Dog training 101
When I first began really working with training a dog, it was in a shelter environment, working with dogs who had the attention span of a gnat. The behaviorist who began the actual classes to teach us how to teach the dogs has become a good friend and I learn something new from her each time I watch her work a dog, or work with her on a dog's behavior.
Our classes would last about 20 minutes but never longer and rest periods during that time, where the dog was just laying on the floor being petted and having a belly rub. After the 20 minute period, the dogs were taken to the play yards for fun time so everything ended on a happy note.
I can't even begin to list the animals who were worked with and became model dogs and found forever homes during this period.
From the www.allaboutdogtraining.com you can see she was right on the money. According to their website, "Optimal training should last about five to ten minutes at a time. Any more than that will strain your dog’s attention span and counteract your efforts.
Another way that dogs are like children is that they have short attention spans! If you require him to train for longer than ten minutes, he is likely to become obstinate and disobedient. Also keep in mind that he’ll have to have a lot of practice in order to perfect the command."
As I watch people believe they are doing the best for their dogs, working them for 30 or 45 minutes at a time, over and over with no break, I wonder where the communication breakdown happened. Who taught them it was okay to work a dog that long with no break? Where is the fun in that for the dog?
If you are trying to teach your dog, please make sure you are doing it properly. If you have any doubt, please contact a professional trainer. Walking a dog and training a dog are two very different things. Please don't set your dog or any dog for that matter, up to fail.
Our classes would last about 20 minutes but never longer and rest periods during that time, where the dog was just laying on the floor being petted and having a belly rub. After the 20 minute period, the dogs were taken to the play yards for fun time so everything ended on a happy note.
I can't even begin to list the animals who were worked with and became model dogs and found forever homes during this period.
From the www.allaboutdogtraining.com you can see she was right on the money. According to their website, "Optimal training should last about five to ten minutes at a time. Any more than that will strain your dog’s attention span and counteract your efforts.
Another way that dogs are like children is that they have short attention spans! If you require him to train for longer than ten minutes, he is likely to become obstinate and disobedient. Also keep in mind that he’ll have to have a lot of practice in order to perfect the command."
As I watch people believe they are doing the best for their dogs, working them for 30 or 45 minutes at a time, over and over with no break, I wonder where the communication breakdown happened. Who taught them it was okay to work a dog that long with no break? Where is the fun in that for the dog?
If you are trying to teach your dog, please make sure you are doing it properly. If you have any doubt, please contact a professional trainer. Walking a dog and training a dog are two very different things. Please don't set your dog or any dog for that matter, up to fail.
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