The Roanoker - March/April 2018 - 66

written by REBECCA JACKSON

The Importance of Training

O PREVENT YOUR DOG FROM BECOMING A
sad statistic, take your dog and family to a professional
dog training class, according to the Humane Society
of the United States. A good training class is a fun,
social activity that helps your dog become a wellbehaved, safe and valued family member. Whether you are
intentionally instructing him or not, your canine friend is
always learning, and this is true not for just puppies, but also
for adult dogs. If you do not teach your pet rules, he or she
will invent his or her own. Training allows caregivers to safely
and humanely control their dog's behavior. It enhances the
bond between dog and owner and helps ensure the dog will
respond happily to instructions.
"I have been utilizing a variety of techniques depending
on the dog and behavior that is being addressed," says Adam
66

MARCH/APRIL 2018

Miller of Big Dog Canine Behavioral Training of Roanoke.
Miller has been training dogs full-time since moving to
Virginia five years ago. Prior to that, he trained canines for
15 years in Charleston, South Carolina.
"No one technique works for every dog. When dealing
with behavior issues, I employ a lot of 'dog whispering'
techniques that help the owner better communicate with
and understand their dog. The goal is to teach the owner the
needs of the dog and the basics of dog psychology, so dog
owners can raise a balanced and happy canine companion.
"When working on obedience commands, I like to employ
marker training, which is a positive reinforcement technique.
It is similar to clicker training, but utilizes your voice and
specific words to let the dog know that they have completed
a task or command. I am in the business of training owners
... dogs are easy, but humans can be more difficult at times.
I have teamed up with Therapets of the Roanoke Valley (a
local group of therapy dog and handler teams) and have been
teaching all of their training classes for the past five years.
"One aspect of my business that sets me apart is that I
mostly do private training at the client's home," says Miller. "I
think it's important that you start in the home before moving
into the "real" world. Also, I feel that dogs are more likely to
show their true personalities and behaviors when they have
the security and confidence associated with being at home.
"I feel that education and knowledge are very important,
so I include handouts for everything I might discuss with a
client, so they can focus on the training and not worry about
taking notes. I believe I have a very personable approach when
dealing with clients and consider my people skills to be as
strong as my dog training skills."
It's essential that the dog trainer uses humane training
techniques that encourage appropriate behavior through
positive reinforcement such as foods, attention, play and
praise. Training techniques should never involve yelling,
choking, tugging on the leash, alpha rolling (forcing a dog
onto its back) or other actions that frighten or inflict pain.
A recommendation from a friend, neighbor, veterinarian,
humane society, boarding kennel or groomer is a good place
to start looking for a reputable trainer. It's that much more
TheRoanoker.com

COURTESY OF ADAM MILLER

Training your dog can make them not only a better family member, but a better community member,
too. Here are a few tips from training expert Adam Miller.

http://www.TheRoanoker.com

The Roanoker - March/April 2018

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