DogTrainster.Com

Source from: blog.oregonlive.com

by Deb Wood

Sprite isn’t a quaking, cowering dog.

But she is shy.

When I picked her out, both her breeder and I thought she was an extrovert. And she is — when she’s someplace she knows well with dogs and people she likes. So, she was pushy among her litter mates and pushy here at my house.

All that changes when we walk out the door. She’s barky at other dogs because she doesn’t trust them. She pulls back from strangers’ hands because she assumes they might be trouble. (This from a dog who hasn’t had a bad day in her life.)

Interestingly, this brings me full circle. My dog Goldie, who passed away last year at the old age of 16, was a terrified, frightened, very shy dog when she came to me when she was 2 years old. Back then — pretty much a lifetime ago in the world of dog training — no one I could find knew what to do to help her. Over time, I learned, and found people who knew things I didn’t know.

All of my writing started with a book called “Help for Your Shy Dog” — which I wrote to help people who were in my situation. It’s still a big seller almost 10 years after it was published.

The lessons I learned from terrified Goldie (who was a happy if quirky dog by the end of her long life) I’m applying to Sprite.

Those lessons include:

Train your dog. The more a shy dog has a sense of normalcy, the calmer she is. Training helps immensely.

Be a leader — in a kind and gentle way. Sprite has to work for her treats (with a “sit” or other obedience command). She gets fed meals rather than free-feeding. The more she sees me as a gentle, kind, predictable leader, the more confident she will feel. The operative words are “gentle” and “kind.” No yelling, rolling the poor dog on her back, or threats. Just give her positive, happy, joyful leadership.

Expose your dog to the world. Shy dogs, like shy people, gain confidence from facing their fears and excelling in a situation. One of those activities for Sprite is the play group I talked about in Wednesday’s blog. She meets new dogs and makes friends, and that builds her confidence.

Don’t Over-do the exposure. Meeting other small, friendly dogs for a limited period of time is good for Sprite. If she were dealing with dogs that might hurt her, or doing the activity for so long that she became overwhelmed, it would make her worse.

I compare these situations to a shy child who’s asked to recite a poem in class. If she recites the poem in her friendly classroom and they cheer — she’s built confidence. If she tries to recite the poem and forgets her lines in front of a booing auditorium full of people — she’ll come out worse for the experience.

Shy dogs need to have their envelope stretched, but just a little bit at a time. They need to succeed each step along the way, just like that little girl reciting the poem.

Believe that your dog will get more confident. What I do know is that Sprite will always be a little bit wary and somewhat leery of new situations. I also know that, with training, continued careful exposure and socialization, and tons of time together, she will learn to be comfortable in places that now scare her.

In fact, in the last month I’ve had a couple of knowledgeable dog trainers remark on what a confident little dog my Sprite is. I knew that was behavior she’d learned, and it made me proud of the work my girl and I have done together.

Source from: americanchronicle.com

By Kenneth Elliott

Getting a new pet dog and the joy of having a new companion around comes with a lot of responsibilities. Of course you must feed your new pet, take care of its health with regular visits to the vet, groom him, and give it lots of love and attention. Many animal lovers do not think any further than that, but dog training is also a very important part of owning dogs. Dog training ensures a healthier and more fulfilling life for you and your pet.

Behavior Problems

Proper discipline can help prevent dog behavior problems later in your pets´ life. And proper behavior starts with first house breaking your dog. This is usually the most common form of dog training that most owners take on when first purchasing a dog, but a caring owner will often go a lot further than the basics. Your pet’s obedience will lead to a stronger bond between you, as well as meaning less frustration and annoyance. Your pets start learning and shaping behaviors early in life, so that is the best time to start with dog training basics.

Obedience Training

There are many aspects to dog obedience training, and not everyone looks to get the same experience out of it. Some people will be content with house breaking, leash training, and basic obedience to simple command. Many dog owners do not realize that they can change or prevent problem behaviors such as barking, whining, digging, growling, chewing, and aggression. Yet all these behaviors can be addressed with proper teaching. Decide what tutelage is most important for you and your pet, and make sure you are willing to invest the time and energy into a program that will yield the desired results.

