Three Basics of Training
The Foundation we can teach as a basis for change
“Where do I start with training my dog?”
Well, I can give you three basics of training. And this is a short post this month, because it’s actually quite a simple message.
I learned some useful ideas from an ex-police dog trainer called David Ryan. That sentence might surprise you, because you might think the words ‘police dog’ and ‘force-free’ don’t mix. Often they don’t! But the best dog trainers – who don’t believe in aversive methods – come in many varieties. He maintained that to change a behaviour, we need to have three things in our toolkit first.
If you can master these three basics of training, you have an amazing foundation. By master, I mean your dog being able to do them with distractions present. And from this foundation, many other things flow. So let’s get right to it.
1. Your dog needs to pay attention to you when asked.
It’s a simple thing isn’t it. You might use your dog’s name, or a specific cue like “Look”. Everyone says “Of course my dog knows their name!” But I wouldn’t take this for granted. Maybe they do ‘know’ it. But are they able to look up at you when you say it, no matter what else is going on? Can you get their attention when there is another dog in front of them? Or if they are aroused and animated with another sight or smell? To lead your dog away from danger, from something that is stressing them, or from disturbing someone else, we first need their attention. 100% focus.
2. Your dog needs to be able to Sit when asked.
Why do so many puppy classes start with the Sit? There’s actually solid reasoning behind this. Yes, it’s one of the easier things to learn. But when your dog performs a Sit, they are focussing on you. It’s a calmer poise rather than standing and jumping. It’s easier to learn other things by staying in place if their bum is on the ground. And above all, it’s the simplest, most powerful interrupter of another behaviour. Because they are now focussing on you, and in a calmer poise.
3. Your dog needs to be able to relax on a bed when asked.
A den, bed, or special place – call it what you like – is second only to food and water when we consider welfare. Welfare: safety and well-being. It is so important that a dog can truly rest, knowing they won’t be disturbed, distracted or stressed. And because we are there for guidance, it is important for us to be able to guide them there by asking. Either for safety (away from an open front door), or to help them settle if they are over-aroused (stressed).
Motivations
And there you have it, the three basics of training. And then we can introduce the magic. Because if we train in the right, positive way, our dog will find each one rewarding. If something is rewarding, they will be motivated to volunteer it. And not just when asked. So we can embellish the three basics of training:
To focus on you when they want something or are unsure about something.
To choose to maintain their equilibrium (calm) in their own way.
To seek out their bed or space on their own to rest.
But for now, let’s master the three basics of training.
