Dog training is currently regarded as some sort of mysterious, elusive, and complex concept that requires professional intervention and outsourcing. This is blatantly false. It’s true that training challenging dogs or complex behaviors can take skill and finesse, but basic dog training is a skill that can be easily acquired. Any human can become a competent dog trainer if they learn the process and follow the instructions. Let’s dive in.
The mechanics of dog training are relatively straight forward, but the order in which you teach each step, is important. I break the training process into two parts, Part 1 and Part 2. Part one discovers the behavior and Part 2 secures the behavior through repetition and positive reinforcment
People typically start with Part 2 and become very confused and frustrated when the behavior falls apart. Typically, this is because the behavior was never properly installed in the first place. Avoid this frustration by following the 2 Part method.
Part 1. Discover the Behavior
Step 1: Find the desired behavior.
You can find the behavior one of two ways. You can wait for the behavior to naturally occur, or you can use a food lure to entice the dog into that behavior.
Example: Wait for dog to naturally sit or lure dog into sitting position with treat.
Step 2: Mark the desired behavior.
Timing is everything here- the exact moment the behavior occurs, mark the action with an auditory sound.
Example: The moment the dog's bum touches the floor, make the marker sound.
It’s not really important what you use as a marker, a clicker, verbal word, or sound is just fine, as long as you are precise and consistent. Consistency is key here, the marker sound has to be the exact same every single time, so the dog knows they’ve succeeded.
Think of a game show and the sound of a bell announcing the winner, DING DING DING!
It can take some practice to make your voice, tone, and intonation precise and consistent every single time, so this is why some people prefer to use clickers. I think it’s wise to work on a verbal marker because life happens and you’re not always going to have a clicker on you. However, if you are struggling, a clicker is a great starting point and you can always switch to a verbal marker later on.
Step 3: Reward the desired behavior.
Food rewards are the best option here. You may need to try different types of treats and find their favorite, but once you find the right treat, food rewards are very effective.
Example: After marking the behavior with marker sound, reward dog with a treat.
Repeat Part 1 until the dog the dog starts offering the behavior more quickly and consistently. For many dogs it only takes a few repetitions before they get the picture that offering a behavior will get them a tasty treat.
Some dogs are more food motivated than others, but every dog has something they deeply enjoy. If your puppy is not motivated by food, use a favorite toy or game as the reward. Much later in life when a behavior is solid and well-rehearsed, you may be able to get away with only verbal praise as a reward, but that’s not appropriate when first training a behavior.
Part 2. Secure the Behavior
Step 1: Cue the desired behavior.
You can use a verbal cue or a hand signal or both. Give the cue and wait for the dog to give the behavior. Be patient and silent. Don’t repeat the cue until the dog has had at least 10 seconds to process. They’re quick but they are live beings not computers. If you keep repeating a cue before it has meaning for the dog, they will eventually just tune out the cue because they haven’t connected the dots yet or! Your cue for “sit” will become “Sit. Sit, Sit SIT!!"
Step 2: Mark the behavior. Timing is everything so be quick and precise using your marker sound.
Step 3: Reward the behavior. After marking the behavior with the marker sound, reward with treat.
When training any type of cue, I think it’s helpful to work backwards and begin by determining precisely what it is you want the dog to do. When I say precise, I mean down to the second. Your dog has no way of knowing that when you said “sit”, you really meant “sit calmly with all four paws on the floor for 4 consecutive seconds”. Sitting for four consecutive seconds for a bouncy puppy can be a big ask, so you may need to build up to this. A core concept of dog training is to start small, and work your way up to more complex and challenging behaviors.
Now that you understand the mechanics of dog training, you and your dog can start learning together. Remember to be patient and stay consistent! Learning takes time and a well behaved pup is worth theinvestment.
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