Puppy Training

You can never start too early with puppy training. Many people hold the mistaken belief that puppies under six months are too young to train, but this is simply not so. You can start shaping their behavior the moment you acquire them if it is done in the proper manner. If you do some research, it is easy to find plenty of dog training books, websites about pet training, and obedience training tutorials. Some people may even consider hiring a professional instructor. Ask your veterinarian or friends if they know of any reputable trainers in the area, and shop around for the person who is right for you.

Professional Trainers

If you decide to use a professional trainer, be sure you keep the breed of your dog in mind when shopping around. Some breeds may be harder to train than others, so some trainers may prefer not to work with them. Alternatively, some trainers may specialize in certain breeds, so they will have more success with your pet than another trainer may have. Even if you are teaching your pet yourself, there are books and information geared toward certain breeds. Do not get discouraged if you are told your breed is hard to train, just look for proven methods to use. The hardest work always yields the greatest rewards.

Owning a pet is a big responsibility, but the right attitude can make it fun and rewarding. Do not think of your canine companion as an object for your amusement, but as a living creature that can become a treasured friend. Dogs are motivated by their owner’s pleasure, so if you work together, the dog training process will be an important step in your relationship. You will learn to trust one another, which will allow you to enjoy the pleasure of each other’s company. Teach your dog what you want and expect from him, and he will give you that and more in return.

Source from: canada.com

By Joan Klucha, Special To North Shore News

I remember a few years back I had a dog owner ask if her daughter could participate in the training of the family dog.

“Sure,” I said, as this was nothing new. I have parents and children in the classes all the time. But what was unique is that the mother dropped her child off at the dog training class, and she then proceeded to make her way down to the local pub where she spent the next hour and a half while her daughter trained the dog.

This went on for six weeks and at the end of the session I reminded her that my business was to help train her dog not mind her children. Her daughter did a fine job despite her mother’s lack of interaction, which is why I didn’t speak up sooner.

But it was after that incident that I began requesting — nope, insisting — that parents not only be present in the classes with their child but participating in the class as well.

When the dynamics of a family are working well children can do an amazing job training the family dog. This is because if they have made the decision on their own to train the dog, rather than it being a forced condition by the parents upon getting a dog, they are more often than not 100 per cent committed to the training. When they are in the classes they listen intently to instruction and follow it perfectly with little need for assistance.

I encourage parents to bring their child to training as the obedience classes are a great place for a child to establish a form of leadership over the dog. They can be taught how to get Fido to follow their direction and have their four-legged companion respect them.

But obedience classes are not the only place a child can learn how to be a good leader to their furry friend. Proper training and lessons on how to interact with a dog at home are essential as well, and with the parents’ help this training can be implemented for greater training success.

Most families with children get puppies. The idea is that the puppy and child can grow up together and develop a strong bond and friendship. This is often the case, but it can be a bit tumultuous when the child begins to treat the puppy like a living teddy bear or their best friend.

Often I hear parents say that the leadership rules of no sleeping on couches or beds is being followed, except by their son or daughter, and then they are confused as to why the dog is not following direction from them during the obedience classes.

This is because the dog is confused. Everyone in the home has to be on the same page so this means that Fido can no longer be snuggling with Timmy at bedtime or sharing Happy Meals from the back seat of the car.

Smaller dogs tend to get the most confusing treatment as they are often carried around like stuffed toys by children. And the dogs love it.

Whenever there is a problem the dog will often run to the child, the child picks up the dog and presto Fido, the 15-pound pug that is normally nine inches off the ground, has now grown four feet taller and become the instant boss of the house. What a great ego boost children are to those little dogs. Even large dogs will wander over to a child and invade their space and passively demand attention.

The child does not understand that the dog is being pushy and obnoxiously, underhandedly usurping power from the adults by sneaking unsolicited attention from the child. The child just thinks the dog loves him or her and wants to be shown more love.

