Sometimes we get so caught up trying to train our dogs, that we forget that we are training them 24 hrs per day anyway. There are all kinds of things that your dog finds rewarding besides food and toys. Not using those things to your advantage is a missed opportunity. Next time your dog nudges you to pet it, ask it to sit or lie down first. If it doesn't, simply ignore it or walk away. If it wants to go outside, ask for another sit or down, when it complies, let it out. If it wants to play with it's friends at the off leash park, wait till it offers attention, and then perhaps ask for a bit of off leash heel work before taking off lead and telling it to "go play".  Instead of mindlessly throwing a ball for your dog, ask it to do things before each throw. You will find your dog's responses speeding up considerably once it learns that the faster it offers the behavior asked for, the faster it gets to chase the ball. The first few times you try this with your dog, you might be surprised at how long it takes your dog to offer correct responses, especially if it has been used to getting everything for free. Once it catches onto the game though, it should be more than willing to offer behavior quickly and with enthusiasm. The added bonus is that your dog will start to realize that there is always the possibility for reinforcement which means that you may find that you wind up with a more attentive dog in general. the other nice thing is that "correcting" your dog can be as simple as removing or withholding whatever it is your dog wants. This is both powerful and much better in the long run for the relationship you share with your dog. |
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