How to train a dog to command the voice of a shepherd. A good video about teaching "voice". How to prepare for training

07.06.2019

After buying an eared pet, most owners are wondering. You can train an animal as at home, if you feel you have sufficient strength and experience for this process, or with the help of a specialist.

Thanks to his professional knowledge, he will be able to professionally raise a dog. In today's article, we will introduce basic teaching commands for animals, how to encourage a pet to voice.

Basic training

Experts advise to start training the dog in the period from 2 to 4 months. Puppies learn educational programs faster than adult animals, therefore it is recommended to start training, not reaching the full formation of the individual.

But keep in mind that not all pets can give voice, so do not injure the dog if it does not want to learn, be more patient and restrained, do not express aggression.

It is required to start the preparation stage after mastering the elementary commands - next to me, fu, to me. The first workouts should take no more than 30 minutes 2-3 times a week, gradually increasing the time of education up to 1 hour.

It is necessary to choose a quiet place so that the dog is not distracted by unknown sounds, rustles, and smells. It is recommended to alternate training at home and on the street so that the pet in any unforeseen situation, regardless of where it occurs, does not get confused.

You do not need to repeat the same command many times, because if an animal is angry, it can completely abandon lessons.

It is required to consistently work out a set of commands, at the end of the lesson, repeating orders that have not been learned once. Don't overwork your pet. If you see that the animal is tired, stop training.

An obligatory attribute of the lesson is a treat for a four-legged friend. Treat him after completing the task correctly, stimulate the ward with affectionate words, praises, strokes.

Psychotype

Depending on the individual characteristics of the animal and personal characteristics, dogs are divided into the following categories:

Melancholic - inactive, calm, poorly mobile. Eagerly carries out commands, but if he sees fit. They react to receiving delicacies without enthusiasm. This type is quite difficult to train, it will take a lot of time.
The phlegmatic is an intelligent, thinking animal. In training, it does not lend itself to the upbringing process if the orders are monotonous, with frequent repetitions. They don't pay much attention to delicacies, they are more guided by the positive emotions of the owner.
The sanguine is a rather active pet, he knows how to independently control his worries. This type is the most optimal for training.
Choleric is a very active dog, inquisitive, which is why he can get into unpleasant situations. Amenable to education, but it will take time to curb the ubiquitous interest of the animal.

Popular ways

There are many methods for training a four-legged friend, here are examples of the most common training commands.

Interest

For quick education and assimilation of programs, it is required to awaken the attention of the puppy. This can be done with the help of your favorite pet's fun or a longed-for treat. Animals respond very well to an object of interest.

It is required to take fun in one hand and not give it away, beckoning and teasing. After that, implement the order with a voice, while the intonation should sound strictly.

If the student has followed the command, hand over the desired item. After a while, repeat the reception. This method is most commonly used in teaching.

Resentment

If your eared friend is not interested in a toy or treat, you should try the expression of disappointment exercise. This training is carried out, demonstratively showing the animal that you go for a walk, but without him, interfering in the corridor.

The ward will be puzzled. And at this time, say the command voice. The student must, with his bark, notify the owner of the desire to take a walk. The exercise can be repeated on the street, after tying the dog to a tree and trying to leave.

Irritation

The method of causing discontent with a four-legged friend is practiced by watchdogs, therefore, if your ward is not, you should not overwork him.

The essence of the exercise is that the dog is tightly tied, an entertaining object is placed nearby, which will surely interest the student.

During training, a rival appears, who walks, rubs near the desired thing, but in no case takes it, because the animal will have a feeling of inability to influence the prevailing circumstances. The irritating effect will force the dog to give a voice, thereby attracting the attention of the owner.

Imitation

There are times when it is quite difficult to accustom an animal to a voice command. More often this happens with phlegmatic and melancholic people. Such psychotypes are more difficult to obey training, they have their own opinion on everything or a lack of desire to fulfill the requirements.

To complete the program, you will need an animal that has already been trained to do the necessary exercises. First, the task is put forward for an experienced dog, she must quickly carry out the order, after which the standard is repeated for a less trained pet.

The essence of the lesson is that animals have a well-developed herd instinct and if one dog has completed the lesson, then the second, following an example, will certainly repeat the exercise.

Eavesdropping

This technique is similar to neurolinguistic programming, which is a technique for copying successful individuals. It is worth noticing in which cases the puppy barks and at this moment pronounce the command with a voice, subsequently treating him with a delicious delicacy. The dog will remember this moment and such a program will become a habit.

