EFFECTIVE DOG TRAINING DOESN’T REQUIRE CRUELTY

Effective dog training can be a challenge at times. You’ll find this to be especially true if your dog is of a stubborn breed. Sadly, some dog owners become frustrated and angry when training isn’t progressing as well as they think it should. Some masters take to treating the dog cruelly. Hitting or kicking a dog for any reason aside from self-protection during an attack will only complicate matters.

If you’re to establish yourself as the pack leader, you’ll need to earn his respect. A dog that respects its owner will obey its commands. On the other hand, a dog treated with cruelty and disrespect will only become afraid of its master. This fear can lead to the dog turning to bite the hand that strikes him and becoming aggressive. 

Being in the dominant position within the dog’s mind can only be brought about through mutual respect and a strong, positive bond between you and him. 

Positive reinforcement and firm but gentle leash control are the only way to carry out dog training successfully. If you find yourself becoming angry with your dog, you may want to take a time out and calm down. You don’t want to allow yourself to resort to cruelty in any form. It’s unrealistic to believe that you can control your dog if you can’t control yourself.

Once you’ve regained your composure, you can try again. Remind yourself that you’re looking for opportunities to praise your dog for obeying you rather than to punish him for disobedience. The old adage, “you’ll catch more flies with honey…” certainly rings true when training a dog.

There are other forms of cruelty besides physical violence. Anything that violates the dog’s rights as a living creature or purposely causes the dog to become fearful or discouraged is cruelty. This includes:

• Keeping a dog tied to a chain without opportunities to get adequate exercise.
• Starvation
• Unhealthy living conditions
• Leaving a dog in his crate for extended periods or otherwise keeping him contained in tight quarters