Mary Allen
When it comes to dog training, there are some rules that are now considered outdated. Consequence and authority are often confused with violence, rewards and a calm tone are dismissed as soft. We have collected some common parenting myths for you – and tell you how you can do it better.
Dog training and child training have one essential thing in common: Others always know better. Sometimes the tips are really useful. But the supposed wisdom is often pure nonsense and sometimes even dangerous.
Hitting With the Newspaper is a Sensible Punishment
As long as you don’t hit dogs with your bare hands, is violence in dog training a legitimate punishment? Unfortunately, this belief is still widespread. If the four-legged friend does something that he shouldn’t – for example pee on the carpet – he doesn’t get a slap with his hand, but with a rolled-up newspaper or a stick.
The thought behind this is that the dog then does not associate the blow with its reference person, but understands it as a punishment for its “offense”. However, this is a mistake. Subsequent punishments are useless because the animals cannot afterward make a connection between their own behavior and the pain that their caregiver inflicts on them.
The result: the dog does not understand why it is being punished. For him, the blow comes out of the blue. He is unsettled and confused. If this happens more often, he can develop an anxiety disorder and react with fear aggression at the sight of a newspaper or a stick in the future.
Better: When your dog does something it isn’t supposed to, say “No!” clearly and unequivocally. and show him what you want him to do instead. If he does what you want him to do, give him plenty of praise.
Withdrawal of Love as a Useful Means of Dog Training
When children misbehave, their parents often send them to their room. There they should think about their wrongdoing. Whether this works is debatable. With dogs, however, this method is clearly nonsensical, because they are not able to think about wrongdoing from a human point of view.
So if you punish your dog by ignoring it, sending it away, or locking it away, this is an incomprehensible withdrawal of love for your pet. It no longer understands the world and feels left alone. This damages trust and deeply unsettles your four-legged friend.
Better: Teach your dog consistently and patiently what kind of behavior you want it to behave. It’s easier than breaking his “bad” behavior. Work on a stable bond and a trusting relationship – for example with joint obedience training or orientation training.
As Pack Leaders, Humans Must Always Show Dominance
No. Man does not have to act like an alpha wolf or bully the dog in order to put the animal in its place. Grabbing dogs by the neck and shaking them, knocking them over, or covering their muzzles are forms of violence. At best, you’ll upset your dog, at worst, you’ll hurt him physically.
Also nonsense: Humans always have to do everything in front of the dog, otherwise the four-legged friend takes over the lead. There is no need to worry that dogs will become megalomaniacs, lust for power, and take over the world when the opportunity arises. This way of thinking is far from the animals. Rather, they want to live a comfortable, quiet, and secure life.
Better: convey security and security to your dog by showing yourself to be reliable. Establish certain rules from the start that always apply. Practice the most important commands with your four-legged friend calmly, patiently, and consistently. And take care of your pet in a species-appropriate manner. Then you can easily get by without dominance.
Dogs Work Out Their Conflicts Among Themselves
The fact that dogs settle conflicts among themselves is a training tip that is at least partially true. Under normal circumstances, you do not need to intervene in dog encounters. But there are exceptions. For example, if your dog has physical ailments or is very anxious, greetings that are too boisterous or offers to play by fellow dogs can end badly. Your dog also needs your help if it is physically inferior to the other four-legged friend.
Better: Pay attention to whether your dog feels uncomfortable in a dog encounter, possibly even being bullied. Even if a dog fight escalates and threatens to get bloody, you have to intervene. But be careful: Be sure to protect yourself and don’t just put your hand in between.
Treats as a Reward Spoil the Dog
Some dog owners don’t want to reward their pets with treats because they think it’s a bribe. They also don’t want to spoil their dog. In fact, you can train your dog without treats, but without a reward at all, it becomes difficult. It’s also entirely possible to spoil your dog with treats if you’re giving them for no reason, regardless of their behavior.
Better: Use high-quality treats specifically as a reward for desired behavior. This way, your dog will learn what to do more easily. You can gradually phase out the treats as you progress or switch to clicker training. Also, praise works great as a reward, too.
Positive Reinforcement Only Works With “Good” Dogs
A common training myth is that naughty or aggressive dogs need a particularly hard hand. Positive reinforcement is misunderstood as a cuddling course that only further pampers the “naughty” dogs. This can be used with dogs that obey on their own, but not with rebellious four-legged friends.
The problem with this is that dogs don’t break rules on purpose to annoy their owners. Animals do not know revenge, defiance, or the like. When dogs don’t follow the rules, there’s always a reason. Either they have not understood the rule or do not know it. Or they may just be distracted by something more interesting. If your dog is normally well-behaved and suddenly behaves differently, there may be something wrong with him – take it to the vet to be on the safe side.
Better: Use positive reinforcement consistently and reward desired behavior. Don’t pay attention to unwanted behavior. If you catch your dog doing something he’s not allowed to do, say “No!” immediately. or another abort command. In this combination, you can also train difficult dogs. If your dog seems recalcitrant or stubborn, it needs clearer instructions, shorter training sessions, and more time.
You Can’t Train Puppies Yet
Puppies are only ready to learn at the age of 6 months and cannot be trained before that? That too is utter nonsense. After all, human children don’t just learn how to behave in elementary school. Of course, you shouldn’t overwhelm your puppy with learning material, otherwise, he won’t know what to do with himself.
Better: Teach your puppy important basic commands such as “sit”, “stop” or “no”.
“You Can Not Teach Old Dogs New Tricks”
What dogs weren’t taught when they were puppies, don’t they learn later? Luckily this is a mistake. Even adult dogs and four-legged seniors can still learn. So don’t be afraid to adopt an older dog from a shelter for fear they won’t be able to teach him anything.
Better: Take your time and rest if you want to teach an older four-legged friend new rules, commands, or tricks. Once certain habits have crept in, it is difficult to break them. However, it is not impossible. Help your dog by shortening the training sessions and building them up in a playful way. Reward him when he does something right. And have patience.