No more choke chains. No more harsh verbal or physical corrections, stifled excitement, or \\\\\\\”stubborn\\\\\\\” Chihuahuas. Hooray! The dark years of training have ended, and a new era of positive, reward-based training has begun. Today\\\\\\\’s enjoyable training methods are just what the doctor (the veterinary animal behaviourist, that is) ordered, putting the dream of having a well-trained Chihuahua within reach of everybody.
No excuses!
\\\\\\\”I\\\\\\\’d train my dog but I just don\\\\\\\’t have time.\\\\\\\” \\\\\\\”I can\\\\\\\’t find a training classnearby.\\\\\\\” \\\\\\\”He doesn\\\\\\\’t require training.\\\\\\\” Excuses, excuses, excuses! What\\\\\\\’s this about toys not requiring training? Just because the Chihuahua isn\\\\\\\’t hefty, robust, or tall doesn\\\\\\\’t imply a little manners wouldn\\\\\\\’t be beneficial in the home. In some cases, a command like \\\\\\\”Wait\\\\\\\” or \\\\\\\”Come\\\\\\\” may be enough to save your Chihuahua\\\\\\\’s life in an emergency. It\\\\\\\’s easy to put off anything you\\\\\\\’ve never done before, especially if you believe it will be difficult or time-consuming. We\\\\\\\’ve all been procrastinators at some point in our lives. But when it comes to obedience training, there\\\\\\\’s no better time than now. So no more excuses! Train for yourself and your Chihuahua!
Time Commitment.
Training just takes a few minutes of your time distributed throughout the day. In fact, you may incorporate some form of training into every interaction with your Chihuahua. For example, you can practice on your Chihuahua\\\\\\\’s sit every time you feed her or give her a treat. \\\\\\\”Wait\\\\\\\” can be worked on every time you let her out of her kennel. In addition, while playing with your Chihuahua, you can practise skills like \\\\\\\”Take it,\\\\\\\” \\\\\\\”Give,\\\\\\\” and \\\\\\\”Fetch.\\\\\\\” All you need is a basic grasp of how to train your Chihuahua.
Old dogs can learn new tricks. In fact, because their focus is more directed, an older dog is more likely to pay attention to what you ask of him and may acquire a skill faster than a hyperactive youngster.
Classes
Finding a training class that provides positive, reward-based training is getting easier as the benefits of this approach gain more attention. However, you may find that you live in an area that has yet to adopt this new, successful method of training (which has actually been around since the 1980s), or you may live in a distant section of the country. Not an issue. You\\\\\\\’ll find an astonishing quantity of training guides, particularly training videos, to assist you learn the fundamentals on your own.
Benefits of Well-Trained Chi
Where to start? A puppy Chi (or one still learning the ropes of housetraining) that understands to wait will not rush out of her box with poopy paws first thing in the morning. The Chihuahua that understands she must sit or lie down before you can place her dish in front of her eliminates feeding spillage (from an enthusiastic dog). And a Chi who will lie calmly in a down while you eat dinner will never beg.
A well-trained Chihuahua is not only a pleasure to possess, but also to bring with you wherever dogs are permitted. That includes road trips! Knowing that your Chihuahua will follow basic orders makes travelling by vehicle or airline safer. A well-trained Chihuahua is also more likely to be accepted into other people\\\\\\\’s households.
Can training assist my timid older dog?
Absolutely. Training is a confidence-building activity for your Chihuahua. She learns to trust that you would never put her in danger. As a result, she feels safer, learns new talents that she knows will delight you, and, most significantly, grows self-confidence.
Then there\\\\\\\’s the benefit of developing a much stronger bond with your dog. Owners that teach their pups and dogs spend quality time with them. It is understandable that the attachment would be considerably stronger in this case than if the owner did not have time to spend with his dog. Furthermore, teaching your Chihuahua effectively promotes your leadership in the dog-human interaction. You\\\\\\\’ll also appreciate how smart and clever your Chihuahua is.
