Methods - Lure, Shape and Capture

The basic skills any dog should know

• Sit
• Stay
• Come
• Heel
• Fetch
• Leave
• Settle

 
Dog training involves communication between dog and owner to set boundaries and guide behaviour. A key part of successful training is providing clear leadership and consistent responses. The owner should avoid allowing their dog to lead a situation. Owners should remain confident and speak with conviction, showing no fear in order to demonstrate authority. Positive reinforcement techniques such as fusses and treats for good behaviour can be used to encourage desired responses from the dog, whilst negative reinforcement such as a clap of the hands, a loud “no” or a direct and meaningful walk at the dog, can be used to mark bad behaviours. Training should involve consistency and repetition, as this will reinforce learned behaviours that are beneficial for both the owner and the dog. No means no, and yes means yes.
 
Positive reinforcement means that when the dog performs the desired behaviour (sitting, laying down, staying, coming etc), it will be rewarded with treats, praise, and other forms of positive attention. This is the simplest, easiest, and quickest method to achieve, encourage and/or discourage almost every skill or behaviour you could ever want from your dog.


 

The triad of dog training

Here are those three methods, and how you would use them to achieve a sit.
 

1. Luring: Using a treat, lure your pup into the sitting position by moving your hand in an upward motion over its head. Once they are in position, give them their reward and a pat on the head.

 

2. Shaping: Start by rewarding your pup for any movement toward sitting or for just recognizing that there's something desirable when they move in that direction. Gradually increase the criteria for rewards until your pup is consistently performing a full sit.

 

3. Capturing: Wait until your pup sits naturally then reward them immediately afterwards with treats and praise. This method encourages natural behaviors from your pup as rewards will always follow naturally performed behavior rather than learned behavior.

 
These 3 same methods can be used in exactly the same way to teach a sit, a down, a touch, a spin, a bow, a bark, a paw, recall, leave, and any number of other tricks and behaviours.

Once you begin training a skill, focus on that one skill for at least a week, with each training session lasting around 5 – 10 minutes. At most, I wouldn’t recommend trying to teach more than 2 new skills at any time, as this will just confuse your dog as you begin to progress in difficulty and make each challenge harder to solidify the skill. For younger dogs you will want to limited training sessions to a maximum of 5 minutes, and do a maximum of 10 sessions a day to ensure they do not become frustrated and/or rebellious!

Remember, it’s meant to be a ‘team game’, help your pup achieve the right outcome, which will help to make it fun - Short, sweet and simple. Don’t overcomplicate any lesson, and learn when to stop!

Now let’s go into depth on each of those methods:

Luring

Luring is a type of dog training that uses a food reward as an incentive for the dog to learn and perform desired behaviors. The trainer holds out the treat in front of the dog’s nose and directs them in the direction they want them to go, thus “luring” them into position. This technique can be effective because it produces quick results; however, there are both positives and negatives associated with luring.
 
The main benefit of this form of training is its ability to quickly motivate dogs that may not have responded well to other forms of reinforcement, such as verbal praise or petting. It also helps establish clear boundaries and commands that are easy for both the trainer and the pup to understand. Furthermore, using treats as a reward can help foster a positive relationship between humans and canines, since treats are often associated with something enjoyable.
 
That being said, there are also some potential negatives associated with this form of training. For starters, it can create an overly dependent atmosphere where the pup only responds when they know they will receive a treat afterwards. Additionally, if luring becomes overused it can become more difficult for trainers to transition away from it as their pups age. In extreme cases, puppies trained primarily through luring may develop undesirable behaviors such as counter-surfing or begging for food when their owners eat at the dinner table.
 
To ensure that these issues don't arise when using luring as part of your overall training strategy, remember to use alternate rewards such as verbal praise or petting once your pup has learned a new behavior. Additionally be sure to practice commands often enough so your pup doesn't forget what you've taught them and you don't have to constantly rely on food rewards each time you ask them to perform a command. Finally, don't forget that consistency is key - make sure all family members follow through on commands in order for your pup to learn most effectively!
 

