FAQ
You will find answers to many questions here. If you do not see your question please feel free to send us the question.
When should
When should I start Training my puppy?
Immediately! The truth is, no matter what your dog’s age, he’s learning the minute he walks into his new home. His human family’s reactions give him feedback about what works in this new environment to get the things he wants. Why let unwanted behaviors turn into bad habits that you then have to “fix?” PlayTrain will show you how to shape his behaviors into the good doggie habits that will stay with him for life. We have training programs for all stages of development: puppies, adolescents and adult dogs.
How does food training work? “If I use food to train, won’t my dog only work for food?”
First of all, I do not use only food to reward desired behaviors but food usually caries the highest value, so we use it alot We also use praise, petting, play, attention, toys, the enviroment and any thing else the dog values in addition to food. Think about it ... You go to work to get paid money, you cook food or spend money so you can eat, you exercise to get in better shape and you like the praise. There are all kinds of reinforcers out there that we use everyday, with out them we would not do anything...... Would you work for nothing??
What is R+ (Positive Reinforcement)?
You CAN teach your dog without hurting him. Marine mammal trainers have known this for years. You will learn how to use food, play, praise, touch and other “life rewards” as reinforcers. These modern, humane training methods are known as positive reinforcement. R+ training focuses on what your dog is doing right. Your dog is taught and rewarded for desirable behavior, increasing his likelihood to repeat it. Undesirable behaviors are prevented, ignored and re-directed, making them unsuccessful for the dog. Positive training is not punishment-based. No choke chains, prong collars, shock collars or leash corrections are necessary. The result is a dog who obeys with enthusiasm, not fear.
Training using positive reinforcement takes much longer than traditional punishment based training?
In the beginning stages, it may seem to take longer. However, once you and your dog catch on, clicker training leads to much faster results. Dogs very quickly learn to perform the desired behaviors in order to make you click! In addition, behaviors learned through operant conditioning and associative learning tend to stay with the dog for the rest of his life.
What Kind of Training Philosophy Can I Expect?
Let’s face it: your dog is a member of another species and you’ve invited him to live in your home! Now it’s up to you to teach him the human rules. Until we humans translate and demonstrate what our words mean, it’s all just gibberish to dogs! When you learn and embrace the simple behavior theories that apply to all animal learning, you start to see opportunities to shape your dog’s behavior in every interaction you have. Your dog is not trying to dominate you or take over the house; he’s just trying to see what works to get the things in life he needs. And dogs only do what works. It’s our job to make sure “good” behaviors “work” to get the dog what he wants! And since all resources come from you, you are in a position of great power. PlayTrain will show you how to use that power to your advantage.