Why Is My Dog's Personality Important To Consider When Dog Training?

When training a dog, it is imperative to determine which combination of personality traits the dog possesses. This is important for a number of reasons. First, it will give you an indication of how your dog will respond to training. Second, it will let you develop and employ the proper attitude and demeanor while carrying out exercises. Third, this knowledge will help you determine what training equipment will enhance your success.

For example, when teaching the dog to lie down and stay (called the "down-stay"), you will get different reactions from dogs with different personalities. A dominant dog will resist this exercise because lying down is a dog's most submissive body posture. A submissive dog will do this exercise much more readily. (This creature spends much of his time on his back in the submissive down position anyway.) The extrovert will want to break the down-stay to greet every person who enters the room. The shy dog may also want to break the down-stay when someone enters the room - to go hide under the end table.

When the dog does break the down-stay, you may be able to correct the pain-sensitive dog physically with only one shake on the scruff of the neck. This will convince him not to break the stay. You may have to repeat this correction several times to convince the pain-insensitive dog that he must not move. If this dog doesn't deem a shake on the scruff of the neck disagreeable, you may have to employ a correction that is perhaps a bite on the muzzle or a jerk-and-release on the training collar.

During obedience training, your dog's personality should also dictate your demeanor and body posture. A firm, even-toned "NHAA" may convince your submissive dog to abort movement and remain in the down-stay. You may be able to deliver this "NHAA" while sitting in your easy chair and still get a good response from the dog. On the other hand, you may have to remain standing, hovering over your dominant dog while growling a harsh, threatening "NHAA" to convince this animal of what you want. Your voice alone may not do the trick and you may have to accompany your "NHAA" with the noise of a shake can.

And lastly, the personality of the dog you are training should determine the training equipment you choose. For example, when teaching controlled walking you may find that an extremely pain sensitive and submissive dog will respond to the exercise in order to avoid jerks on a buckle collar. A dog who is moderately pain sensitive but has tendencies toward being dominant may require the jerk and release of a metal training collar to achieve the same results. A highly pain-insensitive dog may require a pinch collar before he will respond to the controlled walking exercise.