Blog Post

How Dogs Learn

  • By Trina Eddy
  • 11 Apr, 2013
Dogs learn the same as any other animal, including us humans. What they are capable of learning is quite different. They don’t understand abstract concepts. They learn through experiences not explanations. Dog will do whatever gets them what they want or need. This is referred to as motivation.


Tail wag: If a positive motivation has occurred their tails have a very clear way of letting us know they are happy (by wagging their tail). A tail tucked between the legs is a sign of worry and stress. Their tails are usually a clear sign of how they are feeling.

Motivations:

Positive:
Things that are needed to survive
Things that physically feel good

Dogs can vary on what motivates them. You must find what motivates your dog the most.

Treats – Don’t use your dog’s regular dog food for a treat to work for. Experiment until you find what really excited him/her.

Toys – Not just finding a toy that your dog likes, but study how your dog likes to play with it. Some dogs love retrieving, some love a little tugging, some just love the chasing.

Petting – Most dog like some type of physical contact as part of their reward, but most prefer an additional motivation. A few really just want some good hugging and petting.

Happy verbal praise – All dogs should always get truly honest happy praise with every job completed.

Negative:
Things that hurt
Things that are scary
Things that go against normal pack behavior – isolation – unclear messages

They mimic the way their owner/handler is feeling. If the owner is truly their leader, they will learn from what the leader is communicating.

If the leader is afraid, excited, happy, or stressed the dog will notice and may assume the same action.
If you are working with a dog and not enjoying it chances are your dog will not be enjoying it either.
If you are afraid, your dog will likely be afraid also.
If you’re afraid of the dog the dog will sense the fear and in dog logic be afraid of you. When a dog is afraid, it will feel the need to protect itself therefore; growling, baring teeth or biting may occur.

Dogs learn from their leaders for their survival.

If the dog is the leader: If the dog is the leader, it is the trainer, protector, example, and disciplinarian. In order to be a good leader, it must think clearly, be confident, controlling, commanding, and fair. Owners put many dogs that are unprepared, insecure, or overly reactive into the leadership role unknowingly. This will in turn create a serious and potentially dangerous problem.

Owners unintentionally place their dogs in the leadership roll with improper play, by where they are allowed to sleep, by how they are fed, and who takes control of the possessions.
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Acanine uses positive reinforcement training methods.
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In conclusion, if you're looking for a reliable and experienced dog trainer in Everett, WA, then Acanine is your top choice. Their personalized approach to dog training and their use of positive reinforcement training methods ensure that your dog receives the best training possible. With Acanine's help, you can overcome your dog's behavioral issues and help them become a well-behaved member of your family.
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