Praise Motivation and Correction

   Three things are needed to be successful when working with your dog. Regardless of what you are trying to achieve, your training needs to include 1.  Motivation, 2.  Praise, and 3. Correction; and the dog needs to understand the command. Lets say we are teaching the dog to sit. Your dog already knows how to sit, but he doesnt know what its called and we need him to do it when we give him the command . We will start out with a calm soft voice saying "Sit" , We will say we are training the traditional way with a training collar and leash. When the dog does not sit, you give a gentle leash correction in an upward direction and may need to gently push down on the dogs rear end. As you give the leash correction you will tell the dog "No". The leash correction and the word "No" should be used simultaneously. Remember we are TEACHING the dog, and there is no reason to use a gruff voice. Use a gentle voice. When the dog is in the sit position you will then praise, also using a calm voice. Do not over praise, for some dogs can get too excited and come up out of the sit. As you praise, let the dog know that what he has done is a good thing, tell him "Good Sit" emphasizing the work sit, saying it soft and drawn out. When the dog comes up out of the sit without permission stay calm. You simply give another leash correction and as you do so tell him "No" then "Sit" as you put him back in the sit position. Here is how the Praise, Motivation, and Correction apply:  You may use a treat for a motivator, then your praise to let him know he followed the command properly. Then, if he breaks the command, you then need correction to give him guidance back to the proper behavior.
Hope this helps, as its easier to show you than tell you how to do it. Remember all dogs are different and may have different levels of energy, shyness or other behaviors. If you have problems seek out professional trainers who can help you make your dog a bigger part of your life! Obedience should be a way of life and a commitment by the owner is needed for success. You must train in order to see results! Look forward to hearing from you and stop by my websit at http://www.shannondogtraining.com/ . It will be up and running again in a few days! I have found I am a better dog trainer than a computer programmer!

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Training Your Dog to Sit

One of the most basic training tools to teach your dog is training him or her to sit. Fortunately, it is also one of the easier tricks to teach. Even a pup could pick this trick up rather easily. If your dog is a quick learner they may pick it up in a matter of minutes. In dog training learning to sit is one of the most important tools you can use.


When starting off you want to find a nice quiet spot, away from things that may distract your dog and take their attention elsewhere. Your dog should be focused on you and your commands. Be sure your dog does not have to relieve himself or need to be fed, this could also cause distractions. Nobody wants to learn something if they’re hungry and have to use the bathroom, right?


After you are sure you have your dogs full attention a small treat or some sort of praise is in order. All dogs love to be praised and dog training in this fashion could make things very easy. Just remember to be consistent when rewarding your dog. Inconsistencies could cause confusion and make the process harder than it need to be.


If you are using a treat as a reward, hold the treat over your dogs nose. When their attention is on the treat slowly move it above their head. Your dog will follow the treat with it’s eyes and nose and will most likely sit down by himself. Repeat this motion a few times while saying “Sit” and reward him every time he gets it right.


After your dog learns how to sit we want to phase out the treat little by little so he does it just by recognizing the command. Eventually your dog will hear the command and know exactly how to react. If you decide to give your dog a treat or snack just cause you love’em and they’re giving you that puppy dog look, be sure to use the sit command. This will help reinforce the training.


You may want to break this training up into small sessions. If you feel you or the dog is getting frustrated or the attention just is not there. Take a break and try again in a few hours. Also it’s a good idea to try using different parts of the house as well as outside. Get your dog used to sitting in different situations and different environments, around people, around other dogs. If your dog could do this you have successfully trained him to sit. Hope this has been helpful. Good Luck!

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