Selecting a Training Collar
The greatest collar for your Chi will be one that fits snugly—in other words, one she can\\\\\\\’t get out of—but is also comfy and won\\\\\\\’t damage or restrict her fragile windpipe. The following sections discuss some of the most common types of training collars used with Chihuahuas.
Slip collars
If you can believe it, some trainers still insist that a Chihuahua puppy wear a metal choke chain or a nylon slip collar while training. A trainer with exceptional expertise and a light touch may be able to utilise this training gear successfully; but, for the most of us, one pop with one of these collars might practically flip your Chiaround or injure her neck spine. Ouch!
A dog that appears stubborn or resistant to training has most likely endured negative reinforcement training, such as using a choke chain. Once a Chihuahua\\\\\\\’s passion for training is dampened in this way, it is extremely difficult—if not impossible—to rekindle that excitement and drive to please.
These slip collars (metal chain or nylon) are too harsh for Chihuahuas since they constrict around the Chi\\\\\\\’s neck (thus the name \\\\\\\”choke\\\\\\\” chain). The collar operates by detecting the uptake of the chains and alerting the dog to the impending punishment (pop) unless he immediately identifies and corrects the problem. Negative reinforcement training, in which a dog wants to avoid punishment, can be highly effective. But, at what cost? Small dogs are easily harmed and scared, and they lose interest fast in training.
Better choices
Simple flat buckle collars or adjustable collars with snap closures are excellent training collar options. These collars do not cause harm to the Chi, and the larger the collar, the less pressure is imposed on the Chi\\\\\\\’s neck structure if she hits the end of the leash sometimes. An adjustable collar is another fantastic option, especially if you have a puppy who may require two different collar sizes before she is finished growing. Because the Chihuahua will never exert much pressure on the collar, you don\\\\\\\’t have to worry about the clip\\\\\\\’s strength as much as a large-breed dog owner would.
Another collar to consider is a greyhound collar. This collar is made up of two pieces: a broader band that almost completely encircles the dog\\\\\\\’s neck and a slip of nylon or light chain that loops between the ends of the wider band. When the dog struggles against the collar, it tightens; however, because the throat band is relatively wide, the Chihuahua is not choked or injured. This type of collar also prevents a Chi from backing out of it (pushing backwards till the collar snaps off over her head).
Collars come in a variety of materials, including flat and rolled leather, nylon web, and cotton-covered nylon. Rolled leather rubs the dog\\\\\\\’s coat the least and lasts the longest (unless gnawed by the puppy). Nylon web is strong and available in a wide range of colours, although it can rub off on soft coats. Adding a cotton cover expands your styling possibilities but is less durable. The cover will need to be washed and will fray over time.
A harness can also be used quite successfully on a Chihuahua. The harness has a chest band that wraps around the front of the dog\\\\\\\’s chest and a second band that fits beneath the chest behind the elbows. A dog You cannot back out of a harness. A Chi is not so large that pulling is an issue, and the harness guarantees that you do not accidently harm the dog\\\\\\\’s neck. However, the harness must be fitted to the dog to ensure that it is comfortable and does not rub or restrict the Chi\\\\\\\’s movements in any way.
Fundamentals of Operant Conditioning
The premise behind operant conditioning is that an animal can be trained to perform a particular behaviour. This conditioning is done by either rewarding the dog for displaying the desired behaviour or penalising the dog for exhibiting an incorrect behaviour.
In the first technique, the dog performs the behaviour to please you. Inappropriate behaviours are eliminated since the dog does not receive any pleasure or reward (your praise) when she engages in them. The second strategy involves the dog doing a specific behaviour to avoid discomfort. Punishing all incorrect attempts shapes appropriate behaviour.