Encouragement

It has already been noted that you need to take treats with you to training for your ward. If the exercises are performed correctly, it is recommended to give the eared a delicacy, from which he is delighted.

The ward will remember that after the lesson they provide a treat and will be happy to make commands next time.

A place

Learning this exercise can sometimes save the life of an animal in an emergency. The puppy instinctively knows when he's scared to stay put. Therefore, the earlier you start learning, the easier the ward will learn the lesson.

It is worth starting upbringing from a sitting position, the baby should be on your left. Then pull on the collar and say the command while holding your palm in front of the pet's face. Wait 2-3 seconds.

If the animal is in the same place, praise it by gently stroking it and treating it to a treat. If the student got up. Repeat the technique, indicating to sit, and then a seat.

Errors

If you decide to conduct training on your own, respectively, you are not insured against oversights in the training process. Here are examples of the most common errors:

In no case give commands in an angry and distressed voice, our lesser friends really feel the emotions of a person and may misinterpret the task. Have patience, because the pet is a living creature and he does not always understand the whims of the owner.
Watch your intonation during the exercise, because it is important.
Consider the psychotype of the animal.
Take into account the individual characteristics of the pet, the breed.
Separate training and walking.
Don't repeat the same command over and over.
Try to train in familiar places so that nothing confuses your four-legged friend.
Train the animal to commands gradually, without overworking it.
Repetition of tasks should not bother the ward, it is necessary to draw up the program in such a way that the dog does not lose interest.
Before training, you need to walk the doggie, since the stagnant energy of the four-legged friend will interfere with the concentrated implementation of the lesson.

Result

If the dog from the first lessons began to carry out the given exercises, do not flatter yourself too much, because at the next training session, the puppy may generally refuse to execute the voice command, not seeing much sense in this or losing interest.

Alternate exercises using play. Don't expect quick results. Of course, the performance indicators are individual in each case, but you have to work hard before hone the commands you need.

Without training, the animal can become uncontrollable, therefore, if you decide to have a dog, consider the need to train the pet.

Every four-legged friend should know elementary commands, be it a mongrel, York, Husky, Spitz or Jack Russell Terrier. Well, if you chose a watchdog puppy, in this case, you will have to make an effort to train.

With the appearance of a puppy in the house, training begins with the commands: "Fu", "You can't", "Place". For service breeds, it is much wider. It is interesting and useful to teach the dog the Voice command for the owner, in everyday life to help scare away the enemy from the house, to become a signal for attention. Demonstration of the ability to bark on command does not leave indifferent any spectator.

A dog barking means a message: "There is something here!", "I feel danger!", "Stop!"

It has been established that animal training should take place at the age of 2 - 4 months, honing skills up to a year. At an older age, they are less amenable to learning. The owner should not express aggression and discontent, and if successful, always encourage it with a delicacy and a couple of words of praise. A natural inability can prevent a dog from learning to voice at home, this applies to such breeds as: Husky, Russian Greyhound, Shar Pei, Collie, Newfoundland, Basenji. They make different sounds than traditional barking, so it is best to take them to group sessions. Seeing what their relatives are doing, they will involuntarily begin to repeat, the "flock" effect will work.

Teaching a dog to execute the “Voice” command means teaching it to analyze logical chains of actions, to objectively assess the situation, to understand where and when it should give a voice. With the wrong training, the pet can perceive the command as an attempt to act for the sake of a treat.

The necessary conditions

The training of the “Voice” command must be in a good mood. Do it not only at home, but also on the street, so that the dog obeys you under any circumstances. Start at 30 minutes, gradually working your training time up to 1 hour. Always bring treats with you.

The monotonous practice of one command can tire the dog, she will refuse to follow it, she will not be interested, so repeat everything you learned earlier during the lesson. Pronunciation should be clear, loud and strict. Try to get it right the first time, without repetition or persuasion. Do not allow this: “Voice! The voice I said. Voice! Kid, come on, Voice! " This is a manifestation of gentleness, and the dog must understand who the owner is. After successful completion, always praise, iron, and treat yummy.

). You must follow them regardless of which command or trick you decide to work out. Today we will tell you why the ability of a pet to bark on demand is useful, how to teach a dog the command "voice" and avoid mistakes.