Having a child train the family pet is a great experience, but the parents need to gently teach the child how to interact with their dog so that training can be successful for everyone.

Source from: americanchronicle.com

By Kenneth Elliott

Dogs are said to be mans best friend. But I will take it a little further than that. A well trained dog will become your best friend. Beyond being well socialized, a well trained dog removes the stress of the likelihood of biting someone. They also tend to stay calm in distracting environments. Not jumping up on people and being much more curtious on household furniture.

Also, well trained dogs are more likely to stay with the same owner, as opposed to being abandoned to the pound. Owners with well trained dogs are more satisfied with their decision on owning a dog. One research report from the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that 96% of shelter dogs had never had any training.

Training your dog helps to teach them boundaries, thus making them more comfortable around humans. There are many different dog training programs and many professional dog trainers. However, just because someone has a business card doesn’t mean they are a qualified trainer.

Finding a qualified trainer does not have to be a lot of work. If your friends have well trained dogs, ask them if they know of a good trainer. Also, take advantage of networking at your local park. While walking your dog ask other dog owners who they recommend.

Once you have found a trainer, ask them what method of training they teach. There have been dozens of different training methods for dogs that have been in and out of fashion over the years. Ask the trainer what method they use, why they use it, and what the benefits of it are. Also ask for references.

Whether you train your dog yourself or find a professional, teaching your dog commands and socializing it is important. Areas to cover in training include:

1. Socializing to strangers: This is easy to accomplish while out walking your dog around the neighborhood and introducing them to people.

2. Socializing with other dogs: You can do this at dog parks, or even better in a dog training class.

3. Leash walking at a steady pace: You can start this training as soon as you get your new dog.

4. Crate training: This is important, especially to build up a tolerance to stay in a kennel environment for several hours.

5. The sit command: This is usually the first command new owners teach their dog.

6. The down/stand command: These commands help develop boundaries for the dog.

7. The stay command: This command is important for your dog to master, especially in an environment with a lot of distractions.

There are many benefits to having a well trained dog. But it doesn’t necessarily mean the dog will not develop behavioral problems down the road, like separation anxiety. Simply put a well trained dog is a joy to be around and strengthens the human-animal bond.

Source from: dailynewstribune.com

By Linda Lombardi

The weather’s fine, and you’d love for your dog to get the kind of exercise and socialization that can’t happen at the end of a leash. Maybe you even have a new dog park in the neighborhood.

You’ve got just one problem: Once your dog’s off leash, you’re not sure you can get him back.

The traditional obedience method of teaching a recall starts from a sit-stay, the command dogs learn to sit and then stay put.

But for the average dog owner, the stay is a huge bother to train, and it’s the long way around. You just want your dog to come back; you don’t need him to sit first.

And a dog that responds to “come” in a class or in your yard might not do so in the park. Dogs can’t generalize the same way humans do. To a dog’s mind, you’re not asking for the same thing.

“So first you have to train it. Then you have to generalize it,” says Pat Miller, trainer and author of “The Power of Positive Dog Training.”

To train your dog to come:

First, figure out what is really rewarding to him, such as getting a treat or playing tug with a toy or being petted. Observe, don’t assume. Some dogs, for example, don’t really like being patted on the head.

Now start on the command. “Start with the dog next to you and run away from him and say ‘come’ in a cheerful tone of voice,” says Miller. Get him really romping, says Miller. You want the dog to learn that “come” means “I’m having a party and you’re invited!”

Next, start at a short distance from the dog. If you have help, have someone hold and then release the dog when you say “come.” Otherwise, Miller suggests leaving a small handful of treats on the ground. Back away as the dog eats them, and then as he eats the last one, call him to come.

Reward the dog when he comes to you. Gradually increase the distance, and don’t just stand there as you call, move! Turning and running away is inviting to a dog, but standing and looking at him can be intimidating.

