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Energy and Training: The Magic Ingredient

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To all my Banffy Haus German Shepherds clients:

Don’t you remember the teacher school that kept you riveted to the discussion, and had such passion for the subject that it rubbed off on you?   I remember one of my teachers in 1st grade who every year taught us about Japan.  She made this exotic culture so interesting that I have gone on to study Japanese, have been there a number of times, and taught my son and daughter to enjoy sushi from a young age.  Do you also remember the teacher that was so boring everyone fell asleep in class?

Dogs sense energy.  If you are tentative, they know.  If there is any fear they know.  What you feel goes right down the leash into your dog and affects his attitude to the training.  The best trainer knows how to spark interest in their canine students.  One thing I know for certain is that energetic tones, and exciting quick movements, enthusiastic rewards, and stopping while they are still interested in continuing, are key to keeping the training interesting.  And if you dog is engaged, not only are they easier to train, but they look so much crisper and respond so much more immediately.

Here are a couple of helpful hints:

  1. So, it is best not to train your dog when you are not going to be enthusiastic about training.
  2. Keep your posture tall and confident
  3. Keep the pace brisk- quick movements.
  4. Use enthusiastic tones
  5. Reward often
  6. Reward unexpectedly and with high energy approval
  7. Keep the routines shorter
  8. Switch disciplines often
  9. Only do long and complete routines on the day of a trial or competition
  10. Correct quickly and completely.   If you do this, then they will start to correct themselves, because they expect you too and don’t want to be corrected.

And enjoy training.  Training times are some of the best bonding experiences for you and your dog.  You learn to respect their desire to serve you and they learn to respect your authority.  This way you get the best of both worlds!  And a trained pet is a happier pet.  It gives them a purpose that they need.

I hope these are helpful hints for understanding how to get the most out of training.  If you want to visit and K9 university.

The Automatic Dog Training

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Hello German Shepherd puppies lovers:

But now…on the automatic dog training technique.  This is a follow-up to the last article I wrote entitled “You are always training with your German shepherd”.  I know we would all like to know a way to ensure your puppy becomes all that it can be and become another legend in the family, your own Rin Tin Tin.

Well, here is the secret:  The environment.  Environment is one of the most important variables determining the success of a human child.  A nurturing, loving environment, one with encouragement and many avenues for learning and creativity improve the chances of a child’s success later in life.  While a broken and angry household, in which parents abandon children to their own devices, and let them learn and fend for themselves, normally contributes to a greater probability of truancy and delinquency.

Dogs are very routine animals.   I remember how at first when my parents drove me to military academy I resented it.  But the structure and routine was excellent for me and I flourished. There were loving, yet demanding, men and women who corrected me for mistakes but encouraged my successes.  Dogs, even more than humans, yearn for and thrive on order, routine and a firm social order.  They are just more confident and peaceful in such a structure.

So, of course you would want your dog to have every chance for success and to be a valued member of your pack.  But how do you do this.  I recommend you make an “K-9 Home Environmental plan” for Fritz.  Type it out.  Read it to the family and stick by it.  Don’t flinch and don’t move an inch.

It should include, for example, which rooms Fritz is allowed to come in, things he can and can’t play with, or lay on.  Be specific.  Do not ever let him have the same rights as the humans.  Yes, that means not on the couch.  That is reserved for you, with him loyally at your feet.  No, not in the kitchen during dinner.  That is your time.  Also, never let your huge, powerful, brilliant shepherd sleep in bed with you.  If you decide he is not to go upstairs, enforce it.  Choose potty areas and egress and ingress for your dog.  Give him his spot where he is to lay, rather than him choosing it.  Choose his eating place, which is best in a garage and not within the walls of the house.  Be specific and detailted.   Map this out, make a diagram, learn it, teach it to the family and, most of all, enforce it.

I will finish the discussion of the “K-9 Home Environmental plan” for your German shepherd puppy or dog in the next article.  I hope it has piqued your curiosity.

I hope these are helpful hints for understanding the behavior of your Banffy Haus German Shepherd puppies.  If you want to visit and K9 university.