Say "woof": why do dogs bark

Wolves, the closest relatives of our tailed friends, are not very talkative. Feral dogs hardly bark either. In the wild, excess noise can attract enemies or frighten off prey. Scientists agree that dogs use barking as a means of communicating with people... Several millennia of domestication have introduced into the repertoire of four-legged pets and other means of communication: groans, snorting, sniffling. But barking remains the king of communication, it has more than forty meanings. An attentive owner is able to determine the reason for the barking of his pet by intonation, volume and frequency of sound.

Talking Dogs and Silent Dogs

Not all dogs are equally talkative. In a number of breeds, humans deliberately achieved characteristic acoustic qualities. Watchdogs should notify about the appearance of a stranger, hunting dogs - to drive the game. Rescue dogs (St. Bernards) give their voice only when necessary. But there are no dogs that cannot be taught to bark on command! Working with the quiet ones will simply take more time and observation. The Basenji is the only breed in the world that does not know how to bark, replacing the classic "woof" with peculiar sounds. Therefore, forget about the myth about unteachable dogs, be patient, and everything will work out.

When and how to start teaching a dog the voice command

The command "voice" is included in the general training course (OKD), but is not mandatory for passing the standards. Learning should be started after mastering the basic commands:

"sit";
"to me";
"Ugh".

At the age of 4-5 months, the puppy is already quite capable of learning to bark on demand. Kids are easily excitable, prone to noisy expressions of feelings, so they learn science quickly enough. Remember: barking is closely related to the emotions of the animal. The main task is to find the right stimulus that causes the desired reaction. Stop words (no, that's enough) and reward markers (good, smart, yes) will become indispensable helpers in the process. Training begins in a familiar environment for the pet (at home or in the yard). After the first successes, the task is complicated, they work out the team during walks, in the presence of other people and animals.

How to teach your dog the voice command: basic methods and step-by-step instructions

Aiming method

The owner by his actions pushes the dog to the required behavior. The method is good in that it makes the skills being practiced necessary for the dog itself, quickly forms a logical chain between the command and the action being performed.

There are dogs who are ready to sell their soul for a piece of meat (taste reward) or a favorite toy (play reward). Observe your pet. What brings him into a state of joyful excitement? It is this object or delicacy that we will use in training as a stimulus.

Flavoring encouragement:

Make sure the student's attention is entirely yours. To do this, you can execute a couple of commands already learned, for example, "give your paw" and "sit". Remember to encourage obedience;
sit the dog down and show him the treat;
firmly, but without rudeness, stop the glutton's attempts to get a piece yourself. Use stop words or mechanical action. Convenient when the dog is wearing a collar with a leash. You simply fix the length of the leash by stepping on it with your foot, thereby limiting the dog's freedom of movement;
clearly give the command "voice" and tease the dog with a piece a little. In most four-legged animals, such a vile provocation causes indignation: in order to get what he wants, the dog begins to bark;
Praise your pet immediately with enthusiasm, repeat the command (okay, “voice,” okay) and give the coveted delicacy.

Game encouragement

Involve the pet in the game with the object, provoke it;
young dogs, especially puppies, tire quickly and lose interest. Here it is important to catch the peak of excitement: the moment when the dog is as keen on the toy as possible;
pick up the item and give the command without stopping the flirting;
after the pet barks, praise and continue the game.

Important: To avoid the formation of incorrect associations in the future, never encourage barking on your own as a demand for food, attention, or aggression. Praise your dog just for following your command!

In addition to the command, enter any gesture that is convenient for you (snap fingers, movement of the hand). When the student begins to master the vocal requirement, supplement it with this gesture.

A way of imitation.

How to teach a dog the command "voice" if he does not want to bark? Use a way of imitation. Dogs are social animals, and the “do as I do” principle works flawlessly. Therefore, teaching in a group is always faster and easier than in individual lessons.

sit next to an already trained dog and a beginner;
say "voice" loudly;
praise and treat the “senior comrade” for completing the command;
it will take time before the ignoramus realizes what exactly he is not being praised for. As soon as the coveted "woof" sounds, immediately praise the dog and feed him a treat.

Alternative Methods for Learning the Voice Command

Behavior selection method.

Did your dog bark? Give the command and reward after barking again. Better to catch the moment when he is just about to give a voice. This method is also effective in the "opposite direction", for weaning from excessive barking. With practice, the animal will understand that making noise on command is much more profitable than just doing it.

Method of defensive reactions.

