How To Socialize Your English Shepherd Farm Dog

A well-adjusted English Shepherd on a farm ideally displays excellent socialization skills with humans, livestock, and other dogs. This is fundamental for the breed, as they are typically used as herding, working, and companion dogs. To achieve this level of socialization, the process must begin early and continue throughout the dog’s life. The critical period … Read more

Successful Crate Training with Variable Interval Reinforcement

Black and Tan English Shepherd

Crate training is an essential skill for puppies to learn, as it provides a safe and secure space for them to retreat to when their owners are away or when they need to settle down. However, training a challenging puppy can be a daunting task, as they tend to be curious, easily distracted, and resistant … Read more

Optimizing Dog Training Success: Breed-Specific Expertise, Personalized Strategies, and Operant Conditioning Fundamentals

This paper explores the critical components of successful dog training, emphasizing the importance of breed-specific knowledge, individual dog assessment, and operant conditioning principles. By understanding the unique traits and predispositions of different breeds, trainers can tailor their approach to meet specific needs and capabilities. Additionally, recognizing the individual characteristics and history of each dog … Read more

Farm Dog Obedience Training Recipes

Basic farm dog obedience training is essential to foster good behavior and enhance the bond between the dog and handler. This article provides a brief introduction to clicker training, then provides recipes for crate training, sit training, down training, recall training, stay training, leave it training, and heel training. Each training recipe includes a step-by-step … Read more

Using Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviors (DRI) to Manage Destructive Digging

Black and Tan English Shepherd

This article explores the application of Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviors (DRI) as an effective method for managing and modifying a dog’s destructive digging behavior. By creating a designated digging pit and consistently redirecting and reinforcing the desired behavior, a dog can be trained to dig only in the designated area. This case study … Read more

How To Remediate Destructive Chewing in Dogs

Black and Tan English Shepherd

Destructive chewing is a common problem in dogs, often caused by boredom, anxiety, and a lack of appropriate chew toys. This paper discusses the use of operant conditioning to remediate destructive chewing behavior in dogs. Through a case study involving a one-year-old English Shepherd named Buddy, we demonstrate the effectiveness of positive reinforcement, supervision, … Read more

How To Stop Dogs from Begging at the Dinner Table

Black and Tan English Shepherd

This article discusses the use of extinction training as a method to stop dogs from begging at the dinner table. The method involves ignoring the unwanted behavior, reinforcing the desired behavior, and maintaining consistency and patience throughout the process. The dog will eventually learn that begging is not rewarded and will exhibit the desired … Read more

Common Dog Training Terms

Black and Tan English Shepherd

This article provides a glossary of common dog training terms to help dog owners better understand the principles and techniques of dog training. It covers terms related to canine behavior, obedience, and positive reinforcement training. Glossary Here’s a glossary of common dog training terms: Reinforcement: A consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior … Read more

Training Case Study: Mouthing

Black and Tan English Shepherd

Elvis is a two-year-old rescue.  After getting his parasite load eliminated, his nutritional deficiency in balance, and his canine-human trust restored, Elvis and his handler started working on basic obedience and manageability.  Operant conditioning is a new concept to Elvis, but he is an enthusiastic learner and accepts the training well.    Early in the process, … Read more