one hand and the treat in the other.

* Bring the treat close to your dog's nose to grab his attention. Slowly arc the treat over his back toward his tail until he begins to sit.

* As soon as his butt hits the ground, click the clicker and give him the treat.

* Keep doing this until your dog starts to make a connection between the sound of the clicker and the command to sit. Don't say the word "sit" until the connection is firmly established.

* Once he starts to understand, you can add the verbal cue at the same time you click. Eventually you won't have to use the clicker, and he'll listen to the verbal command alone.

Clicker training is effective because it is a faster and more direct way to communicate a command to your dog. It's an immediate response to the action; when the dog sits, a click is immediately sounded.

Anyone who has ever owned a dog knows that they can have very short attention spans. When an action is quickly associated with something consistent, like a clicking sound, it will stick in a dog's head much more easily.

This method is gaining in popularity. More and more trainers advocate its use, as it is a very gentle method of training. As with any good training regimen, you will never resort to cruelty or harshness to train your dog with the clicker method.