 I firmly believe the training and behavior modification experience should fun and enjoyable for everyone involved - especially the pet! Regardless of what style of training you use, it is best to research and understand what you are doing and how it works. Talk to a qualified professional who has experience as well as the ability to explain all details and nuances of different training philosophies. Remember, make sure the techniques you employ are effective for getting the job done, are humane experiences for the dog, and that you have a clear understanding of what you are doing and what outcomes you can expect.
And don’t forget to have fun! Pay attention to your pet. If your pet appears stressed, afraid, or aggressive - stop doing what you are doing, even if a trainer advises you otherwise. Pets are not capable of learning when in a highly emotional state and a qualified professional will know this.
Trust your gut. If you are instructed to do something to your pet, or if you see something being done to your pet that makes you feel uneasy, there is a good chance that your gut feeling is right. No form of training should cause emotional or physical pain, trauma, or distress to any pet - regardless of the degree of the behavior you are working on.
Everything on TV is not necessarily great. Some TV dog shows focus on pack dynamics, dominance, and pack leadership. This concept is based on historic studies of wolf pack dynamics showed frequent fights among wolves aggressively vying for leadership or control.1 Unfortunately, these studies examined human-made, captive groups of wolves that were forced to coexist, thus resulting in pack dynamics that were not natural.1 In the past 30 years, such beliefs have been refuted by observations of natural, wild wolf packs in which dominance challenges to the leader are rare and pack dynamics appear quite consistent and stable.1 Researchers found that wolf-pack leaders typically maintain their positions without ever having to resort to aggression.1 Further, there is little data that suggests wolf-type dominance hierarchies even exist among domestic dogs. In fact, it appears that some dog groups have no hierarchies at all!1
Be a strong leader, but be kind. There’s no need to do it through force, aggression, or bullying. Predictable routines, consistent rules and limitations, and clear expectations are the best way to effectively and humanely achieve your training goals.
Reward dogs with pleasant things whenever they do something you like. this encourages them to keep doing those things in the future. Rewards can include verbal praise, physical touch, play or toys, food rewards, or anything your dog likes.
When correcting undesirable behavior, use only punishers that do not cause pain or fear. Also, the cessation of the undesirable behavior should be immediately rewarded.
Animals live in the present. A pet’s cognitive abilities are not capable of complex plots of revenge or frustration over something that happened weeks ago. In fact, if you scold your pet for something he did more than a few moments ago, he will not connect the two things. Instead, he will associate your anger with what is happening while he is being scolded. For example, if you punish your dog for an accident she made an hour ago, the dog has no idea you are mad about the accident; in fact, she has long since forgotten it.
Then why does she look guilty? Guilt is a very complex emotion that involves recognition of and remorse for one’s own mistake. What you are actually seeing is likely a pet that is fearful in anticipation of your anger and punishment. In the case of the puddle on the floor, your dog may know you get mad when there is a puddle on the floor, but she does not know you are mad because she put the puddle there. If someone else put the puddle on the floor, chances are your dog would act just as guilty. Or she may not be relating your anger to the puddle at all; she may just find you randomly angry. If pets’ cognitive abilities were complex enough to demonstrate true guilt, one could also assume that pets would be smart enough to not have accidents in the first place! So why are they still having accidents? The answer is: because they do not know better, and they need to be taught in a way that makes sense to them.
Effective, humane training. Pets are more trusting, productive and happy in environments where they are clearly shown what to do, and are properly trained and then rewarded for the correct behavior. In some cases, the problem may be a communication issue. If your pet previously lived in another home, your dog may simply respond to different words, schedules or signals than the ones you use. Patience and some training can usually help you correct the problem.
Rewarding good behavior, rather than punishing bad behavior, is a much more effective, lasting method of training your pet. For example, by giving a dog a treat after he sits, the dog is more likely to sit again in the future. This type of training, known as “positive reinforcement,” is often used with a secondary method known as “negative punishment,” which occurs when something enjoyable is removed in order to prevent undesirable behaviors from occurring again. For example, by removing your attention from a dog that is jumping, the dog is less likely to jump on you in the future. The combination of positive reinforcement and negative punishment, supplemented with very minimal punishment, is considered by many to be the most effective and humane way to train a pet.
Ready, Set, Train!
 Determine what your pet is doing wrong, and try to identify why he is doing it. Chances are, your pet is performing a perfectly normal behavior -- like urinating, barking or chewing -- but in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Step 2 Identify what you could do to prevent the behavior from occurring in the first place. Can you relocate the item being chewed? Would spaying or neutering help? Could your pet be sick? Does your pet need more attention or exercise?
Step 3 Encourage the correct behavior. This can often be done by providing the pet with an appropriate outlet for the behavior he is exhibiting, such as a scratching post or chew toy. Or encourage an alternate behavior, such as sitting instead of jumping. When your pet performs the desirable behavior, be sure to immediately reward him with praise, petting and/or food treats.
Step 4 If all else fails, seek professional help. Sometimes -- with a little guidance from a book, your veterinarian, a local animal shelter or humane organization, or a professional trainer -- your pet’s problem can be resolved much easier than if you tackle it on your own.
Suggested Resources: Association of Pet Dog Trainers International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants American College of Veterinary Behaviorists American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
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