Both procedures produce equivalent outcomes. A dog learns just as quickly with negative or positive reinforcement. According to studies, the dog\\\\\\\’s retention rate is comparable between the two approaches. However, with negative reinforcement, the Chihuahua performs not to please you, but to avoid pain. Dogs trained in this manner frequently demonstrate it in their demeanour. Their performances are subpar, and the clear joy seen in a dog trained with positive reinforcement is absent. Negative reinforcement training offers little to strengthen the human-dog link and does not capitalise on the Chihuahua\\\\\\\’s great desire to please her owner.
Primary and Secondary Reinforcements.
Positive, reward-based training uses both primary and secondary reinforcements. The major reinforcement is the dog\\\\\\\’s ultimate motivation or reward for doing the task you\\\\\\\’ve assigned to her—your physical praise. The most valued incentive for dogs is physical praise, such as stroking, petting, and embracing. Treats, toys, or a quick game of tug can also be utilised as a reward for completing a task with exceptional success. Don\\\\\\\’t overlook the ultimate reward: gentle physical attention.
If you want your Chi to be a showdog in the future, start training him or her as a puppy.
In positive, reward-based training, a secondary or conditioned reinforcement indicates that the dog is doing something correctly and that a primary reinforcement is on the way. Verbal praise, such as \\\\\\\”Yes!\\\\\\\” is one of the most prevalent secondary conditioning methods used in dog training.\\\\\\\” or \\\\\\\”Good!\\\\\\\”Other incredibly effective secondary conditioners include treats, clickers, and toys.
Free Shaping.
When rewarding the good and ignoring the bad, the Chihuahua must demonstrate the desired behaviour before you can reward her. One method is to wait for the dog to perform the behaviour on her own and then treat her. This process is known as free shaping.
Primary and secondary reinforcements for a negative training strategy would be the sound of the chain collar tightening or the mild buzz of an electric collar (secondary reinforcement), as well as the acute choke of the tight collar or the full shock of the electric collar.
For example, if your Chi likes to sit a lot, you can use this to help your dog understand the command \\\\\\\”Sit!\\\\\\\”\\\\\\\” and truly sitting. You would start by saying, \\\\\\\”Sit!\\\\\\\”\\\\\\\”When your Chi is sitting, reward her with your preferred secondary reinforcement, followed by physical praise (rub, pat, love). After a day or two of saying \\\\\\\”Sit\\\\\\\” anytime your Chi sits, you will say \\\\\\\”Sit!\\\\\\\”When you catch your Chi while sitting.\\\\\\\” Click and pat. You would then proceed to exclaim, \\\\\\\”Sit!\\\\\\\”\\\\\\\”when your Chi is juststarting to sit, followed by\\\\\\\” Sit!\\\\\\\”when you know your Chi is going to sit,and finally,\\\\\\\” Sit!\\\\\\\” When your Chi is focused on you and you want her to sit.
Using Food Lures.
Waiting for a Chihuahua to exhibit the necessary behaviour on her own can take too long. Perhaps your Chi isn\\\\\\\’t producing the desired behaviour. In these circumstances, employing a small amount of food as a lure to shape your Chihuahua into place is extremely successful, nonconfrontational (if the dog has a tendency to fight your leadership), and nonthreatening. Thesit is an excellent example of how a food lure may be used to alter behaviour. With one hand holding the Chi\\\\\\\’s collar and the other holding a reward, you would slowly slide the treat from the tip of your dog\\\\\\\’s nose over her head, skimming closely over her muzzle and crown. By the time the treat gets overhead or between the ears, the dog will have folded back on her hind legs, resulting in a beautiful sit.
For the sake of simplicity, a secondary or conditioned reinforcement shall be referred to as \\\\\\\”click,\\\\\\\” whether it be a snap of the fingers, a clicker, a cluck of the tongue, or a \\\\\\\”Okay!\\\\\\\”\\\\\\\” The major reinforcement—treat, ball, or play, followed by physical praise—will be known as pat.
