Dog Training, Essay Example

How would you go about teaching your new dog how to SIT? Please talk about primary and secondary reinforces

The training of puppies is a process that requires considerable time and the trainer’s commitment in order to realize the intended goal. One area of puppy training regards sitting. This article serves to detail on both primary and secondary strategies employed to achieve this goal.

Among the many methods used to train a puppy to sit, include the one described by Ian Dunbar DVM in “Sirius puppy training,” This appears to be the most striking. Here, the use of small pieces of dog food or other tasty treats effectively work to realize the primary reinforcement strategy. The trainer should hold a small piece of treat close to the puppy’s nose to make the dog sit. The dog will obviously move its head towards it in response to the smell. The trainer should then move slowly to the hand holding the treat back and slightly close to the top of the dogs head. As the dog stretches its neck to reach the treat, the trainer continues moving the food towards its rump. At this point, the trainer repetitively commands the dog to sit. Most dogs will drop to a sitting posture to reach the food. The dog is immediately rewarded the treat immediately it drops into the sitting position.

Following this, the trainer exercises secondary reinforcement, which varies, from acting excitedly and lavishly to praising the dog. For instance, one can utter gracious words like “good puppy.” The trainer now takes the dog through short and continuous training sessions until the dog sits automatically when commanded. Once the dog gets used to this exercise, every member of the family, children inclusive, should also learn to make him sit. In the same line, it will be crucial for them to make him sit before receiving anything.

Maturation issues

A puppy begins by shaping his family ranking and submits to members of the family with higher- ranking in its early stages of life. At this stage, the dog has no many problems until he achieves social maturity at the age of between 12-36 months. The dog now grows stronger and confident, and his attitude towards family members takes a new turn. A dog that was once mild-mannered dog now starts to pose a challenge to higher-ranking members of his pack.

It is necessary for the trainer to learn that this stage will require him to keep assuring the dog of its proper position in his human pack. This demands that the trainer make him earn everything he receives, the moment he joins the family. In this case, the trainer makes the dog sit to earn rewards, privileges, or anything such as petting, food, or play. This is important, as it will help the dog know that nothing in life is free and thus should be earned.

How you would use classical and operant conditioning to train your dog.

Classical conditioning is an involuntary or automatic response to stimuli. This form of conditioning also called pavlovian or respondent conditioning occurs when animals learn to associate things. A dog can learn associating certain behaviors with some notable rewards or, sometimes punishment. For example, if she goes “potty” outside, a treat like beating follow closely behind. On the other hand, associating the phrase “do you want to go for a walk” with getting excited.

Operant conditioning on the other side is a group of principles describing the way animals learn to survive through consequences, or reinforcement. These principles are realized when animal’s behavior are affected by consequences that follow them. For instance, commanding your dog to “lie down” and give him a treat on responding appropriately, he will more likely respond in the same manner in the future. On the other hand, if the trainer tells the dog to “sit” and then strikes him when he does so, he will be not readily “sit” the next time the same has to be repeated. All these responses achieved through operant conditioning find their basis on four possible consequences. First, it is the positive reinforcement, which is a consequence that occurs when the dog is rewarded for acceptable behavior. The main aim of this reinforcement is to increase the chances of the behavior to happen again. Secondly, the negative reinforcement, which is a process, involving the withdrawal of a bad consequence on performing an expected action. The third consequence is positive punishment. This involves the addition of unpleasant consequence when the response is contrary. For example, when a dog is told to “sit” and instead it lies down, one can jerk him to his feet with the leash. These consequences serve the purpose of decreasing the probability of the same response happening gain. Lastly but not least, negative punishment that involves the removal of a good consequence after a certain action taken.

In conclusion, dog training is a gradual but continuous process. For this reason, the trainer is required to be patient and consistent in carrying out the training lessons until the desired result realization.