Feb 07 2010
The Basics of Dalmation Training and Why Your Dal Can’t Do Without It
Readying your dalmatian to be a good neighbor and good citizen involves serious training, and it may be a whether it is something that occurs at home or in a formal obedience class. A good start to all this is to locate a good obedience class in your area, so as to be able to learn how to handle your dog properly, and inculcate good manners and behavior to your dog. Without a sense of direction in training, a dog can become a bother to people around it. Keep handy, therefore, the obedience classes recommended by your breeder, together with the “kindergarten” classes she or he endorsed as dalmation training for very young dalmation puppies.
Also relevant to your dog’s well-being and happiness is what is known in Dalmation training as “socialization.” In this, you will need to expose your pup to new things, new people, new situations, new occasions of sights and sounds, and new places. Signs of poor socializing is glaring and something to regret in a dog: refusing to eat, snarling at strangers, hiding at the sound of strange noises, etc.
The solution here is, as we have said, socialization by taking the pup with you whenever possible. Walk the dog on a leash through a mall, and allow strangers to pet it. Introduce it to the noise of the train station or the airport. At first, the dog might understandably cower or retreat under stressful circumstances, but gently and consistently introduce the dog to many environments. You will appreciate the training all the more should your dog prove to be of show dog material, since a self-confident dog has obviously many advantages over the nervous, skittish type.
Are you thinking of giving your potential show dog some dalmation training by yourself joining show handling classes? In this, you get to know how to pose your dog in the appropriate way, aside from knowing how to present it to judges, and also the correct etiquette for the ring, the appropriate costumes and how to shape up your dog for top form. In an area, handling classes are usually managed by all-breed clubs or by professional handlers. You can get a referral to good classes from your dog breeder or your local breed club.
