But how can one confirm and consolidate the correct action of a dog? There is only one option, it is to satisfy the need of the dog, which motivates its behavior. Can a trainer use any need and motivation of a dog? No, in most cases the kit is limited to food, toys, stroking and talking with the dog. Why are there really no other options? There are other options, such as water, a walk, playing with another dog, working on a defendant, a flowing bitch for a dog, relaxing in the shade on a hot day, and probably there is something else, but these rewards are inconvenient for work. Training implies a certain intensity of work, for this it is necessary to repeatedly reproduce the need cycle that forms the basis of training a dog for a particular skill. The dog wants to get something, preferably from a trainer to permanently secure contact. The trainer to a greater or lesser extent limits the variability of the dog’s behavior and pushes, directs the dog to the desired action. The dog does what the person wants and receives from the person what he wants, a mutually beneficial exchange takes place and everyone is happy.
But we must continue to work, repeat and reproduce this cycle again and again. It is necessary that the dog, having received the desired, was immediately ready to work again, so that it was fresh and active. This means that a need is needed, the satisfaction of which can be crushed, used in parts and constantly reset and updated the training situation.
Therefore, there are not so many needs convenient for use in training a dog, especially at the initial stage. This is when the dog knows the commands, is used to working a lot, we can give her a large reward for a large amount of work. And in this case, it is possible to satisfy the dog’s need for rest, or vice versa free walking and playing with other dogs. At the beginning of the training, the dog will not work just like that without a reward, it will just start to resist or become passive, and if we reward it for performing an elementary action, rewarding it with a flowing male or female dog will result in a change in the functional state of our student so that no science he won’t get into his head.
So, we still have the coercion by mechanics and the reward of food, toy and communication. Yes, of course there is a method of imitation, but we will talk about it separately, after analyzing the standard options.
Mechanics (impact on the dog with a leash, a strict collar, arms, legs, stack).
An Asian dog with a strong balanced inert type of nervous activity (phlegmatic) with an increased threshold of pain sensitivity, that is, it reacts poorly to pain effects. Based on this, some dog handlers recommend working with Asian operant methods. Probably, according to the principle, once one method does not fit, another one will probably do. This is generally very characteristic of our cynology, instead of simply working with proven methods, as soon as something doesn’t work, we immediately invent breed specifics and, without any logic, grab onto something exotic. The operant method involves strong positive motivation, high motor activity and behavioral initiative, which can be directed in the right direction, this is clearly not about the Asian. Therefore, if we use mechanics, it means, firstly, it is necessary to use a stronger effect, and secondly, through special basic exercises, increase the dog's sensitivity to mechanical stress.
Food.
Asians are very hardy dogs, adapted to a meager diet, they sometimes just refuse to eat on their own initiative. Therefore, it is important to start training these dogs as early as possible, as puppies are more voracious and more interested in food. An adult dog can and should be planted on a hungry rations without any doubt for the sake of training. Moreover, he looks hungry only for a loving host, and for an Asian this is a normal diet.
A toy.
An Asian, like all other domestic shepherd dogs, is not a service dog. However, puppies in 3-4 months play with toys and it is advisable to try to pick up, develop and strengthen this desire in them. In any case, you need to work in this direction and to the extent that it is possible to use a game with an object in training an Asian, if not as a reward, then at least to unload the dog during the session.
Now about imitation.
The dog does not imitate any other dog, but a familiar dog, preferably an older one, even better than his mother, and above all, not in fulfilling standard obedience skills, but in domestic behavior and in the realization of instincts. For example, a puppy can, imitating a mother, learn to come to the owner when he calls him. But it is unlikely that he will begin by imitating the command “to me” to make a round and take up the main position, that is, shrinkage at the trainer's left foot in the “next to” position.
A young dog in a pack learns to bark at a stranger who has entered a protected area, but she does not learn the correct technique for executing the “sit” or “lay” commands. Imitation primarily helps to slow down the dog’s natural behavior for which it is almost ready, it only takes a push, which provides an example of an older and more authoritative dog. Therefore, teaching an Asian by imitation has its limitations.
Now on the Internet and in the mass consciousness of Asian owners, the opinion has been established that the Asian is an intelligent dog, which, in order to execute a command, needs to understand why this command needs to be executed. Say, the Asian does not see any reason to perform one and the same action several times, so he executes the command once or twice and then refuses to work. From this it is concluded that the Asian is much smarter than European breeds and therefore perfectly suited for the role of a companion dog. In fact, everything is turned upside down.
The management of the dog is based, firstly, on the fact that the dog likes to do what a person needs, that is, the activity itself gives pleasure, the so-called reinforced behavior itself; secondly, on a mutually beneficial exchange, when the dog gets what he needs for work; thirdly, on the fact that the dog knows that it will still have to fulfill the command, if not in a good way, then in a bad way, but it will still have to.
Submission consists in the fact that the subject, whether it is a person or a dog, does not agree, does not see the point, has objections, but does what he is told.
The ideal situation is when an Asian is used for its intended purpose to protect a flock or territory, if you took this dog to the role of a companion, you must be prepared for certain difficulties.