If you have already made a life-changing decision to get a pup and now you are searching for more information on how to train the dog, this article is for you.
Positive and negative reinforcements
Forst of all, let us start with the basics. If you know nothing about behaviorism, you need to keep in mind that if you repeat the same pleasant thing after your dog does something you want it to, it will know that those actions are desirable and that it can get something nice in case of repetition. For example, if your dog loves some certain snacks, you can give them as a treat each time it goes potty outside. That will be a positive reinforcement.
A negative reinforcement, on the contrary, is when your dog misbehaves and you repetitively do something it does now like. For example, each time it starts chewing your stuff, you say no, but it continues to chew, you can lock the dog in a small room for 15 minutes. As you see, negative reinforcement is not about beating your dog, which a lot of people think. Even if you have a reactive dog, there are plenty of ways to teach it. Keep in mind that getting physical with your pet will not result in good and trustworthy relationships as the dog may simply be afraid of you and live in stress its whole life.
Staying consequent
With all the above said, it is highly important to stay consistent with your actions. If you have a puppy, it learns from its experience. Therefore, if the first time it broke a cup you were unhappy, the second time you did not care, and the third time you yelled, nearly got physical, and then gave your dog a snack (which is obviously because you felt guilty for yelling, but let’s keep in mind that giving your pet a snack is a positive reinforcement scenario), your puppy will be super lost and unhappy. Pets like to have strict rules so that it is easy for them to live with you and know exactly what to expect. However, if you keep switching your own behavior and reactions to the same actions, it can get extremely confusing for a dog. It means that you need to stay mindful of your dog and react in the same way to its deeds. Say that your dog is a good boy and pat it when it brings you slippers even if you are unhappy or tired. Show that it is unacceptable to bark at a guest even if both of you are chilled. You get the idea.
To sum up, training your dog is a great journey that both of you will take. There will be a lot of fun stories and breathtaking moments, but there will also be days or hours when you will need to be strict and unbending. In any case, it is extremely important to do everything with love and a good heart, and your dog will definitely feel that you care and will reply back with the same kindness and devotion.
