Training your Jindo
 

Proper training can make the difference between life and death for your Jindo!

No, we aren’t exaggerating.  We are very serious in fact. Jindos are fantastic dogs but they are not for everyone. With basic training they will quickly become well behaved family members who are a joy to be around. Like any dog, without training they can easily become at best a nuisance and at worst potentially dangerous, neither of which is a pleasure to live with. An unwanted dog stands an excellent chance of being euthanized.  Most Jindos rescue sees come through the shelters are not bad dogs and are not aggressive dogs. Instead they often lack basic manners and the skills needed to understand how to peacefully live with people. Dogs aren’t born with these skills, they must be taught.  And for lack of teaching many Jindos die in shelters every year.

The goal of basic obedience training is not to produce a dog who understands hundreds of commands or a dog capable of competing in formal obedience.  In fact this is not the purpose at all. Instead, the goal is to bond closely with your dog while teaching it how to behave so that it can fit into society and is a pleasure to live with.  It means giving your dog the skills to make a walk down the street, a trip to the pet store, and yes even a visit to the vet a relaxed and enjoyable experience for both dog and owner. In addition, training develops the bond between dog and owner faster and stronger than any other activity.

There is a myth that Jindos can not be trained. This is simply untrue, as many Jindo owners have now proven.  Jindos certainly can be trained.  They are not the most easily trained breed, however.  It is the basic nature of the breed to be independent and very intelligent dogs. The breed developed needing great skills in problem solving and the ability to think for themselves. They do not automatically look to their owner for direction.  Unlike many breeds, Jindos do not work for their owner, relying on their owner to call the shots and automatically doing as asked.  Instead they function as an intelligent partner taking an active roll in the decision making process.  Though challenging to train, the bond which develops between Jindo and owner during the process is well worth the effort involved.

There are many approaches to obedience training.  They range from the current trends which is almost entirely reward based, to the more old fashioned methods which were often extremely heavy-handed.  We believe the best approach for Jindos lies somewhere in the middle.  Jindos have a very strong sense of what is fair.  In training they must first be taught what is wanted, and they must clearly understand what you want them to do before you can ever correct them for not doing as you wish.  With the exception of a well-timed collar correction, however, physical punishment has no place in obedience training.  Correcting or “punishing” a Jindo for not responding to a command that they did not understand accomplishes nothing, and your Jindo will tune you out and refuse to work with you.  On the other hand, a Jindo who does understand will revel in the bond that training creates, and will give you their best effort in most situations.

A trainer who has experience with a variety of breeds is an invaluable resource in enjoying life with your Jindo.  A good trainer will teach you how to train and communicate with your dog.  You do NOT want to ever send your Jindo away for training.  This does not develop the bond between dog and owner, and does not teach you and your dog how to communicate with each other.

Though it is ideal to find a trainer with some experience training Jindos, it is not always possible.  The best trainers for Jindos are those who take a fairly middle of the road approach to training and who are not so set in their ways that they are unwilling to consider a wide range of training methods to find what works best for a particular dog and owner.  Avoid extremes, and find a trainer you like and will enjoy working with.

Try to meet with a trainer before enrolling in their class.  Ask to sit in and watch one of their classes to see if it is the right match for you and your dog and if you feel comfortable with the training methods used.  Class size should be reasonable for the space and number of instructors, and there should be plenty of one on one interaction and active problem solving.  The dogs should be enjoying themselves, and the mood should be calm and friendly with dogs who are under control.

Finding the right obedience class can be a bit of a challenge, but don’t be afraid to keep looking until you find the right fit for you and your dog.  If you know other Jindo owners locally ask them about the trainers they use.  Your vet may be able to recommend some trainers in your area.  Another great source are local all breed kennel or obedience clubs.  You can search for your nearest club at
www.akc.org/dic/clubs/search/club_search.cfm.
 
 

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