Dog Training - Family Style

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by Mike - Online Dog Coach

Please Mom! Can I keep him? I promise to take him out, feed him, give him water, you’ll never hear him bark! Please! Can I keep him? He’s not that big…

If we’ve seen it once, we’ve seen it a hundred times. Boy finds dog; boy wants to keep dog, boy convinces family that no one will ever have to lift a finger to take care of the dog. Unfortunately for Timmy, this Hollywood approach to dog ownership could mean trouble for your dog, and your family.

Training and caring for the family pet must be a family affair because of the role consistency plays in providing the best dog training possible. By himself, Timmy will probably use the same gesture and command word every time he wants Yeller to sit or come. But what happens when Timmy isn’t home? Instead of a firm “Leave It!” to get Yeller out of the trash, Mom might command, “Get outta there!” Yeller will not recognize that both of these commands mean the same thing and this inconsistency will set his training back a few steps.

Any experienced and credible trainer will confirm how incredibly important consistency is to the training process but many families overlook the importance of working together to create this consistent and even predictable training environment. When your family is considering puppy training or even teaching dog tricks, try these dog training tips to maximize success.

• Before you begin training a behavior or trick, work together to pick a command word for that behavior.

• Decide on the hand and body movements you will use to prompt your dog and then have everyone in the family practice the gesture together. You can even practice in front of a mirror to get a dog’s eye point of view.

• Timing is a crucial element in successful dog training. Make sure each family member is rewarding promptly after a desired action or behavior.

• For behavior challenges, even the time of day can be important. If Timmy feeds Yeller at four o’clock in the evening and Mom doesn’t put out the supper dish until six, when is Yeller going to start begging for supper?

• Check in with each other over time and make sure you haven’t slowly changed your own habits.

You may even need to work as a team to adapt to a new situation. As our dog Kalee has slowly lost her hearing, different family members have discovered gestures and even certain high-pitched noises that get her attention and promote a positive response. A subtle tap on the head is a great replacement for the “Watch Me” command and a two-toned whistle works great for Leave It By sharing these new techniques quickly, Kalee has adapted to her new, quieter lifestyle and many people have no idea that she cannot hear our voice commands.

Also keep in mind that the larger your family, the more difficult it can be for your dog to find her place in the pack. When everyone uses the same dog training techniques the pack structure is also reinforced.

You can find help with rewards, timing, and choosing command words by reviewing other articles in our training section. With enough planning and practice your family can have that Hollywood ending to your training program!