Jaad Golden Retrievers

How Dogs Learn

Why should we care about how they learn?  If you understand how to communicate with dogs, it gives you the ability to teach your dog how to fit harmoniously into your life.

• Sit, rather than jump on people

• Leave it, rather than eat the food that just dropped on the floor

• Walk on a loose leash, rather than pulling you down the street

It will also give you the ability to teach your dog to like or even love things that might otherwise be scary to them.

• The vacuum cleaner

• Having a bath

• Getting their nails done

Dogs do not speak English, or any verbal language we have.  So we have to teach them in a way that they will understand. Dogs learn in two ways.

1. By the immediate consequence of their actions, called Operant Conditioning

2. By associations, called Classical Conditioning.

 

​We love clicker training.  Marker or Clicker Training gets amazingly quick results.  Here are some links to get you started.

https://www.clickertraining.com/get-started

https://www.clickertraining.com/15tips

http://www.clickertraining.com/library

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Other good resources for training:

https://positively.com/

https://drsophiayin.com/resources/dog_behavior/

https://susangarrettdogagility.com/

https://dogsthat.com/

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Dog Body Language and How They Communicate

Learn about how dogs communicate with each other and us - canine body language is very important!

• http://en.turid-rugaas.no/calming-signals---the-art-of-survival.html

• Watch this video on Dog Body Language: Understanding Dog Body Language - Learn how to read dogs behavior better

FDSA Free Puppy Book

https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/images/fdsa/Growing-Up-FDSA-eBook.pdf

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Articles to Read

Why Cigarettes are More Addicting than Heroin and How It Applies to Dog Training:

https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/dog-training-tip-why-cigarettes-are-more-addicting-than-heroin-and-how-it-a/

 

Why “Choice” is the Critical Key to a Great Dog

https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2018/06/why-choice-is-the-critical-key-to-a-great-dog/

Its yer choice (IYC) - the long version of IYC with the red cattle dog mix. http://dogsthatlisten.com/tim/

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Mouthing, Nipping and Biting in Puppies:

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/mouthing-nipping-and-biting-puppies​

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