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training tips


Work Your Dog When He/She Is Hungry

Use mealtime as a training opportunity - hand feed your dog and praise, praise, praise!!! Practice what your dog knows and alter it with play. Each time your dog is free fed it is a missed opportunity to train your dog.


Keep It Fun and Upbeat!

Use more positive feedback & less negative feedback. If you notice you are saying "No" or "Eh-eh" more than you are saying "Good boy!" or "Good girl!" then go back 3 spaces. Do not collect $200 & do not pass go. Start again at the beginning and build at the dog's pace - not yours. Every dog is different. Just because your neighbor's dog learned an out-of-sight-sit-stay-while-balancing-a-biscuit-on-her-nose in one day doesn't mean your dog will. Do not get frustrated at your dog's pace of learning. If you find yourself getting frustrated it's time to stop & come back to it later. Patience is a virtue as well as a prerequisite! Discover what your dog loves most of all (your pets, a tennis ball, walks, car rides, etc.) and save it as a big reward at the end of your training sessions!


Teach Your Dog to Work for a Living

When dogs were first domesticated they worked for a living. Love, but don't spoil your dog by teaching him/her to work. Giving him/her ALL the attention he/she wants whenever they ask for it teaches them you are working for them. This can lead to dominance and a myriad of behavior problems! Ask your dog to sit, down, or shake-a-paw for that extra-big belly rub.


Accept the Truth

If you have a Nordic breed like a Malamute or a Husky, don't expect to master a 2 mile heel. Their instincts tell them to pull! If you have a retriever, understand that it may be difficult to teach them to avoid the lawn sprinklers. Allow your dog to be a dog & excel with his/her own personality traits. Breeders have been breeding dogs for centuries to bring out what a particular breed does best. Some dogs (both pure & mixed breeds) may not be able to do the opposite of what they were bred to do. However, they can usually acquire a basic knowledge of everything you need. Lots of people can be Jack's Of All Trades, but most dogs cannot do everything. Work with, enhance & love the special uniqueness your dog has to offer!


Be a Leader

Follow through with each & every command you give your dog. When your dog knows a command and chooses not to do it, you are being outranked. Dogs who learn to ignore their owners also learn dominance, and dominance can lead to aggression. Your dog will respect your Alpha-dom if you display proper leadership. Without that he will try to be the leader, including doing all the cooking. We all know how badly dogs cook so don't let your dog think he can be the alpha-leader & do the cooking for you (or the laundry - his style is to EAT it, not WASH it)! Show your dog that you are the leader by being the one in control. Most dogs aren't particularly concerned about their pack rank, they just need to know where it is and know who the leader is. Maintain proper rank and you will have a happy life together that is full of mutual respect.


If you are 100% consistent with your dog, your dog will become 100% consistent.

Happy training!