Some sources advise, when teaching the "voice" command, to use the services of an assistant who will portray a robber or attacker. It is strictly forbidden to use this method for self-training! The slightest mistake will turn into a big disaster in the future: the dog may start barking and throwing himself at people who are simply walking towards him or, conversely, become a coward. If this method "sunk into the soul" to you - contact a dog handler and continue training under the guidance of a professional.

Three-fold "woof": why is it needed

There are several effective ways to teach a shepherd to voice command. To choose the tactics on which the training will be based, one must proceed from the characteristics of the psyche, temperament and age of the animal.

Dogs participating in search and rescue and guard activities, as well as those used for arrest, are required to be taught to voice identification. Sheepdogs, which are not planned to be involved in official activities (army, police, customs services, Ministry of Emergency Situations), need not be taught this command. It is not included in the basic course of obedience.

Education

It is known that some dog breeds are more prone to excessive barking than others. German Shepherds are bark-loving breeds. They are naturally easily excitable, hyperactive and often have a choleric temperament. They quickly develop positive conditioned reactions, in contrast to skills that require endurance and patience. It takes a minimum of time to consolidate the skill, even at home.

Motivation

To teach the German Shepherd to command the voice, it is advisable to use an object that causes maximum excitement. For shepherd dogs, a toy is a motivational item. Pullers, balls and various apports bring the shepherd dogs into a state of natural excitement and make them want to grab their prey.

A food stimulus rarely elicits this response in an adult shepherd, but it can be used to train small puppies to bark.

Having decided on the motivation, you need to choose a teaching method. You can teach a dog to command the voice by using the instincts originally laid down in every shepherd.

Prey instinct

It is very easy to teach a Veo or a German using the innate passion for hunting. The procedure should be as follows:

The dog is shown a toy that arouses his interest. This should be done until the dog's attention is completely focused on the stimulus.
The toy remains within sight, but is removed from the dog's reach. It is best to raise it higher.
A voice command is given. If in the future it is planned to use a gesture, then it must be shown from the first lesson.

The dog's initial reaction is to grab the toy with its teeth. She will try to jump to her or reach her in other ways. Once convinced that this is not possible, the animal will begin to show signs of anxiety. May begin to whine, yelp, or make other sounds (not barking). When this happens, the dog handler needs to actively cheer up the shepherd, prompting for further action, until she begins to give a voice with a loud bark.

For the first time, a short bark for a few seconds is sufficient. As soon as the dog barks, they quickly give the toy and praise it very emotionally. A short hauling game (no longer than a couple of minutes) can be used as a reward.

Subsequently, the barking time is increased and the stimulus is removed by switching to food reward.

Gregarious instinct

When teaching, the method of imitation is used. This is the best way to teach your puppy to voice.

For training, you will need a non-aggressive dog that flawlessly fulfills the command with a voice. In the presence of a Veo puppy or a German shepherd, a command is given to an adult animal, for which the dog is treated with a treat.

A healthy, active puppy will definitely try to get food. Having tried several methods to no avail, after a while he will bark together with an adult dog. For casting a vote, he is quickly praised, stroked and given encouragement.

After the puppy starts barking, every time an adult shepherd does it, they begin to give him the command separately.

Defense instinct

The dog is deliberately provoked to aggression, imitating an attack, and forced to defend itself, driving off offenders by barking.

You can use this method when teaching the command the voice of a German shepherd dog only under the guidance of an experienced dog handler. Otherwise, there is a risk of provoking a nervous breakdown.

Difficulties

Despite the fact that the German and East European Shepherd Dogs are considered among the most intelligent breeds, the trainer runs the risk of encountering difficulties in training. They can be caused by various reasons - from gross errors of the dog handler to the peculiarities of the dog's nervous activity.

Possible difficulties and ways to overcome them:

The dog tries to take the toy away from the handler by force. Attach a leash to the fence or have an assistant restrain the dog.
The dog makes no attempt to take possession of the toy or quickly loses interest in it. We need to work to increase motivation and replace the toy. Some dogs have to use non-standard stimuli to train them. Particularly phlegmatic dogs, so that they are interested and start barking, you need to show the cat.
Shepherd does not bark in the presence of the owner - too strong pressure from the hand of the guide.

It is necessary to increase contact with the owner in parallel with dog training.
The above methods are used to train German Shepherds, Belgian, VEO. But these methods are not always applicable to aboriginal breeds - Central Asian and Caucasian Shepherd Dogs. It is more difficult to teach an Alabai to give voice at the signal of a dog handler than a dog of another breed.

