7 tips for training your dog from aMarine who trained dogs to sniff out bombs military working dogs are trained to do tough jobs under harsh conditions but there are still dogs.
While their training is specialized some aspects are universal and will apply no matter what you're trying to teach your dog as a handler of military working dogs in theUS Marine Corps
I got to work with some of the world's best-trained dogs these dogs can sniff out bombs buried underground sniff out drugs hidden in ceiling tiles take down a man three times their size and track a person long after they're gone to find criminal suspects or lost children as a handler paired up with an explosive detection dog my job was to train him to maintain his skills keep him healthy and make sure he got exercise after graduating from dog handling school.
I was paired with my first dog Cuoco as a new handler with an experienced dog I had to get up to this level before we could be an effective team.
. Once I got there I could start teaching him new things to take our team to the next level while you may not be training your dog to find bombs in the murder drugs hidden in a car bumper there are some keys to training dogs that will apply no matter what skills you are trying to be sure to subscribe and like our video, before we get started one you have to build a relationship the first thing you do upon meeting your new MD is begin to build rapport if you take home.
A brand new puppy you begin training by establishing a relationship with the dog with so many dogs in units kennel handlers takes turns dropping food pans for the dogs twice a day.
But when a handler partners with a new dog it's a good idea to let that handler drop their dog's food for a few days to establish a good bond the dog begins to associate the handler with good things.
This was particularly important with our shall we say crankier dogs while our dogs weren't trained to be mean they aren't the friendliest dogs either they have a serious job to do and they are serious dogs
I've seen handlers get bitten by their own dogs more than a few times two of the best dog teams in my first unit had scars from their dog training too hard too fast with a dog that doesn't trust.
You yet can lead to frustration on both sides and usually doesn't lead to good results to groom your dog every day grooming your dog helps build the relationship keeps the dog clean and healthy and lets you check them over from the tip of their nose to the tip of their tail for any problems with hair covering most of the dogs can have serious issues developing that you can't until you brush them if your dog is running around in wooded areas check in their ears their paws and in between their paw pads for ticks even with preventive medication ticks can bite dogs.
Infect them with multiple diseases that can be devastating or deadly even a small cut on the pock and turn into something bigger if not treated properly and dogs that don't feel good aren't good students one of our dogs contracted a tick-borne disease that nearly killed him while we never found the tick the dog tested positive for Babesia.
He survived only because his handler had noted that he seemed more and more lethargic over the course of about three days because she was watching him closely she noticed when his gums and tongue went pale indicating a serious problem he was rushed to the vet.
Where aggressive treatment saved his life his recovery was long and difficult and led to his retirement but the vets and vet techs care about the dogs and will save them if possible keep them totally spraying water everywhere three consistency is key during this report building time start laying the foundations for the training that you want to do with your dog don't let them get away with things that you won't accept later reward good behavior with praise attention play retreats once training begins consistency is going to be key to getting good results if you are training.
The dog to sit set the dog up to succeed by training in the same area every time keep your voice the same don't change the way you say the command doesn't give the command unless you are prepared to reward for training takes time you can't rush dog training some dogs pick things up faster than others military working dogs or MWDs are trained for four to seven months and basic skills before they are officially called an MWD if your dog isn't grasping basic tasks you can't move on to the more advanced basic obedience sit down to stay.
The foundation of all further training take your time to master the basics and refresh them from time to time MWDs are professionals with years of experience and they get obedience refresher training almost every day it's much easier to maintain proficiency than it is to fix a problem that you have let slide for too long five dogs have bad days to say you've been training your dog for weeks.
He's performing well and then one day he just refuses to work for you he won't sit he seems bored antsy tired or just lazy don't get mad and don't continue to correct the dog if it isn't working dogs have their bad days too sometimes they just don't want to work if you try to force it you will become frustrated and angry.
Which hardly ever leads to good results recognize that there might be a medical issue of play sick dogs arent usually enthusiastic students during an evaluation at my last base a dog wouldn't stay in the sit the handler couldn't get the dog to stay after multiple Corrections the evaluator took a close look and saw that the dog was positioned on an anthill and had fire ants biting his legs continuing to correct a dog in that situation would be ineffective and would harm the rapport between dog and handler recognized.
That your dog is a living breathing creature that has feelings and emotions six dogs need to have fun recognize that dogs are living breathing creatures they need to have fun if the dog only ever sees you for training you are missing a big part of the relationship take your dog out and let him run play with toys lie in the Sun take a break and just be a dog that will make for a happy dog that wants to please you by doing the right thing when training in a strong dog team the dogs desire to please the handler provides as much motivation as the toy or the treat my first dog was not especially affectionate.
I wouldn't say that he ever loved me in the way that a pet loves its owner he had handlers before me and he would have more after me but we still had a strong bond which made us an effective team.
I took him out let him play tossed a ball for him let him lie in the Sun and took him for long walks with no commands he knew when it was time to work and when it was time to play and he trusted that if he did.
What I asked and made me happy good things would come to him seven, not every dog is going to be able to learn every task between buying carefully selected dogs from Europe and breeding.
Their own at Lackland Air Force Base the military goes through a lot of dogs, not every dog makes it as an MWD they fail out for a variety of reasons from health issues to behavioral issues some dogs just aren't cut out for the type of work that MWDs do we had a dog that didn't want to bite people if your dog just isn't getting it might be the dog while you probably hopefully aren't training your dog to bite people you might find that your dog won't site won't drop the ball or won't stay for longer than a second keep in mind that some breeds of dogs are known for their willingness to learn and others are not don't adopt a working dog breed and keep it inside all day without exercise that's how houses get destroyed do your research and adopt a dog that is going to fit in with your lifestyle.
Comments
Post a Comment