Dog training has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years. It's not so long ago that choke chains were de rigeur and used quite viciously in some cases. Why anyone should have thought that half strangling a dog could have any positive effect is baffling. It was common to see dog owners yanking on their dogs lead and then striking the hapless pooch. A lot of this nonsense was recommended by dog trainers. To be fair, a rolled up newspaper was the weapon of choice most frequently utilised so the harm was psychological rather than physical, but no less damaging for that.
As with so many things, we live in more enlightened times and have developed mere effective methods of training. So much of the modern thinking is based on common sense and an understanding of the dogs natural behaviour. The fact that a dog tends to sit when a treat is held above its head and moved upwards and over its head at the same time makes teaching the move simple. As soon as the dog starts to sit, say sit. How many owners in the past assumed a puppy was born with a command of the language of the country of its owner? People were to be heard shouting “sit” at the bewildered pet with no success at all.
Similarly, dogs who failed to come when called were often smacked or worse when the command was finally obeyed! Yet again, far too many people seemed to assume the poor animal knew what was required of him and was just being disobedient. The obvious and simple method of rewarding the dog and giving the command when he did come - even if it was his own idea – has proved far more effective. Many don't realise the treat can eventually come in the form of a good patting and a warm welcoming “Good Boy” or “Girl” as the case may be. Any dog owner, or prospective owner who has not yet read up on the modern approach should do so as soon as possible.