Shaping

Shaping, in dog training, is a form of conditioning that involves rewarding the desired behaviour instead of punishing undesired behaviours. It is a technique that helps to modify behaviour by reinforcing successive approximations of the desired response. In shaping, small steps are taken towards achieving the ultimate goal, allowing dogs to learn at their own pace and in an environment where positive reinforcement is used more than punishment.

The positives of this type of dog training are numerous. Shaping encourages a deep bond between trainer and pup as they work together towards their shared goal; it also allows for faster progress through successive approximations; it helps dogs learn behaviors more reliably; and it empowers them with a sense of accomplishment and responsibility.

However, there can be some negatives associated with shaping if not done properly. If too many rewards are given for the same behavior or if reward criteria is set too low, those behaviors may be over-reinforced and become problematic. Additionally, there can be issues with operant conditioning when dogs become fixated on certain behaviors or reward items due to over-training or lack of attention to other behaviors or activities.
 
To help avoid any issues from occurring during shaping sessions, trainers should make sure to only reward when appropriate and keep expectations realistic based on the pup’s skill level. They should also pay attention to body language cues indicating boredom or stress in order to ensure the pup remains engaged throughout each session. Additionally, it’s important to mix up rewards so that pups don’t become fixated on certain items (such as treats) rather than responding to their owners’ verbal commands. Finally, trainers should never use physical punishment while using this type of conditioning as this will only create negative associations rather than reinforcing desired behaviors.

 

Capturing

Capturing is a popular method of dog training that centers around rewarding the desired behavior. It involves capturing the desired result rather than trying to shape it through the use of treats or other rewards. The idea is that instead of rewarding a specific action, you reward the result you desire.
 
The positives of this method are that it can be effective and relatively easy to teach a dog new behaviors with this technique. As long as you consistently reward the desired results, your pup will be encouraged to learn what you wish them to do. Another plus is that this form of training does not require any physical force or coercion, thus eliminating potential for harm or distress.
 
The negatives of this approach are that it doesn't give any direction on how to achieve the desired result and can leave dogs confused as to what they should do in order to receive their reward. This lack of clarity can lead to problems such as anxiety, fear, and frustration. Additionally, if rewards are too inconsistent or unclearly defined, then dogs may become frustrated and lose motivation for learning new behaviors.
 
In order to address issues related to capturing dog training, one must ensure consistency and clarity when offering rewards or praise for specific behaviors. Additionally, try breaking down complex tasks into smaller steps and gradually increase difficulty level so dogs can better understand what is expected of them. Finally, make sure there are ample opportunities for success and positive reinforcement whenever possible - even if individual tasks take longer than usual - so dogs stay motivated and engaged during their training sessions!
 
 

The Ultimate Method

Most effective is to use a combination of all 3 techniques. When using these techniques together, it is important to remember that luring should always come before capturing and shaping. This will help ensure that your pup has a solid foundation for learning behaviors quickly and correctly. The sequence should look like this: luring first, then capturing, and finally shaping.
 
First, use luring to get your pup to perform the desired behavior once or twice. Then switch to capturing by rewarding them each time they offer the same behavior on their own initiative - such as sit or come when called - instead of just relying on the lure every time. Lastly, begin shaping by reinforcing small steps towards completing the overall behavior instead of waiting until they have achieved perfection in one go. For example, if you want your pup to stay in its bed longer during nap time, start by rewarding them for staying in bed just one second longer than normal each day and slowly keep increasing that interval as they improve their stay skills over time.
 
Using all three methods together allows you to provide reinforcement at different stages of learning which can maximize progress while reducing frustration and confusion for both you and your pup! As with any training technique however, patience and consistency are key elements in making sure these methods work effectively.

Good Luck!

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