Q: What’s the difference between positive, nonviolent dog training and traditional training methods? Is it easier?

A: Most people find giving and receiving rewards much more appealing than giving or receiving punishment. And certainly dogs like receiving rewards rather than punishment. On The Dog Whisperer DVD, Beginning and Intermediate Dog Training for Puppies and Dogs, you’ll learn to teach your dog to do behaviors you want her to do instead of having to correct her for the behaviors you don’t want. Instead of focusing on what you want your dog to stop doing – jumping, barking, digging, chewing – and then correcting or punishing her, decide what you want your dog to do instead and positively reinforce that behavior. For example, if your dog jumps on you when you walk in the door, decide what you want her to do instead. Lay down when you walk in the door? Run to her bed? Fetch a toy?

Let’s say you want your dog to lay down instead of jumping when someone comes in the door. Begin by setting up the environment so your dog can’t jump on you. That way, you don’t have to correct him and jumping doesn’t become a self-reinforcing behavior. Use a baby gate, a tether, a dog run, or a kennel.

Practice teaching your dog to lay down with the three-step method (shown on the Dog Whisperer DVD, Beginning and Intermediate Dog Training for Puppies and Dogs). Once your dog is reliable (after a few sessions), then practice saying “down” as you walk in the door. After a few repetitions, your dog will automatically lay down whenever you walk in and you won’t even have to ask. Presto, a dog can’t jump and lay down at the same time!

Here are a few examples of behaviors you might want to use for ones you don’t want:

If Your Dog:
Choose One or More of These:
Jumps
Find-it, sit, down, stay, go-to-your spot
Digs
Dig in sandbox, chew treat-filled toys that will help keep her occupied, provide exercise and games
Steals & chews things
Leave it, go-to-your-spot, down, chew appropriate objects
Bolts out the door
Go-to-your-spot, down, stay, come
Barks
Down (or bark three times and then lay down), come to get you when someone comes to the door

Recommended Resource:

My DVD, The Dog Whisperer, Beginning and Intermediate Dog Training for Puppies and Dogs, teaches only positive, nonviolent dog training methods.