Once he responds reliably to your call, it’s time to start generalizing, step by step. First, add distractions in the place where you’re already training. A friendly dog is the perfect distractor if you’re planning to head for a dog park eventually. Let them play till they start getting tired, then train as above.

Next you’ll want to work on the command in a new place without distractions, then add distractions in that location. Keep your tone cheerful, Miller says, don’t get more commanding. And never punish the dog if he doesn’t come in the new situation - that means you’ve moved too fast. Go back a step and try again.

“Progressing from one step to the next requires that you get good at understanding and reading your dog,” says Miller.

Don’t rush the process, you’ll probably need to spend a few days on each step.

Some other general pointers:

* If you don’t have fenced areas in which to train, you can work with the dog on a long line. But be wary of the generalization problem: “Come on a long leash” and “Come off leash” are not the same thing. So Miller recommends gradually switching to a lighter line, then leaving it dropped on the ground instead of holding it, to work up to being off-leash.

* Once you’ve trained your dog, be careful that the call to come never leads to anything unpleasant. Go and get your dog if you need to cut his nails, don’t call him to come.

* If you have to use “come” to leave a park or playtime, make sure that you sometimes call, reward, and let him go back to playing, so “come” isn’t always associated with “play’s over.”

* If your dog starts to hesitate or look uncertain when you call him, you’ve probably accidentally “poisoned” the command, says Miller. Pick a new word and retrain him to come to that; it’s faster than trying to “fix” the word that’s gotten a bad association.

Remember that he doesn’t speak English, so any word will do: what’s important to your dog is what happens when he responds, and it should always be positive.

Source from: uticaod.com

Spring is here. Everything is fresh and new, and many families will bring a new puppy into their home.

Before even looking, you should first start by:

● Recognizing the commitment of owning a dog: Consider every aspect including food, shelter, Vet bills, training costs, boarding for vacations, etc.

Owning a dog is a lifelong financial and emotional responsibility. If you can’t keep that commitment, don’t make it. And once you’ve made it, don’t break it. Your dog’s life depends on you.

● Choosing carefully: When you are considering buying or adopting a dog, choose one that fits your lifestyle. If you are high energy, look at a high-energy dog such as an Australian shepherd. If you are a couch potato, maybe a basset hound is better for you. Either way, you want to choose one that displays confidence and one that is not fearful of people or sensitive to noises or environment.

Do not choose a dog/pup because of size, breed or reputation. It is not fair to the dog when you mismatch. Please keep in mind, that no two dogs are alike. Far too often, we hear: “But I grew up with” or “I’ve had this breed all my life.”

Temperament, not breed, is important.

● Ensuring your dog is trained: Training your dog is equally important as providing food and water. Otherwise, your adorable little 10-pound puppy could turn into a 100-pound nightmare.

Training will increase the bond between you and your dog, helping you to communicate better and helping your dog understand what is acceptable behavior from the start. If the owner does not take the leadership role, the dog could develop unwanted behaviors and try to take that role himself, making your life, unbearable and stressful.

Any well-trained, well-socialized dog of any breed including mixed breeds can become loyal family companions with proper leadership, guidance and training from the start.

Source from: canada.com

By Bernhard Pukay

Digging comes naturally to most breeds of dogs and, in fact, certain breeds have been genetically selected over the years specifically because of their inclination and abilities to dig. This includes most terrier breeds (hence, the name terrier, from the French word terre, which means earth or ground).

Unfortunately, as with all good things, when digging is done in the wrong place or at the wrong time, it becomes an undesirable trait. Most dogs that dig inappropriately do so because of boredom or barrier frustration. Dogs that spend a lot of time by themselves or are confined to a restricted area such as a house or yard for long periods of time without supervision tend to use digging as a means of combatting boredom.

The classic example of this is when a dog is “let” out to amuse himself, rather than being “taken” out for active pet-owner interaction. Digging due to boredom can be resolved simply by eliminating boredom. First, make sure you spend lots of time with your dog. Make sure he is well-exercised in order to burn off energy, by running, playing, fetching, and walks.

