The training of LGDs is specialized training. Even people who have trained companion dogs for years will encounter a learning curve as they begin to work with LGDs. I see this as a dynamic opportunity for personal growth, as a trainer.
 

“LGDs are not pets.”

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If you’ve been working at becoming a well-informed LGD owner you have no doubt encountered this statement, but what does it really mean? Animals learn when they are exposed to stimulus. Stimulus can be a product of the animal’s environment or it may come from a human. That human may be purposefully making training choices in managing the dog, or the dog may be learning from the human just by observation. A lot of the training humans do with animals they do by accident! An example of this would be a companion dog that learns what will happen next when his owner picks up the car keys.

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​Learning happens when an animal is motivated. Physical comfort is motivating, pain and fear are motivating. Understanding what motivates an animal allows a trainer to make well informed training decisions.

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​LGDs have specialized priorities in life that are not common to most pet dog breeds. I offer these three examples:

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LGDs are nocturnal workers.

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LGDs are property managers; they own real estate, as they see it.

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LGDs have been genetically selected to work independently of human instruction.

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If you look at just these three traits, from a training and motivational standpoint, it is easy to see that what motivates an LGD may be very different than what motivates a pet dog. Most of the companion dogs breeds have been genetically selected to accept some degree of instruction from humans.

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​I have found success as an LGD trainer by viewing training as two separate pieces: I need to understand how dogs learn and I need to understand what LGDs care about so that I know how to motivate them. If I can motivate them, I can influence their behavior.

 

Here are my suggestions as to how to become a well-informed LGD owner/trainer:

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Complete the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations Course using the training manual:

 

Link to sign up for the course:
https://karenpryoracademy.com/courses/dog-trainer-foundations

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Amazon Link to Purchase the Training Manual:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09M527FD5/

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Through completion of this course, you will develop a greater understanding of how dogs learn. This will improve your communication with your LGD, and with every animal in your life. The course is a game changer.

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​Take advantage of the extensive blog posts library on my web site. Most of the training blog posts include videos of training being done here with LGDs on my ranch.

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Have fun! Happy training! Please let me know if I can be of assistance.