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Getting started is easy!
Some things to take note of:
- Rule changes are tough for dog and owner. Commitment, consistency, and follow through from the humans in the home is paramount to success.
- We will be creating clarity in the communication between the humans in the home and the dog. Work hard to change old habits. Too much will cause confusion.
- Your dog will give you what you give them.
- In order to be believable in your dog's eyes, you MUST be committed to the work.
- You might have to back track and reteach or form new associations all together.
- No skipping steps unless necessary.
- Always ask questions if something is unclear.
- Go at your pace. Go at your dog's pace.
- Stress in dog training is normal. Don't be alarmed if your dog shows signs of stress. They are learning something new! We MUST work them through it.
- Pushback is also normal. Don't be alarmed if a certain behavior gets worse before it gets better or new behaviors pop up.
- Management is key, especially in multi dog households
- The leash is your best friend. The crate is your other best friend. Also, don't forget about our good friend, tie-back/tether.
- Supervision is paramount to eliminate the rehearsal of unwanted behaviors.
- Get on the same page as a family. Same commands. Same ways of following through. Do not take over if one handler is struggling. Offer guidance to work them through it.
Kennel Training – Please Click here to read more on the benefits of kennel training.
Information on puppies and sleep
When you cannot actively supervise your dog, it is important that they are somewhere that they cannot get into any trouble. A crate or x pen is a wonderful place for them to be. Again, this serves as a place to relax independently of you, but adds another layer of protection for them and your house. We recommend kenneling your dog at night, when you leave the house, and periodically through the day even when you are at home. Golden rule. 2 hours in, 2 hours out. Puppies sleep anywhere from 18-20 hours a day. Please make sure you are providing adequate rest for your puppy and/or adult dog.
Sit on the dog or the Behavioral Down
A dog simply cannot learn if they are all over the place and not paying attention to you. Use this exercise to teach them an automatic off switch in the home, when you are you are not engaging with them. Check out these resources for instructions:
https://www.markmccabe.com/.../BD-2019-rev_compressed-1.pdf
https://caninelifeskills.com/sit-on-the-dog-exercise/
Incorporating these new behaviors in your life can make a huge impact on the new journey you are about to take with your dog.
Leash on at all times in the house –
When they are not in the crate, you should have a leash on your dog. This makes it easier to redirection should they choose to ignore you or try to run from you. Be sure to supervise and beware of leash chewers. To curb leash chewing, use an audible "shh" sound or something that will startle the dog into letting the leash go.
Teach your dog to Respond to their name
We use their name as an attention getter. This means that when you use your dog's name, the expectation is that they will be given further instruction via a command or the leash.
Getting your dog to respond to their name is simple to teach and can be done in about 5 minutes a day.
Limited movement method.
1. Ignore your dog.
2. Call their name. (If they ignore you or they just seem disinterested, you can use a squeaky toy or random noises to get their attention. DO NOT repeat their name)
3. Mark with YES! and reward with either a toy or food.(You can do this during their hand feeding time.)
Method which teaches leash pressure at the same time.
1. Make sure that you have a treats on you and leash on the dog.
2. Walk with your dog.
3. When they get ahead of you, call their name and start moving backwards. Leash pressure will be applied. The goal of this exercise will be to teach them to yield to the leash pressure rather than pull against it.
4. Once your dog turns and starts coming towards you, mark with "YES!". Stop moving so your dog can catch up to you and reward with a toy or food when your dog dog gets to you.
5. Rinse and repeat.
Eliminate Free Roaming –
Free roaming for your dog opens up to too many choices. Most of the time, their choices will lead to behaviors that are frustrating for the owners. Instead, teach your dog a place command. This will teach them to relax independent of you within a boundary. The goal is 30 minutes, two to three times daily. When your dog is out of the kennel, they should be tethered to you, in a downstay, or in Place command.
Limit Affection –
Be intentional with how you love on your dog. Reward calmness and behaviors you want to see more of.
