Methods
Modern Dog Education
It does not exist only one method to educate dogs (although some dogtrainers still claim it). A lot of ways lead to Rome, and the dogtrainer always has to select the method that fits to each canine-human team. Therefore, I use up to date canine educational methods, based on current knowledge about how dogs learn and how they communicate, about their progenitor the wolf as well as about hierarchy and dog behaviour, and, finally on my experience as a dog educator and a canine psychologist.
Individual solutions
Every dog is an individual, every human is an individual, every single breed has diverse needs and "aptitudes", every canine-human team and its way of life is different.
Therefore, I look for individual solutions for each problem or educational aim.
Setting Limits
Based on my experience, today I focus education in a different way. Education consists mainly of three important things, one could call as following:
- Socialization (getting used to the environment),
- "Formation" (building up respect by following rules, that is, learning what means NO!),
- Training (teaching of "tricks" like SIT, making a roll, agility, retrieving etc.). The motto is: As positive as possible, as negative as necessary.
Socialization must happen first, when the dog is still a puppy. But at the same time formation has to begin. The owner sets up the rules for the living together, so the dog learns what is allowed and what is forbidden. The owner controles the keeping of the rules, what makes the dog understand that his owner will not let manipulate him, on the contrary, that only will happen what his owner wants. Be consistant in every situation when you want to push through a command!
For example: I send my dog to his bed. Every time he stands up, I bring him back to his bed, until he accepts to stay there, waiting for my permission to stand up again.
In this way the dog learns to respect his owner, who, at the same time, shows leading qualities. The dog understands, where his own place is in the hierarchy. Besides, a clearly structured living together transmits security.
To teach a dog the meaning of NO (without repeating it 20 times and being ignored 20 times), one has to condition an interrupting signal with which you can interrupt every undesirable behaviour, such as chasing, moving too far away from the owner, reacting aggressive towards other dogs, or, eating a cat poo.
The behaviour of the mother dog or other adult dogs towards a puppy or a young dog is an example to us.
At last the training, that is all type of commands and behaviour I teach the dog. One can combine training and formation, e.g. SIT before feeding.
Positive reinforcement
The training or the reinforcement of desired behaviour happens with the help of food reward, petting, games, a toy, every kind of attention. Finally with everything the dog likes and the dog is motivated by. That can change from situation to situation.
And this is the most important difference to the traditional education:
Dogs trained with positive reinforcement like to obey because they know that thus they can gain something attractive and pleasant. They have fun learning and they are motivated. The learning situation is stressless. Between dog and owner exists a trustful bond. Educational aids are, amongst others, Halti and drag leash, Clicker.
Owner cooperation
The owner is involved in the training from the very beginning. Without him it does not work. He is the only one who lives together with the dog. He must know how to deal with him.
I explain the owner his dog's behaviour, show reasons and solutions, and we practice together. He learns subtle methods, which are useful to (re)create the hierarchy between him and his dog. I demonstrate how to teach the dog the basic commands (or tricks). His present behaviour with the dog is rectified, if necessary. He must understand that his dog's behaviour only will change when he changes his handling of the dog. He will be informed about why dogs should be educated at all, how to set limits to the dog and how to correct undesirable behaviour in the appropriate way, how dogs learn and communicate, how to reinforce desirable behaviour, how to create a bond with the dog, how to keep dogs busy in reasonable ways.
Owners have to rethink and above all cooperate: I do not educate their dogs for them, but I give them the necessary know-how, so that they can educate their dogs in the way which is appropriate to the species and that so both, owners and dogs, have fun (again) living together. Of course, each client receives the most important information also in written form.
Supporting therapies
I deal with some behaviour problems using (as a support) Bach flowers, homeopathy, naturopathic methods and/or a special massage technique (Tellington Touch).
Home Visits - Individual Classes - Group Classes
Often behaviour problems are self-made, that is, they have their origin at home, and that is why home visits are necessary. But also in case of a standard education course, I visit you at home, if you want. The training begins in the house/garden (without distraction) and is gradually shifted outside in the usual environment. The distraction is thus increased. The training takes place in the city or in the forest, depending on the education objectives (e.g. crossing with other dogs on the leash, anti-chasing-training).
Optimum is an individual training combined with group classes, where one can consolidate the basis. Only with distraction you can see, how good the dog really obeys. Besides, groups are a good possibility for controlled meetings among dogs.
|
