Do all dog breeds train the same?
Too often, people approach dog training with a “one size fits all” approach. That is, they listen to how their friends trained their dog or buy a generic dog training book and try to use the unmodified techniques to train their dog. Read on to find out how this approach is suboptimal at best.
Every breed of dog is different
First of all, there are really some general guidelines that apply to different breeds. For example, a mixed breed dog may behave completely differently than another that looks almost the same. If you got your dog from the kennel and you can’t accurately determine the breed, trying to use a generic dog training book may not be as effective as you’d like. If you have a purebred dog, there are a few guidelines you may want to observe before spending a lot of time working with your dog. Here are some examples:
Beagles are loving, protective, and intelligent, but training can be challenging because they can develop an attitude due to their strong will. In a word, they can be very stubborn.
Boston Terriers are known to be good companion dogs, and they are intelligent and willing to please, so they should have little difficulty with training.
Bulldogs are affectionate and devoted, but take a firm hand during training.
If your dog is a Chihuahua, you know he’s smart and you may have heard that power training works, but the reality is quite the opposite. Using positive reinforcement will go a long way in getting the results you want.
German Shepherds are highly intelligent and willing to learn if you make the tasks challenging but fun at the same time. If you start with one who has a healthy temperament and is calm, you have a solid foundation to build on. If your dog was properly socialized when he was a puppy, he will not be overly aggressive or fierce and should respond well to training.
Poodles are generally considered one of the most intelligent breeds. They are alert, cheerful, and willing to learn, so even basic obedience training is usually easy.
Scottish Terriers, like Beagles, can be more difficult to train. They are independent and training must involve the correct motivation of the dog. Every dog has his own motivation, whether it be the desire to please the owner, food, toys or treats.
This brings us to our next section:
Every dog is an individual
Just like humans, dogs are individual creatures and as such each have their own temperament. Yes, there are some general guidelines depending on the breed, but in the end, your dog will be unique in his own way. As you work on any training plan, watch how your dog reacts and modify the training to make it work for your dog. If you have not successfully trained a dog before, you will surely find value in purchasing a dog training book or system. However, once you do, be sure to adjust your actions to match your dog’s temperament.
The process of a dog learning something new is really not that different from the learning process of children. Some children learn better by doing, since they are physically oriented. Others observing because they are visually oriented. Some learn to please their classmates, teacher, or parents. Some resist learning because they are bored by the typical processes that are presented in many of our schools. In short, there really is no “one size fits all” approach to teaching our children, and the same goes for our pets.
In conclusion
With a reasonable amount of preparation, understanding, and compassion, you can train any breed of dog by observing how the dog reacts to standard processes and adjusting your approach for what works. You won’t be as successful if you try to use the same techniques with every dog. To answer the title of this article, no, not all dog breeds train the same, but neither do all dogs of a specific breed.
Pay attention to your dog, learn his behavior and temperament, and adjust your training to be most effective for your particular dog, and you’ll end up with a happy, healthy member of your family.
