Five Myths of Dog Training

If you are finding it difficult to maneuver your way through all of the books available on dog training, then you are not alone. The reason there is such an increase of information in this area is that the science of training a dog has grown immensely over the last 10 years. 

Fortunately, there has been a push towards positive training methods and dogs as well as their owners are encouraged to have a great time while learning.  Unfortunately, some of the old myths from long ago never seem to die out. 

Check out the following list and see if you are up to date on your canine training methodology:

Myth #1:  My dog doesn’t seem to be able to learn anything.  He is stupid, dominant or stubborn.

Truth: Dogs are similar to humans in the way that they learn. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and some grasp concepts quicker than others.  The same is true with dogs.  Keep in mind that many dogs were bred for specific purposes and others may have been bred more for “show."  In any case, all dogs can learn, the trick is to meet them at the level that they can handle. We would never ask a child in kindergarten to study calculus, and we shouldn’t expect a young puppy to behave like a 5-year-old dog.  Dogs need appropriate motivation, consistency and levels of testing in which they can succeed.  Something is missing in the teaching method if your dog is having trouble.  In other words, the human needs to make the adjustments in order for the dog to succeed. 

If a dog refuses to perform a behavior make certain is isn’t a medical problem or causing the dog pain. Check out the hips, legs or any area for possible pain. Finally, work in small increments.  Catch them doing what you want and reward them for it.  They will be more apt to do it again.

Myth #2:  Dogs are descendents of wolves and must be trained according to the rules of wolf behavior.

Truth:  Dogs may have descended from wolves, but are not wolves and do not behave as such.  In fact, the study that this was taken from has so many holes in it that our perception of wolves has changed as well.  In any event, dogs have been domesticated and now live among humans.  It is a different relationship that we have with dogs and the use of terms such as “dominance” and “alpha” in training are very outdated.  Kind, consistent and fair treatment between dog and human is the ideal. 

Myth #3: Why bother training a puppy? Dogs don’t learn anything until they are over six months old.

Truth:  Yipes!  This one is not only incorrect, but can create some really difficult issues for the owner.  Just as human babies begin to take information in from day 1, puppies do the same. In fact, their all-important “socialization period” is primed and ready within the first 2 months.   It is vital that puppies are exposed, (at levels to which they are comfortable) to as many different people, well-mannered dogs and experiences as possible.  Aside from socialization, they can start learning basic obedience too.  Most puppy classes start puppies off at eight weeks old!

Myth #4: My dog pulls on the leash, jumps on me or runs out the door in front of me because he is dominant.

Truth:  This word “dominance” is used to explain every behavior that our poor dogs do.  The concept of dominance is a difficult one and is usually mis-used, so I have ousted it out of my vocabulary altogether.  Dogs seldom want to rule the world; they tend to be more on the opportunistic side, if anything.  They pull because we walk too slow, they jump to smell us and say “Hi” and they run out the door first because in “doggyworld”  the first one there gets the best stuff.  More dogs have been punished for behaving like a dog than I care to count.  This isn’t to say that these behaviors can’t be corrected, but not with punishment nor with the idea that “my dog wants to be in charge”.

Myth #5: My dog knows he did something wrong.  He looks guilty.

Truth:  Although there is a lot of debate on the emotional intellect of dogs, as of right now, the theory is that dogs live in the moment. If Fido destroyed your curtain and you walk through the door and he seems “guilty," he is taking his cue from your body language.  If he looks guilty the next time, it is probably because “sometimes you come home and you are happy and sometimes you are angry… and Fido doesn't know which will it be today”.   Dogs are wonderful at reading our body language. They pick up on the smallest changes and can read us better than most of our friends!

With all of the books out there, it is a great time to get yourself “updated”
in the field of canine training. The following are my favorite authors:  Patricia McConnell, Victoria Stilwell, Ian Dunbar, Jean Donaldson, Pat Miller and Karen Pryor. They are all science based and use only positive training methods.