As well as exercise, you will also need to obedience-train him so that he will respond to your “No”whenever you catch him “in the act.” Redirecting his energies to other activities when he wants to dig cannot be accomplished if he does not obey your basic commands. Obedience training also serves to further reduce boredom.

If the digging behaviour is due to barrier frustration (i.e. he wants to escape from your property), providing him with plenty of exercise and walks will certainly help. However, at those times when he is not supervised, you must either crate him or provide a run with a concrete floor for him.

Once he has been trained to stop digging, he can be permitted the run of the property again. If all else fails, you may need to give him his own digging area where he can dig to his heart’s content without fear of reprisals. If this becomes an alternative, you will first need to train your dog to use this area. This can be accomplished by encouraging him to dig in the digging area and rewarding him when he does so. To encourage digging, you can try burying some of his favourite toys so that he can be rewarded when he digs them up.

At the same time, he should be reprimanded when you catch him digging elsewhere, then be taken to the digging area and rewarded when he uses this area instead.

By teaching him to dig where and when it is appropriate, spending more time with him, preventing boredom, and providing lots of exercise, inappropriate digging can be controlled.

Source from: mcalesternews.com

By Joyce McNally

It’s time to talk about impolite behaviors again. Do you know that many dogs and cats end up in shelters because of various behavior problems like jumping up on people, scratching the furniture, not coming when called, constant barking, and getting into the trash. Puppies are so cuddly and loveable, but they need basic skills training. There is a saying that “there are no bad ones, just untrained ones”. According to the American Humane most dogs just need a little patience and understanding — and some training and most cats just need a few modifications in their routines.

When dogs jump up on people it’s rude, so how do you teach your dog to not jump up do it? When dogs meet other dogs they may jump all over each other in a happy, boisterous greeting. Your dog may want to greet you the same way. The best way to stop jumping up on people is to teach the dog to sit when it wants attention. According to the Dog Bible, this is a more effective and easier way of training. If the jumping is persistent, you may need to start by keeping the dog behind a fence or gate. This will also teach your dog not to jump against gates when people are entering your yard or home. Put your dog behind the gate and tell it to sit. Then reward your pal with a treat and pet him. If he jumps up, step back and wait calmly until he sits down again. You may need to use “sit” if he doesn’t do it on his own. Don’t forget to reward with another treat when he follows the command. If he remembers not to jump up a few times in a row, leave the area for a few minutes and return. Your pal will get excited again and you’ll be able to see if he is learning this part of the training. If he sits when you approach, praise him and give him a treat. If he jumps up, you’ll need to continue the training. You family members will need to agree on the training approach for you pal and be consistent with the training.

For good manners with visitors, you might teach your dog to sit on a mat. Place the mat where you want the dog to be while your visitors are arriving. You may also need to train your visitors. When they enter your yard or home, ask them to not make eye contact or talk to your dog when they first arrive. The dog will want to greet the visitor, but if it has learned the “sit” command, it will wait until you give the word to “come”. Don’t forget to praise your pal.

When you have small children in the home, sometimes the dogs knock them down, just wanting to play. If you start with basic skills such as sit, come, and stay, you will have a trained dog and a much better experience. So many times, these are the dogs that get taken to the shelter. It’s not the fault of the dog because you haven’t taken the time to do the basic training. What do you think happens to these untrained dogs that are surrendered to a shelter? If there is no space available at the shelter, they will probably be euthanized immediately. Don’t give up on the dog or puppy, just do your job and get the basic skills training started. PAWS has dog training DVDs available if you have a dog with behavior problems. You can call PAWS at 470-7297.

Many times, especially when pets are adopted, the background of the animal is unknown. There could have been abuse or neglect involved and to save its life, the animal just needs a loving person who has the patience to work with it. It takes time, a lot of effort, and lots of praise to build trust with a new person or family.

Remember that you can help eliminate pet overpopulation by having your pet spayed or neutered. Call PAWS 470-5433 for information.

