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Training Dogs for TV and Movies

Posted on December 10, 2009
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History of Dogs In Showbiz

Do you have a canine that looks good on camera, one that is personable and smart?Although many dogs don’t make it, the television and movie business is always searching for dogs to work. Why?Improper training. Here are a few dog training tips for TV and movies, if you envision you dog might have a budding film career.

Socialization is of the utmost importance. There’s lots of activity going on when a dog is on camera such as people running around, tools, vehicles, and cameras. Many dogs cannot focus or perform on command with all of this going on around them. They’re curious about the people and equipment. They may be frightened or unsure of their surroundings, or they may be confused by the noise.

Dogs must be well socialized to be successful. This means they’re comfortable in just about every possible scenario as long as their trainer is present. The process of socialization should begin by the dog’s trainer or owner, at a very early age. Take them with you wherever you go and once the training process has started, train them in unusual situations.

Practice having them sit while on a walk, if they have just learned to sit, as an example. Practice having them sit in a room full of people or on a busy city sidewalk. You might have them sit while on a dog run. Socialization is an essential ingredient to train dogs for TV and movies.

Make training pleasant. Incorrectly administered training can cause your dog to learn to hate it. When lights and camera on are them, if this happens, there’s no way they will perform on cue. And, using rough training techniques will most likely make people not want to work with you. Most people want to be in a positive environment where dogs are well treated and happy to be there.

Training can be made pleasant with these three quick tips:

1. Always use positive reinforcement. Don’t punish your dog for doing something incorrectly, but rather, reward them for doing something the correctly.  This is a proven training technique. The method works, and if receiving rewards, your dog is much more willing and perhaps even eager , to work.

2. Tasty treats. Verbal rewards, such as “good boy” are some of the things for which dogs will train.” Physical rewards like a pat on the head or a belly rub, and food. By finding your dog’s favorite food and setting it aside as a reward for training, you will find that you have a motivated and enthusiastic dog.

3. Always end on a happy note. Your dog may not always understand what you want to start with. Comprehending what you are trying to accomplish might, in fact, take several training sessions. Always finish your training session by doing something your dog knows how to do, even something as easy as a sit command with a reward, rather than finishing on a frustrated note.

Clicker training and hand signals. Because it works, clicker training is the method used by most dog trainers. Signaling to your dog that it has done something well, a clicker noise is much quicker than a verbal reward such as ‘good boy’. Having said that, it may not go over too well on a sound stage hearing that clicker sound or you telling your dog to sit from back stage. So, you should gradually wean your dog from the use of a clicker as he perfects a trick and include hand signals with your commands when training dogs for TV and movies. The ultimate goal being that they can perform the task with a hand signal and to be able to fulfill a task without a clicker signaling completion.

A little forethought, patience, and proper training techniques is needed when looking for answers on how to train dogs for TV and movies. Whether you simply desire a well-trained, socialized canine , or looking for a career in front of the camera, you can’t go wrong by making training pleasant, using a clicker and hand signals for instruction, and socializing your dog.

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