Thinking Outside The Box

Normally I make it a point only to write about training methods I've tried and tested 'in the trenches' as it were.

Today's different.

While I was away I read an interesting article by a dog behavioural consultant who was recommending a way of eliminating undesirable behaviour.

He said to purchase a piece of equipment called dog training cymbals (I have to put my hand up and confess I'd never heard of them). You bash them together to produce - presumably - a loud noise.

Start out by bashing the cymbals and putting the dog's food on the floor. As the dog goes towards it pick up the food bowl.

Keep repeating this until such time as the dog, instead of going for the food at the sound of the cymbals, instead looks quizzically at you. Immediately reward it with a treat.

Encourage this response by using the same principle in other situations. All you're trying to achieve is get the dog to associate the sound with looking at you for a treat.

Now with the dog on lead take it into a situation where it exhibits undesirable behaviour; let's say a desire to chase cyclists.

Go to the park, or wherever, and as you see a cyclist approaching bash the cymbals just before you anticipate the dog to be about to lunge forward. Hopefully the dog will turn to look at you and be rewarded with a treat.

Soon, instead of seeing a cyclist and wanting to give chase, the dog will instead be looking at you in anticipation of the treat you're about to give it.

As I explained, I've never tried this technique before so cannot make a fair assessment of how effective it is.

I see no reason why it shouldn't work, but to me it just sounds like a variation of clicker training. Why use cymbals (which I'm assuming are not especially simple to use one-handed) when you could just as easily use a clicker which fits easily into one hand?

Anyway, I mention it purely to illustrate a different side to the principle of association. We all know that dogs learn by association. Maybe you just hadn't thought beyond most people's usual idea: say "Sit" then using some sort of inducement - either physical or foody - you get the dog into position, at which point you reward it.

If you hadn't thought 'outside the box' before, you might like to start now. As I keep saying, all dogs are different and what works for one won't necessarily work - or work as well - for another. The more strings you have to your bow the more likely you are to make a success of training your dog.

Recommended reading "Dog Training Blueprint To Success".

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