The Benefits of Owning a Remote Dog Trainer (a.k.a. Stubborn Dog Training Tricks That Work!)

Do you have a dog that only behaves when you're around?

Dogs are smart, and they figure out how things work in this world. Dogs do what's rewarding to them because it's their nature. They know when their human is out of the way so they can release all their energy on otherwise forbidden things—like that tasty pie innocently resting on the countertop.

Sadly, you can't always be around to say, "no!"

What can you do?

Get angry and yell at them? Punish them by locking them up in a kennel?

It's stressful for you and your dog. Teach them the skills they need to be a good dog and reinforce the skills they already know.

Reinforcement vs Training

Dogs learn from accumulated experiences. That's how basic obedience training works. However, more extreme and severe behaviors are not easily addressed by basic commands.

This is where reinforcement plays a vital part. Your dog already knows the basics. Reinforcing what they know to fix unwanted behavior is the next step.

Problem #1 – The Countertop-surfing Dog

Scenario: Your dog might listen to you when you're present, but as soon as you step out, game on!

Dogs have an acute sense of smell. They can smell something tasty on the counter is waiting for them. Life is easy when you give them food from the counter or table. It becomes a challenge when you walk away, and there is still something waiting for them there, but no one is handing it out.

The real work starts now.

A few sniffs to confirm their suspension. Indeed, there is something there. Take a walk around the counter to see that maybe something fell off and less work is needed for a reward. Some dogs have the advantage of height, and the job is more manageable. The moment of truth, the jump, there it is, a yummy sandwich and success! We have a reward for the hard work.

When you come back to have lunch, and there is nothing left for you.

The Fix: Teach your dog permanently not to jump on the counter even when you not there.

Your dog's behavior needs to be interrupted before the action happens. Using a remote trainer or e collar to teach your dog not to do something is easier than you think. Follow these steps to interrupt the behavior of your dog:

1. Set a treat or something your dog loves to eat on the counter and make sure they see it but can't reach it.
2. Take your dog to play with you to distract them from their objective that's sitting on the counter.
3. After few minutes of play, let them be on their own and sit somewhere where you see them and preferably somewhere where they can't see you.
4. Once you see their attention turned on the counter and sniffing around, press the vibration button to interrupt their thought process.
5. If they ignore the vibration and proceed to jump on the counter, find the lowest stimulation level and repeat step number 4, this time with a low stimulation level.
6. Keep repeating these steps for few days until your dog will start ignoring the counter.

This will ensure that your dog will not jump on the counter even if you're not there.

Problem #2 – The Dog That Refuses to Come Back

Scenario: It's very frustrating when your dog runs away from you. There are many reasons why they do it, and the worst thing we can do when they finally come back or when we catch them is to yell at them. They will start associating coming back as something negative.

You spend time at home teaching your dog the command "come," and you are successful. Feeling confident in your training abilities and your dog's skills, you think your dog is ready for an open field play. The second you let them go, they run as fast as they can and ignore you no matter how hard you yell and wave the treats in the air.

Do they associate the word "come" with going home and fun is over, or they just zone you out because of how much fun they are having?

Easy Fix: Having the remote trainer with you can get their attention, but you have to teach them what it means. Follow these steps to teach your dog to come back to you with a remote trainer:

1. Take your dog out on a long training lead where there are minimal distractions.
2. Let them walk around and be relaxed.
3. Press and hold the vibration button and call them back.
4. At the same time, start walking backward because dogs react to motion.
5. Once they look at you and start walking towards you, release the button and give them a treat when they come to you.
6. Keep repeating these steps until your dog will recognize that the signal they are feeling means to come back to you, and when coming back to you, it's a positive, happy feeling.
7. If your dog does not react to vibration, find the lowest stimulation level they will respond to.
8. Once your dog has mastered coming back to you when there aren't any distractions, the next step is to introduce distractions and keep practicing.
9. When your dog stops ignoring the distractions and still comes to you, you are ready to take the leash off.

Time + Practice = Better Behaved Dogs

Training your dog to be their best-behaved selves takes time and practice. But it's not impossible. A remote trainer like the Dogtra 200NCPT is a fantastic tool for this.

Just remember to start work on the lowest level possible and work your way up as needed. You are not punishing your dog; you reinforce already learned commands, even when you are not around. With enough time and patience, good behavior can be learned and maintained no matter how stubborn your dog may be.

Want to learn more about e-collar safety? Check out our blog.