Do you need help training your German shepherd? If so, keep reading. Professional dog trainer, Nate Schoemer, has shared some of his best dog training methods to show you exactly how to train your dog to do almost anything.
In his video, he presents the psychological techniques he uses to train dogs and shows you how to do it, too. He demonstrates exactly how you can teach your dog obedience skills or even tricks in a way that is fun and effective.
It doesn’t matter if you’re teaching your dog something new or you need to correct a behavior, his methods work because they are highly motivating for the dog. They are also low-pressure because they are enjoyable for both of you.
As you watch Nate, you’ll be able to follow along as he demonstrates the methods he uses to train dogs to perform many different commands. As he demonstrates, he explains his methods in a way that is very easy to understand.
His introduction will teach you what self-motivating behavior is and how he uses it in dog training. He’ll then show you how you begin to motivate your dog. Implementing this technique will help you keep your dog excited about learning.
Self-motivating behavior incorporates:
- Motivation
The first step in training your dog to perform a command is to understand that everything your dog does or doesn’t do is based on motivation or self-reinforcing behavior.
- Timing
Understanding the importance of timing. When your dog performs a behavior, you have one second to let them know you want them to repeat the good behavior or never to repeat a particular behavior.
- Reward
Reward the dog for performing the command correctly using a treat, toy, or affection after performing the command correctly or after marking the behavior with a sound or word.
One of his examples using the sit command:
In the video, you’ll watch as Nate teaches a dog to sit. Notice, that the second the dog’s tail end hits the ground, the timer starts, and he explains that he has one second to “mark” the command by using a clicker or a word. The mark tells the dog they did it right. He then follows the mark with a reward.
When marking a behavior, dogs are motivated because they learn to anticipate a reward when they hear the click or word. Marking the behavior is valuable because it always “predicts the primary,” according to Nate.
In other words, the dog knows that they will get a prize each time they hear the sound. Nate explains that the only reason the word or sound has any value to the dog is because of the value they predict. In other words, the dog learns they’ll get a reward when they do something right.
This type of training conditions the dog to anticipate a reward, which is a very powerful motivator. The science behind this method is based on Ivan Petrovich Pavlov’s famous classic conditioning experiments, which you are probably familiar with.
You may recall, Pavlov used a sound to reward dogs and the dogs would begin to salivate each time they heard the sound. Therefore, in marker training, it’s important to consistently use a mark and then reward the dog for doing it right.
Nate explains that timing the reward is also important. When using a mark, the dog should only receive the reward after they hear the sound to reinforce the conditioning. When not using a mark, the dog simply receives their reward after they perform the command.
Marking the behavior is how you immediately show the dog they performed the command correctly. Hearing the sound conditions them to understand they will soon get a reward for doing it.
After he explains the science behind the training, he goes on to break it down into these four repeatable steps, which can be used over and over to teach any command:
- Command
- Motivate
- Mark or reward (when not using marker training)
- Reward
But, before you start this training, there are four things you need to do first.
- Choose a reward. Determine the reward that motivates your dog. Choose something that they love. For example, some dogs love tasty liver treats while others prefer a toy.
- Teach them they will receive the reward when they hear a click or word. This is how you’ll teach them that they get the treat when they perform the command or after they hear the mark.
- Teach them how to perform the task. After those two steps are accomplished, you will teach your dog how to perform a task.
- Assign a command to the task. After they learn how to do something, you’ll assign a command to the task. For example, you’ll lead them into a sit and then teach them the sit command.
Nate is an excellent teacher and after you're done watching, it will be as though you’ve taken a dog training class. He’s even been kind enough to break down the training sections by timestamps so you can scroll through the video to find the training section that you need.
The topics he covers include:
Introduction to the science of dog training
04:54 - Marker training and the four quadrants of operant conditioning
17:08 - Engagement training (teaching the markers) explanation
25:15 - Engagement training (teaching the markers) demonstration
29:08 - Engagement training (teaching the markers) Additional demonstrations
34:16 - How to teach your dog to be proactive
37:48 - Luring, chasing, and power steering
45:46 - Sit 46:30 - Sit (Additional demonstrations)
48:43 – Down
49:42 - Down (Additional demonstrations)
52:17 - Stand
53:37 - Stand (Additional demonstrations)
58:06 - Heel
59:49 - Heel (Additional demonstrations)
01:02:55 - Come when called
01:04:42 - Come when called (Additional demonstrations)
01:06:23 - Climb and off
01:07:09 - Climb and off (Additional demonstrations)
01:08:07 – Spin
01:09:10 - Spin (Additional demonstrations)
01:10:08 - Backward walking
01:11:26 - Backward walking (Additional demonstrations)
01:15:42 – Center
01:16:42 - Center (Additional demonstration)
01:16:54 – Place
01:18:53 - Place (Additional demonstrations)
01:29:10 - Obedience session demonstration with luring
01:32:05 - Leash pressure training
01:41:34 - Leash pressure training (Additional demonstration)
01:49:51 - Teaching the verbal command
01:59:43 - Teaching the verbal command (Additional demonstrations)
02:10:38 - Teaching the stay command
02:20:02 - Loose leash walking
02:35:41 - How to remove treats from training
02:36:42 - Teaching reliability
We hope you enjoy this video and it helps you improve your training skills. As always, please feel free to share it with your friends.
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