Obedience training
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Obedience training involves training an animal, most often a dog, to obey basic control commands such as sit, down, and heel.
There are almost as many methods of training as there are trainers, but over time the basic strategy has shifted from punishment or avoidance training (negative reinforcement) to positive reinforcement, where the dog is rewarded for doing the correct thing during most phases of training rather than being punished for not doing what the trainer wants.
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[edit] History
Working dogs have always learned to obey commands related to the work that they historically performed, such as when a sheepdog moves a flock of animals in response to a shepherd's whistled directions, or a hunting dog searching for (or chasing down) quarry or leaving the treed quarry at the hunter's command.
It has been only in more modern times, as the dog has become more of a companion than a hired servant (paid in food and a dry place to lie down) who lived in the barn with other livestock, that obedience training has become a separate and specific skill (for both the owner and the dog).
In the twentieth century, formalized dog training originated in military and police applications, and many theories on how to train a dog came out of the same mentality that created boot camp for soldiers.
In the middle and late part of the century, however, more research into operant conditioning and positive reinforcement occurred as wild animal shows became more popular-- Traditional methods of teaching animals behavior (as with dogs) proved irrelevant when, for example, a trainer had to instruct a dolphin or an orca. These aquatic mammal trainers used clickers (a small box that makes a loud click when pushed on) to "mark" desired behavior, giving food as a reward. The improvements in training methods spread gradually into the world of dog training. Today most dog trainers rely heavily on positive reinforcement to teach new behaviours, although some will use punishment when teaching the dog to perform under distraction. Every decade sees new methods and new attitudes reach mainstream training classes.
[edit] Companion obedience
There are at least three levels of obedience training:
- Basic behavior
- Training for interaction with the community at large
- Competitive obedience
At a basic level, owners want dogs with whom they can pleasantly share a house, a car, or a walk in the park. Some dogs need only a minimum amount of training to learn to eliminate outside (be housebroken), to sit, to lie down, or to come on command (obey a recall). Many other dogs prove more challenging.
New dog owners might find training difficult because they expect dogs to think and act like humans, and are surprised and baffled when the dogs don't (or they fail to make progress because they fail to realize that the dogs don't).
Dogs who demonstrate the previously mentioned basic skills, as well as walking reasonably well on a leash and a few other minor tasks, can be tested for and earn the American Kennel Club's (AKC) Canine Good Citizen title.
[edit] Basic behavior
The following commands are commonly taught in basic obedience classes:
- Come: This command, also referred to as the recall, is crucial. If the dog won't come when called, it can cause great difficulty for the handler and can place the dog in danger.
- Sit: Sitting dogs are under the handler's direct control. It is common to precede other commands, such as the Stay command, with a sit command. Sit and Stay are used in conjunction with many other commands.
- Stay: This command gives peace of mind. An owner can park her dog while doing something else.
- Lie down or down: this command allows even greater control than sitting. Because even people without dogs are familiar with this command and use it when dogs are bothering them, the better the dog is at it, the better it can get along with strangers and visitors.
- Go to bed or get in: Directs the dog to go to its bed or its crate and to remain there until released. The dog has freedom of movement in that location to stand up, turn around, or lie down, unlike when placed in a Stay. Useful to keep a dog out from underfoot and safe in a busy or complicated situation.
- Drop or drop it: Dogs pick up all sorts of things, some of which they shouldn't have. A dog that drops anything on command, no matter how attractive (and "attractive" to a dog can be "rotten and smelly" to a human), is a dog under control that the owner can prevent from eating dangerous items or from destroying valued personal property.
- Leave it: An adjunct to Drop, directing the dog to not touch an item. Also useful before the dog has picked anything up. Leave it is also used in conjunction with Take it.
- Take it: The dog leaves a desired object, such as a toy or treat, untouched until given this command. This can protect an owner's, visitor's, or child's fingers.
- Heel, Close, By me: The dog walks with its head directly next to the handler's leg and does not deviate until released.
- Okay, Free, Break, or Release: Releases the dog from Stay, Heel, Sit, and so forth. Also a general release to play.
The specific command word is not important, although the preceding list covers some of the more common words. Short, clear words that are easily understood by other humans are generally recommended; that way, people will understand what a handler is telling his dog to do and other handlers have a good chance of controlling someone else's dog if necessary. In fact, dogs can learn commands in any language or other communications medium, including whistles, mouth sounds, hand gestures, and so forth.
While dogs can be trained far beyond these rudiments, a dog that obeys these commands will be a pleasure to keep and take out. Off-leash obedience is the hallmark of a well-trained dog.
[edit] Leash training
Leash training involves teaching a dog to walk on a leash without pulling or jerking. The methods for teaching this fall into three major categories. The first type of method involves using positive reinforcement (such as food treats), which is given to dogs only when they maintain a loose leash. The handler must then wean the dog off the treats, so that they are only provided infrequently. The second option involves the owner standing still whenever the dog pulls, and refusing to proceed with the walk until the dog loosens the leash. The dog therefore learns that the only way to proceed with the walk is to maintain a loose leash. The third method, first advocated by Koehler, relies on the owner simply turning and walking the other way when the dog moves in front of the handler, so that the dog receives an uncomfortable "pop" on the neck for not watching where the handler is going. This last method is generally quicker than the other two methods, but may be unsuitable for dogs with soft or nervous temperaments. As with all forms of dog training, different methods may be suitable for dogs of different breeds and with different temperaments.