When shaping the correct behaviour using a food lure, timing is critical. Just as with free shaping, you should only issue the command when the dog is in the proper position. So, for the sit, you would not say \\\\\\\”Sit!\\\\\\\”\\\\\\\” till your Chi was firmly on her haunches. You\\\\\\\’d then click and pat.
Repetition is essential for the dog to not only recognise what you want her to do, but also to gain confidence that she is doing the right thing each and every time. Many rookie (and seasoned!) trainers fail because they don\\\\\\\’t emphasise every phase of the Process is sufficient. Every trainer has a percentage, but it is widely agreed that the dog must do the required behaviour accurately and confidently at least eight out of ten times before moving on to the next phase.
Small Steps for Success
In addition to not giving enough right repetitions of an activity, another typical error is raising more than one variable at once, which sets the dog up for a mistake. Of course, as a trainer, you\\\\\\\’ll need to understand which factors are involved in the activity you\\\\\\\’re working on.
Setting a dog up for success is designing an exercise in which the dog cannot fail. Free shaping and lure shaping both include this principle well, as long as the handler gradually increases the complexity of the activity.
For example, with the sit-stay, your variables are time and distance. You would never want to raise your expectations for both the period of time your Chi must remain in a sit and the distance you walk away from her. Instead, you may extend the time you want your Chi to sit by thirty seconds, for a total of ninety seconds. When she can do this correctly (and confidently) nine times out of ten, you can raise the second variable, distance. Depending on where your Chi was during this exercise, you may need to take an extra step away from her for a total of four steps.
Location is a frequently forgotten variable. If your Chihuahua sits dependably on command anywhere in the house, it does not follow that she will sit on command when you are watching your children play football. When introducing a new variable to the mix, begin at the beginning. If you are working on a sit, start with the lure to mould it. You will make more progress this time, but you are also preparing your dog for success by giving her an easier, confidence-building assignment.
How to Choose a Good Trainer
Are you getting confused by all of these technical training terms?Do not worry. It\\\\\\\’s not vital to recall the exact phrases, but you should understand how your dog learns and the best technique to training. A essential for rookie trainers is to find a professional dog trainer or training club with professionals who can teach you how to train your dog.
Training Method
One of the most significant qualities to look for in a training facility is how they educate. Positive, reward-based training is essential for the Chihuahua, even if you consider it a problem. This breed is easily scared, and the relationship between handler and dog is readily broken if the handler employs severe training methods, including harsh verbal reprimand.
If you want to find out if a trainer or training institution uses positive, reward-based training, ask to witness a class. Look for the collars that the trainer or institution recommends or demands. If you notice choking chains and a trainer insisting on physical corrections, run. If you see nylon slipcollars but no students popping their dogs, ask the trainer if flat-buckle collars are OK for toy breeds. Slip collars are sometimes required by trainers to ensure that a dog does not back out of his collar and cause mayhem.
How are the dogs segregated in the classroom?
Toy breeds might become targets for larger, more aggressive dogs. Problem dogs are in training sessions, which is where they should be, yet their owners regularly lose control of their dogs. Trainers will occasionally provide separate lessons for toy and small breeds, or at a
At the very least, they will ensure that aggressive dogs receive separate training.
Check to determine if the owners are employing incentives, toys, or clickers to mould behaviours. Some schools only allow verbal praise and use restricted physical corrections. You want to be able to give your Chihuahua the incentive that delights him the most.
Where to look?
To reduce your search, start by asking your veterinarian for recommendations. If your breeder is in your region, he can provide you with a solid referral. Another option is your local shelter or Chihuahua breed rescue. These people are in the business of helping dogs find permanent, loving homes, which requires a lot of problem solving. They\\\\\\\’ll know who to contact in your region.
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) is another resource for finding certified trainers—those who have met particular training qualifications. You can contact this national professional organisation for referrals to trainers in your region. Before you hire a trainer, make sure he or she enjoys dealing with Chihuahuas, uses the teaching approach you prefer, and you get along well with the trainer.