What is positive training?
Positive training is building a bond between you and your dog through teamwork. Pit Bulls respond to positive training because of several reasons. However, the main reason is their need to please their people. Understanding this need to please will help you learn how to use positive training methods to get results that last.
Pit Bull Training Made Easy
How do you use positive training?
You use positive training by not correcting your dog when they don’t do what you want. You use positive training to encourage your dog to think. Encouraging your dog to think and choose to do something or not to do something is the most exciting part of positive training. When you see your dog choose to sit or down or come on their own accord without using harsh corrections, verbal corrections, shock collars or long leashes it is simply amazing.
Putting Positive to Work for You
Positive training takes patience and more importantly a plan. Patience is critical for positive methods to work because you are allowing your dog to think while training.
Sometimes dogs catch on quickly. While other times they are slower to learn. In the end it doesn’t matter because it’s not about the “end result” its about the journey.
The Pit Bull Training Handbook
Keep this in mind as you use positive methods…
Focus on the act of teaching and not the end results. In time you will achieve results that far exceed your expectations. We live in a “but I want it right now!” society. Positive training isn’t for people who want results today or even tomorrow. If you want to whip a dog into submission, then go with compulsion training.
If you want to spend time bonding with your dog through teamwork and respect, positive is the way to go. Now people who use compulsion may think that last statement is harsh. I’m not knocking your methods, but I am knocking the fact some people think positive only works for certain dogs.
The Plan: Try working with your dog(s) using nothing but their favorite prize and praise. No leash, no collar, and no corrections.
If you have used compulsion in the past and your dog is nervous, shy, fearful of things, and doesn’t behave as expected, a good starting plan is to change the training to positive and observe the differences.
Positive Training Can work for ALL Pit Bulls
Bold statement? Not really. Once you understand it’s not about control and results but the journey of bonding and learning any Pit Bull can be trained using 100% positive methods. All you need to do is find your dogs motivation. Once you have that, anything can be accomplished using positive methods.
Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself.
Take this simple positive test. Find your dogs motivation. Food, toys, praise or whatever really gets your dog excited. While in your house and your dog off the leash, ask them to sit and at the same time show them their “prize” when they sit give it to them immediately.
Do this 10 times in a row.
On the 11th time, do not say sit. Hold the “prize” just as you held it the previous 10 times. I would bet dollar doughnuts your dog sits without you saying a word.
When they do, reward them and end the session. That is positive training and your dog learned to sit through consistency and trusting they would be rewarded for their actions.
What are you waiting for? Go for it!
