With all that is known about learning and behavior these days, it is no surprise that many of the old methods of dog training are falling by the way-side.

 

With the likes of Cesar Milan and Karen Pryor becoming household names and documentaries on behavior and pyschology airing weekly, information about dog training and operant conditioning is readily available to any who choose to look for it.

 

Some of the concepts that anyone new to owning a dog should investigate include NILIF(Nothing In Life Is Free), pack dynamics, clicker training and basic puppy obedience.

 

Understanding that your young pup cannot physically control his bladder for more than an hour and a half may help you as you navigate through the messy and frustrating days of housetraining. SImilarly, finding out what motivates your Maltese or mongrel will be of great value when you are introducing training commands.

 

Depending on what you expect of your pooch you might train it in the basics of being a good citizen, outside to go potty, sit, stay, heel and be happy that you have a biddable pet.

 

Or you may look on training your dog as one of the pleasures of the time you have together. Learning new things together may be one of the ways you bond and whatever the old adage says - it is not true - you can teach old dogs new tricks.

 

The variety of methods and tools used in dog training are the subjects of massive debate and there is no rule that says you must stick to one method of training. Indeed there are many areas of cross-over amongst all the methods below.

 

What is true is that there is no one-size fits all in dog training. Dogs, like their humans are individuals with their own personalities. What to one dog with a soft temperament may be too harsh a correction (even if this is only a loud NO!) might be barely noticed by a thicker skinned individual.

 

Certainly any method of training in which the dog learns to obey out of fear rather than out of respect and a desire to please his owner is too be avoided at all costs. There is nothing more heartbreaking to a dog lover than to see a dog flinch from the hand of its own master.

 

The training articles on this website all focus on positve dog training.