Source from: goerie.com

by Steven M. Sweeney

Caylee sat obediently, her wide eyes on her owner as she waited for her next command.

Mike Lesniewski didn’t make his pug puppy wait long.

“Caylee, come,” he said. And the little dog wiggled over.

“It’s a lot more enjoyable experience to have a pet that’s listening to you,” Lesniewski said. “The biggest thing is not so much training the dog, but training the owner how to train the dog. … I don’t know if it’s puppy training or owner training.”

Either way, Lesniewski decided to get help with teaching the 4-month-old pug to sit, stay and come, in a kindergarten puppy-training class at Proud Land the Pet Place in Fairview Township.

Training a puppy correctly is one of the first steps in responsible dog ownership, experts said.

But being a responsible dog owner doesn’t start with puppy training — or end there, they added. It means making a good match of dog and owner, having your pet spayed or neutered, and making sure it has regular veterinarian care.

“You need to choose the right dog, and you need to give them a lifetime of training,” said Isabelle Wolf, who teaches basic obedience classes at Camboro Veterinary Hospital in Edinboro. “It’s a big commitment.”

She and other authorities said responsible dog ownership would cut down on the number of dog bites and the number of animals euthanized at shelters each year.

Highlighting the importance of being a good dog owner was so important to the American Kennel Club that the organization named September as Responsible Dog Ownership month, which will be recognized Saturday in Erie at an event at Frontier Park.

“Great dogs come from great dog owners,” said Pat Van Zandt Christianson, the founder of Therapy Dogs United, which organized Saturday’s event. “Our goal is to try and change as many human behaviors as we possibly can through awareness and education.”

Creating a great dog takes routine discipline, she said. That’s why she believes formal training classes, regular socialization and quick recognition of bad behavior — such as growling or other aggression — is important.

Wolf said she often sees pet owners wait too long before attempting to correct an aggressive behavior.

“The problem with aggression is that it works really well, and a dog figures that out,” Wolf said. “Once they realize it makes people back off, it creates a cycle, one that can be dangerous.”

Joe Grisanti, executive director of the Northwest Pennsylvania Humane Society, said one of the most common times dogs become aggressive is during meals. He said that’s why he suggests that owners of a new puppy sit next to the dog while it’s eating, so it becomes accustomed to human contact during feeding time.

“It’s simple training that people overlook, things like being involved in a puppy’s feeding,” Grisanti said. “Doing something like that is very effective in avoiding problems later on.”

Finding the right match
But while training is important, Grisanti and the other experts said the most important thing a pet owner can do is choose the right dog.

Potential pet owners need to research a breed before taking a dog home, Grisanti said.

“You see all the time people who have fallen in love with the appearance and personality of an animal, but they don’t understand the genetics of a certain pedigree demand certain things or suggest certain things,” he said.

Weimaraners, for example, were very popular a few years ago. It was easy to see why the beautiful gray dogs had become a favorite.

But soon, the Humane Society began seeing more and more Weimaraners abandoned.

“They’re a dog that requires much more time and exercise than the average dog,” Grisanti said. “They’d be great pets for someone who had that time and energy for them, but like any animal, they can be destructive when their needs aren’t being met.”

Joan Wienczkowski, the owner of Proud Land, said an impulsive pet purchase based on a favorite four-legged character in a movie or TV show is the wrong way to go.

Dalmatians had their day, thanks to the Disney film “101 Dalmatians”; pugs were posh after “Men In Black”; and Jack Russell terriers became popular because of the loveable Eddie on “Frasier.”

Wolf said she’s seen several instances of people who bought a Jack Russell terrier without doing research about the breed.

“They see they’re small and cute, and so (mistakenly think) that must mean they’re easy,” she said. “But they’re bred to hunt rodents all day. They’re wound up, and they’re a lot to handle.”

Ron Mangine, of Fairview, brought his 3-month-old golden retriever, Isabella, to Proud Land for an obedience class.

He said he hopes to instill in her the discipline needed to become a search-and-rescue dog.