Do not let multiple strangers pet your dog. Affection should be something special and valuable that comes from only the members in your household. Advocate for their space always. This shows them that you have the outside world under control so that they do not have to take matters into their own hands.
Be mindful how you talk to your dog as not to cause/increase confusion or over stimulation. Less is more. The less options your dog has, the more they will value thoes options when they are presented.
Limit baby talk and excited greetings -
Engaging actions like this only hype our dogs up and should only be used when you can turn it off right away.
No Furniture –
Furniture and sleeping in the bed should be a resource that is earned. Replace with kennel and place time. No furniture ESPECIALLY if you are having resource guarding/reactivity/aggression challenges in and/or outside of the home.
No free feeding –
Free feeding devalues food and creates missed opportunities for training and bonding. Use their daily food to build value in you and work on their commands during mealtimes by hand feeding. Work on eye contact, stillness, luring, shaping behaviors, manners, and impulse control. Feed in the crate as well.
How to handfeed
1. Take your dog's portioned meal
2. Repeatedly put some in your hand and let your dog eat out of your hand.
3. Pull your hand away if they get too pushy.
Crate time feeding protocol:
- Put dog in the crate
- Place food in the crate - If you dog tries to dive for the food, pull the bowl back and wait for calm behavior.
- Do not use words like "Wait", "No", "Stay" etc. Try to keep this as silent as possible.
- Once your dog is calm, place the bowl in the crate, close the door and walk away. Do not watch for eating habits or make a big deal if they eat or not.
- Wait 15-20 minutes.
- Go to the kennel and retrieve the bowl. If they are still eating, let them finish, if they did not touch their food or if there is still food left in the bowl. Take the bowl and save it for the next feeding.
Pick up all toys -
Share toys deliberately during playtime. One or two out at a time with guided interaction.
Teach your dog to honor thresholds -
Work on asking your pup to wait before entering and exiting the crate, and all doors.
1. Treats in hand, leash on the dog - Walk to the front door. (Your body should be in between the dog and the door)
2. Ask your dog to sit (if they know how)
Asking your dog to sit is not a requirement, but it might be the most helpful.
3. Reach for the door and open.
4. If your dog gets up from the sit or starts to move forward, close the door and pop the leash upward to get them back into position.
5. Repeat until your dog does not move while opening the door.
6. Once your dog is waiting at the door when it opens, you may walk out of the door first and invite them to come with you using your release marker.
7. Repeat this process at ALL doorways
Create a Daily Schedule for your dog.
Dogs thrive on predictability. Making every day different for your dog can cause undo stress and anxiety. Trying to maintain a routine for your dog will help foster a calm mindset.
Here is an example of a Daily Schedule: This is geared more towards a stay at home or work from home family. If you are in a position where you work away from the home or if you do work at home, but you aren't able to break away. The format should be modified to where your dog is kenneled during your work day. This schedule can also be followed on the weekends.
Wake up
Take care of yourself - Shower/breakfast/ kids to school/etc
Potty/Feed
Walk and or training/Place time
Kennel
Place Time
Potty/Walk and or training (If you are pressed for time during the day, you can turn your walk into a training walk.)
Potty
Kennel
Feed
Place (This is generally meant for during family time/ when the kids are doing home work after school, etc)
Potty
Kennel for the night
Dogs thrive on predictability. Making every day different for your dog can cause undo stress and anxiety. Trying to maintain a routine for your dog will help foster a calm mindset.
Here is an example of a Daily Schedule: This is geared more towards a stay at home or work from home family. If you are in a position where you work away from the home or if you do work at home, but you aren't able to break away. The format should be modified to where your dog is kenneled during your work day. This schedule can also be followed on the weekends.
Wake up
Take care of yourself - Shower/breakfast/ kids to school/etc
Potty/Feed
Walk and or training/Place time
Kennel
Place Time
Potty/Walk and or training (If you are pressed for time during the day, you can turn your walk into a training walk.)
Potty
Kennel
Feed
Place (This is generally meant for during family time/ when the kids are doing home work after school, etc)
Potty
Kennel for the night