Summer Training Recap

Dog Training and Behavior Adjustments

This is just a recap on our summer training.

The 3 foundations to dog training are:

1. Make sure your dog knows his name and relates it to positive experiences with you.
   This is the only way to ensure the he will look to you when you say his name.
2. Make sure you have a positive word or sound to signal the dog when he has done the right thing. Some people use clickers, some say “good dog”, but you can use whatever noise or word you want as long as the dog associates it with positive rewards.
3. Teach your dog self-control.

When the dog isnʼt doing what you ask, work through the problem in these steps:

1. Does the dog actually know the command?
   1. Am I using the right word? Even “come here” versus “come” sound different to a dog.
   2. Have I taught him the command and he has fully learned it?
2. Am I angry or upset and the dog is reading that
3. Is your dog tired (mentally or physically)?
4. Is the environment full of distractions?
   1. Have I taught the command with distractions?
5. Is the dog in danger? If so, then physically move the dog to a safe area.
6. Is your dog healthy?

Once you understand the issue, then you can work on that issue. If the dog is just being stubborn, you need to remind him who is boss. First, turn your back on him. If that doesnʼt work, go back to feeding him out of your hand at dinner and making him sit, down, or do other commands for the meal. This just reminds him that he needs to listen to you.

Remember that the best way to teach a recall (“come”) is by having 2 family members alternately calling the dog and rewarding.

Reward immediately after the good behavior.

Things we learned in class:

• Sit
• Down
• Down using the arm up and asking for the down at a distance
• Stay — remember to reward when you return to the dog. Do not release the dog from a distance.
• Wait — after teaching stay, you can teach wait which allows a release from a distance.
• Stand
• Look back
• Walk nicely
• Leave it
• Drop it
• Recall (come)
• Danger or car — a command to pull your dog near you and make him stop when cars go by

© 2013 Beth Logan