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Just about every dog owner would enjoy having a well-trained dog. Naturally, that includes English Pointer owners, so here is some basic information about English Pointer training.

Specific behaviors that can be taught

Typically, housetraining will be the top training priority for people who own house dogs. English Pointers love spending time with their families, so we hope your dog lives inside your home and gets plenty of human interaction. These dogs simply aren’t as happy if they’re separated from their owners and made to live outside.

Basic obedience training is another training goal for many dog owners. You could potentially save your English Pointer’s life if he runs out into the street but you’ve trained him to “stay” on command. In addition to being important for your dog’s safety, however, training your dog to follow basic commands like “sit”, “stay”, “down” and “come” is important for having a happy life together.

Training your dog to stop inappropriate behavior like excessive barking or chewing on your belongings (such as your furniture or socks) is another part of being able to live together successfully. No dog is born knowing which particular behaviors are acceptable to people and which are not, so it’s up to us as dog owners to teach our dogs what they’re not allowed to do.

Not every owner of an English Pointer wants to go hunting with their dog, but others do. And, although English Pointers are born with great hunting instincts, they still must be trained to serve as gun dogs. Once trained, they can be the perfect hunting companion and are great at finding upland game birds like quail.

Some specific training methods

Several training techniques can be used with English Pointers. These dogs are intelligent and eager to please, so as a general rule they are very responsive to training and learn fairly quickly.

Crate training is a useful training technique for a couple of things. For example, using a dog crate can help speed the English Pointer housetraining process. And, a dog crate can be invaluable if your Pointer is prone to dog separation anxiety. A crate can provide a safe, comfortable place for your dog to stay during your absence, but it also can prevent an anxious dog from damaging your belongings while you’re away.

Clicker training is one of the gentlest, most effective and fun training techniques. It’s gentle because you only use positive reinforcement to train your dog. Unlike some other training techniques, scolding or other types of corrections are never used during clicker training. Clicker training is very effective and can be used to teach an English Pointer essentially any type of behavior. And, because it’s reward-based, clicker training sessions provide a fun, bonding experience for dogs and their owners.

“Dog whispering” is yet another training method that can be used quite effectively to train your dog. Instead of using specific training techniques, however, dog whispering focuses on the relationship between humans and their dogs. At its heart, this training method requires you to establish yourself as the “alpha dog” - the leader of your dog’s “pack” - and then use your dog’s own instincts to teach him. It is another reward-based training method that can be used to teach your dog a wide range of commands through positive reinforcement rather than corrections.

Ultrasonic whistles are often used for training hunting dogs like English Pointers because they can be heard by dogs from a distance. It can be a bit tricky at first, but this technique can be quite effective as a supplement to other English Pointer training techniques.

Your English Pointer can also be trained to perform various obedience commands, tricks and so on with “traditional” training methods that use positive reinforcement. People often use treats or small pieces of food when training their dogs, but toys and physical affection can also be effective rewards.

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