With so many different approaches to dog training, if you are considering having your canine trained by a professional, there would be definite things to consider. In many cases, professional dog training is the ideal solution whether for obedience, show, field trials, search and rescue, assistance, therapy, or protection.
Of course, you would need to locate the right professional based on the type of training interested in but understanding professional dog training concepts and philosophies would make this a much easier process.
How old should a dog be to go through training?
Most experts agree the sooner the better. In fact, many of the country’s top breeders provide some level of training when a puppy is just six weeks of age. However, if you purchased a puppy and you want him to start professional dog training classes, most have classes that start as young as 10 weeks.
Keep in mind, if your dog is out of the puppy stage, he can still go through training it is just that puppies are easier to mold. Interestingly, the average age 10 years ago was six months but at that time, training methods were much harsher and more physically demanding. Unfortunately, some puppies actually died from training but thanks to gentler training techniques that use positive reinforcement, the age of training as dropped significantly.
Is crate training necessary?
The number one method for housebreaking a puppy is with crate training. For one thing, the kennel provides the puppy with a safe environment so he is more likely to learn while still having him in a controlled area so accidents do not happen within the home.
Along with potty training, using a crate is also a safe and effective tool for undoing bad behavior. Remember, the kennel should never be used as a place of punishment or to keep the dog for long periods. If this were to happen, the puppy would fear the crate, which would be detrimental to training.
Should prong or choke collars be used?
Today, most experts that offer professional dog training do not use collars of this type. The reason is that by design, the collars are used for compulsive training, meaning the dog would follow commands but only on how much force you choose to provide.
The most effective training method is again, positive reinforcement. A number of leashes and collars have been developed in coordination with this newer approach for better responses. A common misconception is that force and control are key training tools but in truth, training a dog is about building trust so he wants to obey commands.
Are there tips for getting my puppy to stop biting?
There are a number of methods that work great to stop puppies from biting. Now, all puppies bite because they are teething and using this as a means of discover but those small teeth are sharp and even little nips hurt.
Two excellent options include providing the puppy with chew toys as a way of distracting him from biting but if this does not work, one drop of lemon juice placed in the mouth coupled with the words “no biting” would do wonders. This juice does not harm the puppy in any way but the bitter taste helps him associate biting with something bad.
What is the average time to train a dog?
The answer depends on a number of factors. For instance, with professional dog training you would likely see results faster than training at home because classes are extremely focused. The age of the dog, the breed of dog, and even the gender of dog would also be contributing factors.
Of course, the type of training would be a big deal with obedience training taking less time than guard dog training. Even the bond created between you and your dog would have an impact on the length of time it takes to complete training. However, if you chose professional dog training for obedience, you could expect to see your dog responding to commands in about six to eight weeks.
Why is growling considered good?
Many top trainers agree that your dog’s growl is a good thing. Most often, growling is immediately connected to aggression with people thinking their dog is going to become mean. In truth, growling is simply the dog’s warning sign. Therefore, learning to understand your dog’s growling would prevent problems of biting.
Some dogs have limits as to how much rough play, tugging, or pulling wanted so understanding when the dog growls he is just telling people to back off is good. For this reason, it would not be recommended to teach a dog not to growl by using professional dog training.
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