I’ve read training articles and general interest stories about dogs, which imply there isn’t much going on in our dog’s brains. I beg to differ. I think that they’re thinking and feeling quite a lot, and learning all the time, especially when they’re young.
Dogs Learn From Experience
Dogs learn from observation, and experience. In the natural world there aren’t any doggie schools, wolves and street dogs learn by watching each other, testing situations and gauging responses. To learn something useful, they experiment, and process the results, positive or negative.
Incidentally this why Time out works so well as a training tool, it gives your dog the opportunity process what just happened.
Dog Families
Dogs live with us instead of their natural canine families, So they watch and learning from us! In the natural world, dogs interact with and have learning experiences all day long, in our world our dogs are sequestered in a house, and only get input when we’re around. You’re the whole world to your dog. You’re the mommy, daddy, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles. What ever they’re going to learn, they’ll get from you, because you’re their primary, and sometimes only, being with which they’re allowed to interact and observe.
Accidental DogTraining
Our dogs are glued to us like we’re the new HD TV. We don’t realize but they are monitoring our reactions and responses, they’re keeping one eye or ear trained on us constantly. And they’re making connections and assumptions all the time. They take in an amazing amount of information and process it the doggy way. Yes folks, Big Brother is watching YOU, except in this case he’s a little fluff ball with a big grin and a wagging tail.
Dog Training, Torture or Treat?
It’s not uncommon, for a student to ask me if training will ruin their dog’s spirit. No, it won’t ruin their spirit, it will ruin their bad behavior and strengthen your relationship, because training is the interaction that dogs CRAVE. Their lives are about interaction, they’re social and pack animals with strong family ties. Training isn’t torture and your puppy won’t be emotionally stunted because training gives them attention and feedback they desperately want.
Dog Connections
Your puppy is observing you all the time whether you’re aware of it or not, and your puppy is learning every moment that his eyes are open. How do you suppose that he quickly learns the sound of the car keys means your leaving the house? It’s because he’s been connecting the dots and learning what things mean without your realizing it. He learned that the sound of the keys predicts your leaving the house by observing what happens and making connections.
Because they’re always drawing connections, you shouldn’t limit your training opportunities to certain places or certain times. Your puppy is always watching and learning from everything you do, take advantage of every opportunity.
Aid Your Dogs Learning Process
Your puppy is constantly looking to you for direction, so you can very quickly have a responsive and obedient dog. Ask for a sit, or down, or handshake with every treat. Insist the puppy waits while you go out the door first. Every time the puppy nips you, bump his nose. Every time he potty’s outdoors you give him praise and/or a treat.
Training is happening every minute that your dog is awake. Choose to take part, interact with him and show him how the people world works. You’ll both be glad that you did.
Links to Puppy Class 101 Articles:
- Welcome to Puppy Class
- Puppy Brain
- Vision The Dog Language
- Easy as 1, 2, 3
- Who’s the Big Dog?
- Doggie Sheriff
- Doggie Math 1+1=1
- Time Out For Puppies
[...] reading Puppy Brain Doggie math Watching your every moveSHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “Puppy Class Homework week 1″, url: [...]