Training Your Malinois to Listen to You
Why Won't My Malinois Listen To Me?
This is a common question that most first-time Malinois owners ask me. Before I answer your question, let me ask you a few instead:
- Do you use cookies, collars, head halters or clickers to make your Malinois listen to your commands?
- Do you have to raise your voice every time you want your Malinois to listen to you?
- Does your Malinois always come or sit on command - anytime and anywhere you want him to?
If your answers are mostly in the negative, its time you seriously reconsider your role as a sincere Malinois trainer and an ideal pet parent.
Get Your Malinois To Listen To You
Before you begin any training, you must first establish yourself as the "ALPHA dog" of your family. Your Malinois must know that you’re the leader of the pack and it is YOU who is in charge.
Here is a list of simple DO's and DONT's that you must follow if you want to be the Alpha:
- Always go out or come in through the door first - remember you are the leader;
- Always eat first - give your Malinois something to eat only after you've finished your meal;
- Don’t circle around your Malinois when he is lying on the floor - make your Malinois move out of your way instead;
- Don't let your Malinois set the rules - pay attention to him when you think fit and not whenever he demands;
- Don’t permit your Malinois to sleep with you in your bed - demarcate his sleeping area clearly.
Once you successfully established yourself as the Alpha, training your Malinois and making him listen will be a lot easier than you can imagine. Remember, if your Malinois does not learn to "listen", all your training efforts will be in vain!
Does your Malinois know his name? Does your Malinois look at you whenever you call him by his name? This is the first and the most critical step involved in Malinois Training. If your Malinois doesn't respond to his name, you cannot have his attention for teaching him any other commands.
To make sure that your Malinois recognizes his name, take a treat in your hand and hold it away from your body. Call your Malinois's name. He is most likely to look at the treat in your hand. Continue calling his name untill he turns and looks at your eyes. Give him the treat immediately. Repeat this exercise by holding the treat in the other hand. Once you're sure that your Malinois has learnt to recognize his name, just call his name and reward him for looking at you by petting or with a hug.
You must understand that Malinoiss respond far better to positive reinforcement than they do to coercion or force.
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