Reward Based Training Techniques with Ian Dunbar
Before and After Getting Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar 
I have been lucky to spend a day with the brilliant Ian Dunbar as part of his roadshow educating dog trainers & behaviourists on the merits of reward-based training. The seminar was full of useful tips on training and if you haven’t heard him speak do try and see him when he is back in the UK again.
Some of the important take home message for puppy and adult dog owners was:
- Ensure you socialise your puppy during the critical phase which is by 12 weeks of age.
- Don’t wait until after they have completed the vaccination programme.
- Get friends to come to your home. Teach puppy to meet and greet. Only getting a fuss (and a treat) if they are sitting down sensibly. Take sensible precautions such as visitors remove their shoes. Wash hands thoroughly before touching puppy.
- Lures are an important part of helping to inform your dog what you want.
- Use very clear verbal ques but teach the puppy what they mean. They don’t understand English!
A good book for new puppy owners is “After you get your puppy…the clock is ticking”. He also has a number of other great books and DVDs so check him out.
After you get your puppy
Now you have your puppy, the clock is ticking and you need to meet three more Developmental Deadlines before your puppy is five months old.4th Developmental Deadline — Socializing Your Puppy to PeopleYour Most Urgent Priority is to socialize your puppy to a wide variety of people, especially children, men, and strangers, before he is twelve weeks old. Well-socialized puppies grow up to be wonderful companions, whereas antisocial dogs are difficult, time-consuming, and potentially dangerous. As a rule of thumb, your puppy needs to meet at least one hundred people before he is three months old. Since your puppy is still too young to venture out to dog parks and sidewalks, you’ll need to start inviting people to your home right away
Very few dog trainers have not been influenced by Dr. Ian Dunbar”s dog-friendly philosophy. In the 1970s, Dr. Dunbar sparked a dramatic shift in dog training away from leash corrections and drill-sergeant adult dog classes based on competitive obedience and toward a positive approach using toys, treats, and games as rewards for teaching basic manners, preventing behavior problems, and modifying temperament. Before Dr. Dunbar there were no classes for puppies, very few family dog classes, and not much fun in dog training. His positive approach to training revolutionized the field, especially in training puppies.
The event I attended was hosted by www.dog-and-bone.co.uk. They organise a number of events up and down the country so check them out.
Want to learn more about behaviour and training?
I have a selection of courses which may help with socialisaing and rewarding-based training…
Certificate in Canine Handling & Understanding Communication Signals
10% of this course supports Canine Partners
