Dog Training Theory - Forming Associations

What do you think of when I say the words penguin, hot, yellow, and brother? Chances are you have very specific reactions to each word. Some words may cause you to think of a picture, a feeling, or an experience. You have associations to each word because of your past experiences. If you didn�t understand the word, for example if I said �albaricoque�, you would have no association when you heard the word. But if I told you that albaricoque means apricot in Spanish you would perhaps form a new association. If you remembered that word, from that point on you would have built a new association that could be a picture in your mind, or the memory of a sweet fruit, or an experience from childhood when you climbed an apricot tree. Our minds work like this. We create associations based on experiences that we have had. They may be associations that inspire an emotion, or a mental picture, or a sound. They may be negative, positive, or even neutral.

NEW!! Check out these dog training eBOOKS!
Learn the Secrets the Professionals Know:
� Dog Obedience Training
� Dog Behavior Problems
� Dog Training For Home
� Avoid the high prices of professional dog trainers!
� Train your puppy or adult dog in the comfort of your home!
Click Here!

Our dog�s minds work in a similar fashion. Their minds form associations based on the things they have done and experienced in life and the outside reactions that have followed suit. For the purposes of this article I am going to discuss canine associations in two categories: positive and negative. By understanding these associations and knowing how to build on them, you can get rid of your dog�s unwanted behavior problems and train your dog to perform whatever behaviors are more suitable.

The first thing you must understand when dealing with your dog is the following: all of the behaviors your dog performs i.e. sitting when told, going to the bathroom on the rug, eating his dinner, chewing your shoes, all of them are done because your dog has a positive association towards performing them. Dogs gravitate towards what makes them feel good and right and balanced. They aren�t bound by senses of obligation, duty, pride, and honor. Behaviors that fulfill a need or feel good are repeated, behaviors that don�t feel good are avoided. It is as simple as that.

So let�s analyze this. If this is true, that means that if you want your dog to do a certain behavior you, the dog owner, can make that behavior feel good and your dog will always do it, right? That is right. And if you don�t want your dog to perform his naughty behaviors, you the dog owner can make them feel bad and he will forever avoid them, right? Also right. This concept is simple enough and as you are reading it you are probably thinking that this is obvious. If it were so obvious, then everyone would have a perfectly mannered dog. How many of those do you know?

The problem is actually not in understanding this concept. The problem stems from the dog owner not knowing how to properly form associations. Let�s quickly examine the dog training theory behind your two dog training goals: getting rid of unwanted behaviors and training new and desirable behaviors.

What are some of your dog�s unwanted behaviors? Does he chew your shoes? Does he dig in the yard? Now let�s give a hypothetical. What if every time when your dog went to chew on your shoes the shoes grew thorns and poked your dog painfully in the mouth. Or what if every time when he went to dig in the yard the fence fell on top of him. How long do you think those behaviors would last? Obviously, not very long. Those things aren�t going to happen, however. They are pretty ridiculous and while they would be effective, are too extreme. I find that dog owners solutions to fix behavior problems are often just as ridiculous, but ineffective as well. A good solution is one that humanely forms a negative association for your dog toward the unwanted behavior. For example, in the case of your dog chewing, a properly timed leash correction could quickly form a negative association for your dog. In the case of digging in the yard a properly timed correction with an electric dog training collar could quickly curb this unwanted behavior. Keep in mind, the experience that you provide must be greater in strength than his desire to perform the unwanted behavior if you want to create a new, negative association. For example, if your dog is chewing on your shoe and you merely say �Bad dog� and take away the shoe, you will succeed in getting your dog to stop chewing the shoe for now. But you will fail in forming a negative association toward chewing your shoes and your dog will return to chewing whenever he feels like it.

When you are attempting to train your dog to perform desired behaviors, such as sitting on command, lying down on command, or returning to you on command I like to take a two fold approach to forming associations. With obedience training you must not only form a positive association to performing the desired behavior, but also a negative association toward not performing the desired behavior. So, in the case of teaching your dog to sit on command, you need to create a positive association toward sitting when you say �sit�. You can accomplish this with a food reward, a toy, or praise. Because your dog has these great experiences when told to sit, he will repeat the behavior. But there are times when your dog would rather do something other than sitting. His desire to do that �something� is greater than his desire to get a food reward, or praise, so instead of sitting he runs off. As I mentioned above, you need to also form a negative association to not sitting when told to sit. So in addition to rewarding him for sitting on command you should do something negative when he doesn�t sit on command, such as give a leash correction. In this way your dog will learn that not only is obedience training fun, but it is also necessary.

An entire book could be written on this particular dog training theory. You, the dog owner, will be successful in your dog training efforts if you can learn to humanely create both positive and negative associations toward your dog�s behaviors. As always, consistent and intelligent training is the key to success.

NEW PAGE!!
Want to learn more about dog obedience training? Check out this new page!

Click Here!

QUESTIONS? We have professional dog trainers available to answer your dog behavior training questions. Just click here!