ABOUT A BETTER DOG 4U
A Lifetime Of Trust & Respect Through Reward-Based Reinforcement & Relationship-Based Training
About A Better Dog 4U Dog Obedience Training
Obedience Training Basics
At A Better Dog 4U Dog Obedience Training we believe that dog training is not just a one-time thing. Training is the base for a lifelong relationship of trust and respect between you and your dog. Basic obedience training incorporates all of the essential skills your dog will need to prepare it for a life of good behavior and companionship.
Puppies, adult dogs, strays, shelter dogs, and even older dogs will benefit from obedience training. We train dogs of all ages. After all, the happiness of every dog and every owner revolves around knowing these basic skills.
Once these basic skills are learned they must be reinforced daily so that they are not forgotten. Our “2-Minute Dog Training Program” will allow you to easily reinforce any previous training quickly and effectively. We will show you how to work with your dog, so the behavior skills become second nature to your dog. You won’t even need to set up a special “Training Time” every day!
Our Training Methods and Techniques
We have seen a wide variety of training methods used over the past 35+ years. Many of these methods have been proven to be either ineffective, harmful or have been completely obsoleted because they are inhumane.
We choose to use up-to-date science-based dog training methods. Methods that include personality-based reinforcement training, relationship-based training and reward marker training. It is our experience that the key to successful dog training is consistent communication and the accurate timing of behavior reinforcement. Knowing the dog’s personality and knowing the dog’s likes and dislikes are also very important tools in teaching a dog.
In the dog training world using punishment (in the traditional sense) has become very controversial. Consequently, the humaneness and effectiveness of punishment has been called into question. Behaviorists have told us for a few decades now that using “forced compliance” is actually detrimental to training. Punishment can also damage the human/dog bond. This is because it breaks down a dog’s trust and confidence in the handler / owner.
Physical punishment should never be considered as an option when training an animal.
The only type of punishment that should ever be used is when teaching the “NO” command to avoid danger. But it should NOT a physical punishment. Instead, it only needs to be a harsh verbal correction to stop an action that can cause the dog harm or death.
Daily Training Sessions
Your training sessions may vary in length. Session length ultimately depends on the age of your dog and your dog’s attention span. Puppies and younger dogs usually have very short attention spans. This is usually five minutes or less. Older dogs can concentrate for 30 minutes or more. Adult dogs can work even longer.
I suggest that you keep personal training sessions in the range of two to five minutes in length. See our “2-Minute Dog Training Program” page for more details. I then follow it up with a short playtime directly after the session. This keeps training fun for the dog. Also, the dog will realize very quickly that if he/she does the behavior correctly, playtime comes much sooner.
I also set a goal for each session before we begin. Example: I want my dog to “stay” for _x_ minutes. When that goal is achieved, you’re done and its playtime! The next session: I want her to “stay” for 2 minutes 30 seconds. When that is achieved, you’re done again! This way sessions seldom go over five minutes!
Typically, I try to work on no more than two behaviors at any one time. This limits any possible confusion and keeps training interesting and fun for your dog. Working on too much at once can cause the dog to become frustrated and it will simply shut down. That is another reason I use the short playtime after each behavior is learned or reinforced.
A Better Dog 4U Service Area
A Better Dog 4U is available to help you with any of your dog training and behavior modification needs. Our service area includes Cedar Rapids and the surrounding area including:
– Cedar Rapids
– Marion
– Hiawatha
– Robins
– Alburnett
– Whittier
– Springville
– Anamosa
– Martelle
– Mt. Vernon
– Lisbon
– Ely
– Shueyville
– Swisher
– North Liberty
– Tiffin
– Amana
– Norway
– Walford
– Fairfax
– Atkins
– Shellsburg
– Palo
– Vinton
– Urbana
– Center Point
Contact A Better Dog 4U for all of your dog training needs.
