Psychology of dogs. Fundamentals of Animal Training

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Many millennia ago, man tamed a dog, making a friend out of his once fierce enemy - the wolf. Pithecanthropus managed to take the place of the owner, the leader of the dog tribe. And for a long time living together, friendly relations between man and dog developed. Pithecanthropus saw in his animal, first of all, a servant, a watchman and sometimes an earner and assistant in the hunt. Watching pets, people have learned to understand the psychology of the dog, and human behavior has changed markedly. But the centuries-old traditions of the wolf family still live in the descendants of primitive dogs.

The psychology of dog behavior is based on conditioned and unconditioned reflexes. The struggle for leadership is also inherent in dogs. These vestiges of pack life are alive in modern dogs. A person who is inexperienced in raising a dog, acquiring an animal, does not think about the fact that, perhaps, this pet himself will bring him up “for himself and his interests.”

Correct attitude

Here, for example, the wrong behaviorman and dog. The dog in the house has its own bedding, but sleeps and rests everywhere, but not in its place. Perhaps she does not like the area of \u200b\u200bthe apartment chosen by the person, then she needs to move the bedding to her favorite corner of the room. And always with the command "place" to accompany the dog to the litter. Otherwise, the dog will impose its conditions of living together on the owner. Some owners are touched by the fact that their pets sleep with them in the same bed. This is a big mistake on the part of man. Soon it may turn out that the owner does not have enough space in his own bed, because the spoiled dog will interfere in every possible way with the owner to enjoy the rest (there are cases when large dogs simply pushed the owners out of bed). The “place” command is not in vain considered important in the course of general training. Don't let your dog sleep where he wants to. According to the relationship in the pack, only the leader is allowed to sleep in the most convenient place, and fellow tribesmen are forbidden to encroach on his sleep. The owner of his careful behavior in relation to the sleep of the animal makes it clear that the dog is the leader in the family. If the dog realizes that he is stronger than the owner, he can become a tyrant.

Struggle for leadership

The psychology of dogs is different (in terms of leadership) in animals of different sexes. Males in a wild pack are always in conflict for the right to be the leader. The same applies to domestic dogs. During the maturation period, starting from the age of seven months, the male will show his leadership qualities. Whether it's pulling on the leash and striving to be the first to run into the apartment orsimple disobedience to orders. The pet will always look for weakness in the character of the owner. It is important during this period to strictly suppress disobedience and disobedience. That is, it is necessary to suppress the desire for dominance in the dog, thereby establishing its supremacy in the family. Female dogs also have a struggle for leadership, only with less pressure and aggression.

How to determine the degree of trust?

To find out the degree of trust and obedience to the owner, you can put the animal on its back. A submissive and confident dog will allow you to put yourself on the shoulder blades. The obstinate dog will jump up, growl and resist.

Disobedience must be suppressed, but in no case should one resort to brute force. A person in a relationship with his pet should play a dominant role.

Special literature

In an effort to teach a person to understand his dog, many books and articles have been written. They reveal in detail the reasons for this or that behavior of a pet. In order to understand the needs of your pet, you can read the book “Dog Psychology. Fundamentals of Dog Training by American veterinarian and writer Leon Fradley Whitney (1894-1973). This scientist devoted his whole life to biology and wrote several publications based on his own research on various animals and people. But the greatest achievement of the author, in his own opinion, is this book that tells about the behavior and habits of pets. The psychology of dogs since the time of academician Ivan Pavlov has been studied very well, based onof this knowledge, systems of education and training are developed.

The psychology of dogs, the basics of their behavior, have been studied by man for many years. All animal behavior is determined by reflexes, genetics and habits. Service dogs, bred for centuries to protect human property, inherit certain working qualities at the gene level.

Psychology of breeds

Labradors cannot live in peace without swimming in the water. German Shepherds are excellent guardians of their families. Caucasian Shepherd Dogs "graze" their little household for a walk, guarding them. Before buying a dog, a person needs to decide what kind of four-legged friend he needs. Older people should not get pets of the Laika, Fox Terrier, Dachshund and Airedale Terrier breeds, as the choleric nature of these animals will cause a lot of trouble. People with small children should not choose decorative dogs - Tibetan Terriers, Pekingese, Miniature Pinschers, as these individuals do not like kids and may offend them. If a person is calm and unhurried by nature, an energetic beast will annoy and tire him.

Psychology and education

The modern system of pet education takes into account the psychology of dogs. Training includes a complex of tasks: the expression of social instinct, the desire for contact games and other motivations. The social instinct is the dog's need to communicate with its owner. On a walk or at home, the pet is waiting for games with the household. Ordinary service commands can be learned by turningtraining for fun.

You need to know that a dog in behavior with a person is an egoist. The animal is always waiting for a benefit for itself and is unlikely to do something for the owner without feeling motivated. This is used during training: if you want treats, follow the command! The psychology of dogs requires its study not only by scientists, but also by future dog breeders.

Like a cat with a dog

The psychology of cats and dogs is based on a common model - reflexes and instincts. But the psychology of perception of a dog is fundamentally different from the psychological development of a cat.

The psychology of dogs is based on pack instinct. Cats are independent animals. In the eyes of a dog, the owner is the best friend. In the perception of a cat, the master is a servant. Dogs love the team. Cats sometimes do not even tolerate their own kind and hide alone in the dark corners of the room. Cats are lazy, dogs are active. Cats are poorly trained, dogs easily learn commands. It is clear that the psychological activity of these two different species of mammals is completely different.

Using the advice on raising dogs written in various books and articles, a person finds a faithful and understanding friend in a pet. You don't have to let your pet's upbringing take its course. Knowing the basics of dog psychology, a person gets a happy, infinitely devoted pet to him and his entire family.