Types of Specialized Dog Training

 

Dogs are one of the most intelligent creatures. They can quickly learn tricks, tips, commands, jobs, etc. Many people have trained them to do certain tasks, and they’ve performed excellently. Today, we talk about the different types of specialized dog training your pet can undergo to gain specific skills.

 

Specialized dog training goes deeper than teaching your puppy basic skills. Bear in mind that people breed dogs for various purposes—some for companionship, others for fighting, working and other reasons. Thanks to dogs’ incredible learning ability, it’s now possible to train them for specific things.

 

However, note that specialized training takes a lot of time and needs some commitment and patience from your side. That said, here are eight specialized types of dog training.

 

#1. Obedience

 

Most dog owners will teach their pets basic commands like sit, stand, go, and recall. But, learning to come when called is very crucial for his safety. If your dogs don’t come when you call them, they may run into an oncoming animal, car or other things that risk their safety.

 

Obedience training is important for all dogs. At least on a basic level. It prepares your puppy for different social situations that he may encounter in his life. Therefore, owners need to ensure that their pet is under control whenever needed.

 

It can also strengthen the bond with your furry friend and help you both understand each other deeply. For instance, if your pooch breaks away during your walks in a park, he should return to you when you call him.

 

#2. Agility

 

Agility training can be educational and fun at the same time. It involves teaching your puppy to master obstacles like tunnels, hurdles, seesaws, weave poles, etc.

 

You are supposed to direct him to the obstacle using your voice and body language. Don’t touch him or offer treats to lure him.

 

This exercise is recommended for dogs that are one year old to avoid overstraining their developing joints. The intensity depends on your puppy’s size and temperament. If you are dealing with a timid dog, you’ll need to be more patient as they can be afraid of some obstacles such as the tunnel.

 

Also, remember to adjust these obstacles to fit the size of your pet. Additionally, consider enrolling in agility classes for beginners to decide whether this exercise is suitable for your dog. Plus, this way, you’ll access all the needed tools for the exercise and get advice from experienced trainers.

#3. Alpha/Dominance

 

It is not like other modern training methods, as it is based on the “pack structure.” For this reason, some pet owners view it as outdated and don’t think it’s useful anymore. But you can still do it to teach dominance.

 

The parent will be the alpha in the pack, which means you’ll show dominance over your dog. So, they’ll feel like they are under you and won’t treat you as a kid or even a friend.

 

This training teaches the pooch to be submissive and obedient to their alpha, the owner in this case, all the time. Pooches have to wait for the alpha to walk first, then they can follow behind.

 

Also, they are taught to only react to all situations and activities with the alpha’s permission. That means they have to wait for a signal from their alpha. Your pet will learn to sit and wait patiently as you prepare food. Also, they will need to wait patiently for you to open the door for him if he needs to go out.

 

You’ll have to include reward and punishment in this training to help your pooch learn. If he doesn’t follow the alpha commands and instructions, he’ll receive a punishment to place him in a submissive position.

 

However, experts have criticized this training because of the punishment involved. Some even say that it can make the dog aggressive. But you can still do it if need be.

 

#4. Behavioral Training

 

This method helps dogs unlearn bad behaviors while learning new ones. It can help control excessive barking, digging, biting, accidents inside the house, poor walking skills and other bad behaviors.

 

If your pet has these behavior problems, behavioral training might be right. Through it, they will learn to behave correctly and live a happier life with their family.

 

#5. Therapy Training

 

Such helps dogs be affectionate towards people in schools, hospitals, hospices, etc. However, note that therapy dogs aren’t given special privileges like service dogs.

 

Your pooch will also need to undergo the ACK therapy dog test to be certified. Some qualities trained include calmness, gentleness, friendliness towards strangers, good manners and socializing skills.

 

Any dog can be trained to be a therapy dog. But experts encourage Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever breeds. Therapy dogs, in general, help put a smile on people’s faces.

 

#6. Positive Reinforcement

 

This is more common as it involves giving the puppy positive reinforcement. It includes treats whenever he behaves well. For instance, if you command him to “sit” and he does that, you’ll offer a treat to commend this positive behavior.

 

Unlike the alpha/dominance, here you will not use punishment. Plus, you won’t use any force on your dog. You’ll only reward positive behaviors. By doing so, the dog will behave well more often to get more rewards.

 

Experts recommend it as it strengthens the bond between the dog and his parents without harming him.

 

The only drawback is that this method is time-consuming since your pet needs to repeat the positive behavior several times before associating it with a reward.

#7. Vocational Training

 

This is usually recommended for therapy, working and hunting dogs. It teaches them to do specific tasks. For instance, K9 officers can train their dogs to perform certain duties.

 

Note that you’ll have to pick a particular field before starting the exercise. For instance, you can pick rescue, search, service or another field.

 

#8. Protection

 

It is somehow similar to obedience training. However, bear in mind that all dogs weren’t created for protecting and guarding. Therefore, you’ll have to analyze certain traits in yours to decide whether this is a good exercise for them.

 

Protecting dogs are confident, courageous, controlled, and suspicious of strangers in nature. The best breeds for this are the German Shepherd and the Rottweiler.

Conclusion

 

Your dog can behave and perform any task you want as long as you train them to. You can train them for specific skills to make them great helpers in certain things. But before you begin any of these exercises, please learn and understand your puppy first. Dogs are suited for different tasks. So make sure that you know their capabilities and be patient.