Using positive reinforcement to train your dog!

Out with the old and in with the new... positive reinforcement is always a winner over punishing bad behaviour when training your dog. It's all about "Do" rather than "Don't"and we're big fans of this over at PetBuddy. 

There are often very many different undesirable ways for a dog to behave.  Dog training through reinforcement enables us to be very selective, and to chose the exact behaviour that we want.

What exactly is reinforcement?  It simply means encouraging good behaviours to continue and not punishing the bad. Reinforcement is a great training tool if you purposefully reinforce good things your puppy does.

If something you do carries a benefit, then it makes sense to do it again, right?

Positive reinforcement enables you to train your dog while keeping the dog’s confidence and enthusiasm at an all time high. It is the only method of training suitable for young puppies, and the quickest and best way of nailing those good behaviours .

Positive reinforcement strengthens the bond between you and your dog too, and there's not much better than that.

The importance of timing when reinforcing your dog!

We want our puppies to know that the positive reinforcement we are giving them is linked to their behaviour, we wouldn't tell our puppy to sit then reward them five minutes later and expect them to understand the correlation. 

If you are using training treats, you should have them to hand and reward your puppy quickly if you want his behaviours to be reinforced. High value training treats work best and our range of Pure Pates are perfect, they are totally pure and natural and trainer recommended. 

 We call this positive reinforcement, because it involves adding something positive to your pup's environment.

Types of rewards.  

There are many different types of reward for your dog which you can use when practicing their training. Not every dog is treat driven, some prefer retrieving a ball or a toy, some prefer having a fuss made of them or verbal reinforcement, a good enthusiastic "yes, good boy/girl" can go a long way. 

Your happy puppy! 

Positive reinforcement training is the future of puppy and dog training, it builds bonds, rewards your dog, makes them feel good, is amazing for building their confidence as well as yours and is perfect for enriching their lives. A well trained dog is a confident, social and enjoyable dog to have in your family.