TRAINING

Puppies learn by watching, but their instincts guide how readily they will learn certain basic requirements. A dog bred to guard the home will be less likely to run off following a scent than a bird dog bred to hunt game. On the other hand, a guarding breed will need direction concerning who is “acceptable” and who is not, whereas a retriever will befriend everyone. Knowledge of what a dog was bred to do is useful when trying to train it to be an acceptable companion.

There are many theories about how to train a dog to be a happy and willing companion, but certain principles apply to all methods. The dog must understand what is expected. It has to be praised for doing well. Punishment for an infraction should be immediate and appropriate to the act. The dog must be able to associate the punishment with the crime. Consistency and kindness bring the best results in training. Most dogs will accept domination readily, but there are some, usually males, who will challenge that authority. This is dangerous behaviour and must be stopped at an early age. Good training must be sensible, and commands should be enforceable.