Golden Retriever Training Tips - Positive Dog Training
Today, my Golden Retriever Training Tips will focus in on Positive Dog Training. This is a very popular method for training any dog, but since Golden Retrievers especially thrive on praise, this is a valuable tool for any Golden Retriever owner. I am happy to be able to include this in my series of Golden Retriever Training Tips.
Positive dog training came about through the work of two men: Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner. Pavlov is the scientist who is famous for his dog experiment where he trained a dog to salivate upon hearing a bell ring. Skinner is also known for his work in behavioral science.
Positive dog training’s main goal is about conditioning and learned behaviors. The main idea is to associate a “reward” and “positive outcome” with desired (good) behavior for your Golden Retriever.
Here are some main philosophies held by this method:
*Learning occurs through association and repetition
*Behavior that is rewarded is likely to be repeated.
*Behavior that is ignored (not reinforced, either positively or negatively) will disappear.
*Variable reinforcement can be used to direct the appropriate
response in situations which appear globally similar, but differ on the detail level (e.g. playing with old tennis ball, but leaving children’s baseball alone).
Through positive training, Golden Retrievers learn to enjoy obeying commands and associate them with rewards of treats, affection, praise and love. The bond between dog and owner is based on trust, patience and respect.
There is no yelling, hitting or punishing in this approach. These practices are counter-productive and go against the core beliefs of this method. And, many would say, are just plain unkind to your Golden Retriever!
If your Golden Retriever is motivated by attention, then even negative attention will work to reinforce his or her behavior. If negative attention is always given when the dog performs the exact behavior you don't want, this will only reinforce the unwanted behavior.
Ignoring bad behavior is NOT easy! Another great Golden Retriever Training Tip - You may need to make sure you keep your favorite shoes, and special or expensive items out of your Golden Retriever’s reach, especially if you have a puppy who loves to chew! When Sunny, my Golden, was young, he chewed up my brand new coat, and believe me, I was so tempted to lose my temper. I quickly learned to keep my nicer things in a closed room or closet to avoid even tempting Sunny!