An Alabai or Caucasian puppy begins to be trained from an early age. Age up to 7 months is considered optimal. When dogs of these breeds are most susceptible to play and food motivation. Training of Caucasian and Central Asian shepherd dogs older than this age requires an existing system of motivation, formed addiction (play, food) or solid cynological experience.

Cynologists believe that to teach a dog the command "Voice!" you can, but not all pets need this skill. With the wrong approach to the learning process, the opposite effect manifests itself. The dog, expecting praise, barks incessantly, disturbing everyone around. Therefore, you should work with the animal in parallel in two directions. It is necessary to simultaneously train the pet to execute two commands: "Voice!" and "Quiet!"

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Basic rules of training

For service dogs the command "Voice!" is the basic standard. Cynologists recommend starting to work with a pet in early childhood. The best time to teach a dog the Voice! Command is considered to be between 2 and 4 months of age. Although it is often possible to achieve success by working with an already quite adult dog. The puppy is taught to give voice after mastering the commands "Near!", "Fu!", "Come to me!".

Classes are carried out regularly for 20-30 minutes, gradually increasing the training time to an hour. Teaching a new team is alternated with consolidating already worked skills so as not to overwork the animal.

During training, the owner needs to be calm, balanced. Shouts and punishments have a negative effect. But the puppy reacts quickly to encouragement and praise, understanding what is required of him. It is effective to use a treat as a reward for doing it right.

Three ways to train

There are certain techniques to teach your dog to bark on command:

1. "Eavesdropping".
2. Imitation.
3. Provocation.

All of them are based on the fact that while the pet barks you need to say the word "Voice!" and treat him to.

"Eavesdropping"

This is the easiest way. It does not require a specially allotted time, attachment to a specific place. Everything happens naturally:

1. The owner closely monitors the animal.
2. Hearing the sound of barking, he utters the command "Voice!".
3. Then, as a reward for fulfilling the order, gives the pet a treat.

Imitation

This method requires the participation of another dog, which has already been trained to bark on command. You need to show your pet how easy it is to get a treat. Watching the other dog respond by barking at the command "Voice!" and receives a treat for this, the puppy is also trying to earn a treat.

The difficulty of using this method is that it is not always possible to communicate with the owners of other dogs. The characters of the dogs are also aggressive, which makes the puppy nervous and stressed.

Provocation

People who are busy at work do not have the opportunity to observe the pet all day. Not always during the free evening two or three hours, the pet barks on its own initiative. Therefore, it is recommended to provoke barking artificially:

1. Show, but not give a favorite toy.
2. Pick up a treat, but keep it at a distance, not allowing you to reach for it.
3. Put the puppy on a leash for a walk and pretend not to take it with them.
4. Ask a stranger to annoy the animal, making an attempt to take away the toy.

Each owner has many of his own options for how you can get the pet to give a voice. It is important to have time to pronounce the command at this moment and encourage by giving a treat, toy or stroking it.

Features of training dogs of different breeds

Each animal has individual qualities, character, abilities. They are laid down initially, at the genetic level, and are associated with the breed. Differences in training are pronounced:

german shepherd;
labrador;
husky;
blue spitz.

The general rules of training are followed for all breeds of dogs.

German Shepherd

Possessing a natural mind, a dog of this breed quickly and easily understands what the owner requires of it. Like the rest, it is better to train her in childhood. But the shepherd is able to learn to execute commands even in adulthood. This sets her apart from other dogs.

Such dogs by nature understand when it is necessary to give a voice in order to attract the attention of a person. Sheepdog often makes decisions on its own, reacts quickly and correctly in difficult situations. However, one should not trust too much the natural abilities of the pet: daily training and activities will certainly benefit him.

Labrador

This breed is easy to train. A calm and balanced dog will not bark for no reason. But it makes sense to teach him to cast a voice in case of suspicious noises or aggression of strangers directed at the owner and his family members. Usually, the result is achieved quickly, without much difficulty.

For a tasty animal, he is ready to fulfill any order of the owner. Labradors are called food workers for this tendency. Therefore, you need to prepare more delicacies for classes, then it will be more successful. But it is worth remembering that the Labrador will try to get more and do less. The trainer during training will have to be careful not to fall for the tricks of the cunning.