He knows it will take a lot of work. But he’s seen what can happen if he doesn’t consistently train Isabella.

He frequently notices problems between dogs and their owners during his daily walk.

“Is the dog walking the person, or is the person walking the dog? It’s easy to tell which dogs have the proper discipline,” he said. “Is the dog all over you? It’s an indication that the dog is really the master.”

DogTrainster aims to educate dog owners on how to be a better owner to their pet and so we have authored a mini-series entitled “Train Yourself To Train Your Dog Mini-Series”.  If you would like to check out our mini-series click here.

Source from: examiner.com

by Jeff Millman

Providing clear instructions is critical in dog training. Have you ever thought about the cues we give our dogs from their perspective? Over the years I am sometimes completely amazed that a given dog is able to understand the trainer at all. All trainers present many different signals to their dog without knowing it. Have you ever said, “Sit” at the same time you are moving your hand in the “Sit” hand signal that you have taught your dog? That is called “blocking”, which is presenting a dog two signals at the same time. The dog might learn one signal, both, or neither. In that case, is the cue for “Sit” the verbal cue, the hand signal, or the combination?

If you want your dog to learn BOTH the hand signal and the verbal cue, try this: say the verbal cue with a quiet body (no extraneous movements,) and then after one second, help your dog with the hand signal. If you have not established a hand signal cue, work on that first.

Lesson learned:  Don’t expect your dog to learn two things at once. Separate the two with a slight pause.

Next I want you think about specific language. What does “Sit Down” mean? Does it mean “Sit” or “Down?” People have a tendency to speak in synyonyms, colloquial speech patterns and slang. That is fine if you teach your dog all of those specific terms. But if you have not, don’t expect her to know them. Use “Sit” or “Down”, but don’t use them together.

Lesson learned: Be specific with your language.

If your dog is having trouble with something, ask someone  to watch one of your training sessions to determine if you are being clear with your instructions.

One of the most common confusing messages that I see all the time is when people say, “Down” to their dog when she is jumping on people or on furniture that is off-limits. I recommend teaching “Off” to mean “keep your paws off that person or object”. “Down” should be reserved for lying down. One reason that I am such a stickler about this point is that the meaning of the cue gets diluted over time. Think about asking your dog to “Down” off of your guests and furniture many times a day and then expecting them to lie “Down” when you want them to? You have defined one cue to mean two very different things.

Lesson learned: Define each cue to mean one behavior.

The last example is the common usage of “Leave it” and “Drop” used interchangeably. The lesson is the same as “Down” and “Off”, but there is a more noticeable and dramatic reason for making sure you are consistent. You could save your dog’s life by paying attention to this rule. If you need your dog to “Drop” something that may hurt her, you don’t want her to pause to interpret what you mean. You want her to do the behavior as a reflex response. Many people use “Leave it” to mean both: “Move your mouth away from that object” and, “Drop it” to mean, “Open your mouth”.

Getting snappy, consistent responses requires conditioning through repetition of behaviors paired with a cue many, many times. Think movements in sports, responding to orders in the military, and typing as three examples. Why do athletes at any level practice for hours and hours? It is to get muscle-memory of behaviors and achieve a level of comfort with the action so there body easily does the movement without a lot of thought. This allows them to refine their movements, think about strategies, work on their role and not get bogged down in the details.

Have you ever asked your dog to do something and then gotten a really delayed response, or none at all? Of course you have. I have, every trainer has. That is part of the learning process. If you define “Leave it” to mean two different things, will your dog have a snappy response? Possibly, but you are leaving too much room for interpretation. Teach, “Leave It” to mean “Move your mouth away from that” and, “Drop it” to mean “Open your mouth”.

Lesson learned: Snappy responses require repetition of behaviors paired with a cue many, many times.

I am very excited about my next two videos, Stop and Puppy Biting. The Puppy Biting video also includes teaching a soft mouth using the game of tug, as well as teaching “Drop”. Look for both videos in the new few weeks.