Today, many trainers advocate using a plain collar and leash for leash training rather than specialized training collars whenever possible, since a dog cannot be considered properly "leash trained" if the owner must constantly rely on a special collar.
However, if a specialised training collar must be used, there are several options. Correction collars include slip collars and prong collars. These collars are designed to cause discomfort when the dog pulls on the leash, encouraging him to walk with a loose leash. This type of collar can potentially inflict damage to a dog's neck when used improperly, so should not be used unless supervised by a knowledgeable trainer or behaviourist. Historically, slip collars have been used as a matter of course, and some trainers still recommend them for basic training on any dog; such collars should be used in a way that makes a quick popping or zipping sound to startle the dog and are then quickly released, not to choke the dog or to injure his neck.
Another popular option is using a nose halter instead of a collar; these are sold under brand names such as Gentle Leader and Halti. Even these must be used carefully, without harsh jerking, as a sudden jerk can twist a dog's head to the side and may injure his neck. Like correction collars, these devices are controversial. Many dogs do not enjoy wearing head halters, and many trainers feel that these devices pose too great a risk of injury to the dog's neck if he suddenly lunges at the leash.
[edit] Specialized common commands
There are a few commands that many domestic dogs learn, but that are not part of the basic repetoire.
- Stop – a dog that will simply stop whatever it is doing and lie down on command no matter how far it is from its keeper is a dog that can be taken anywhere. Some handlers use the German word Platz (related to "place", i.e. stay in position) for this action.
- Back up – keepers of large dogs or dogs with a reputation for aggressiveness can make strangers more comfortable by teaching the dog to back up on command.
- Growl – the inverse of backing up. Some owners teach non-aggressive dogs to growl on a subtle command – not the word growl, usually a small hand gesture – as a way of letting strangers know that you and your dog value being left alone.
- Steady – keep near by. The dog can walk free, but not dash off. Train to this command with a long leash, calling out Steady when the leash is taut. Continue off leash.
- Stand – dog stands still. Train from lying-down position by lifting under belly while repeating command. Useful for grooming. Many dogs are groomed frequently and need to stand quietly during the process.
[edit] Competitive obedience
For dog owners who enjoy competition and relish the opportunity to work as a highly tuned team with their dogs, competitive obedience trials are available. Dogs can earn obedience titles, including an obedience championship.
In competition, merely sitting, lying down, or walking on a leash are insufficient. The dog and handler must perform the activities off leash and in a highly stylized and carefully defined manner. For example, on a recall, the dog must come directly to the handler, without sniffing or veering to one side, and sit straight in front of the handler, not at an angle or off to one side or the other. Training for obedience competitions builds on basic obedience training.
Contrary to what one might expect, an obedience champion might not have excellent companion obedience skills; the actions are so highly formalized for performance in the obedience ring that they do not automatically translate to a dog who walks pleasantly on a leash, comes when called in the back yard, or keeps his nose off the dinner table.
The United Kennel Club (UKC), the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the Australian Shepherd Dog Club of American (ASCA) offer titles in Competition Obedience.
[edit] Obedience for Other Purposes
There are many reasons for training dogs beyond the level required for basic companionship. For example, assistance dogs must obey their sit and down commands perfectly at all times, but they do not have to conform to the rigid rules of competitive obedience.
Dogs competing in dog sports, such as flyball, agility or Schutzhund, must be trusted in an open field, off leash and surrounded by other people, dogs, hamburgers, and flying discs. This requires more focused attention on the owner and a better recall than that found in most household companion dogs, but again it can be a different kind of training than that required for formal obedience.
[edit] Dog Intelligence and Training
Certain breeds, such as Border Collies and Golden Retrievers, are easier to train than others, such as some hounds and sled dogs. Dogs that have been bred to perform one task to the exclusion of all others (such as the bloodhound or husky), or who have been bred to work independently from their hander (such as terriers), may be particularly challenging to obedience train.
Dog intelligence is exhibited in many different ways, and a dog who might not be easy to train might none-the-less be quite adept at figuring out how to open kitchen cabinets or to escape from the yard. Novice dog owners need to consider a dog's trainability as well as its energy level, exercise requirements, and other factors before choosing a new pet. Very high intelligence is not necessarily a good thing in a companion dog, as smart dogs can require extensive daily mental stimulation if they are not to become bored and destructive.
No breed is impossible to obedience train, but novice owners might find that training some breeds is quite difficult. The capacity to learn basic obedience—and even complicated behavior—is inherent in all dogs. Owners must simply be more patient, or creative, or both, with some breeds than with others.
[edit] See also
- The Intelligence of Dogs
- Clicker training
- Dog training
- Rally obedience (Rally-O)
- Musical Canine Freestyle
- Dog sports
[edit] References
[edit] External links
[edit] Sanctioning Organizations
Organizations offering obedience titles in the United States:
