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Showing posts from May, 2025

Week 2 Notes, Homework, and Videos

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NOTE 1:  ALL TRAINING SHOULD BE DONE WITH TRAINING COLLAR AND TRAINING LEASH ON. NOTE 2:   DO NOT LEAVE TRAINING COLLAR OR TRAINING SLIP LEAD ON WHEN YOU ARE NOT ACTIVELY TRAINING YOUR DOG. NOTE 3:  PLEASE PUT ON YOUR TRAINING COLLAR CORRECTLY.  ALSO BE SURE TO HOLD THE LEASH CORRECTLY. This is a link to a leash article on our business blog.  Leashes How to Hold Them and How to Fold Them . NOTE 4:  EVERYTHING THIS WEEK SHOULD BE DONE IN LOW AND EASY DISTRACTION (INSIDE IN A QUIET AREA). NOTE 5:   THE GOALS ARE PLACES TO WORK TO IN THE FUTURE.  IF YOU DON'T MAKE THE GOAL, DON'T WORRY AS LONG AS YOU PUT IN THE WORK TOWARDS THE GOAL.  PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL OR EMAIL ME WITH ANY TRAINING PROBLEMS THAT COME UP IN BETWEEN LESSONS. NOTE 6:  IF YOU DON'T GET THROUGH ALL THE EXERCISES IN ONE DAY, YOU CAN JUST BE SURE THAT THE EXERCISES YOU DID NOT GET TO ARE DONE THE NEXT DAY.   THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, I T...

Week 2 [INFORMATIONAL ONLY] Working with the Transitional Leash

  PART 1 WALK AND SIT WITH ME (NO COMMANDS) ON LEASH:    NOTE:  BECAUSE THIS IS A BEHAVIORAL EXERCISE, COMMANDS ARE NOT USED. STEP 1:    Make sure you put the transitional leash on correctly for handling your dog with the nose loop on and the safety attached to his collar.   STEP 2:   You can either start walking or start your dog off in a relaxed sit, and then start walking. STEP 3A:   In the very beginning, I stop at the first pressure the dog puts on the leash.   Also in the beginning you usually need to pull up on the leash to get them to sit.  Once the dog relaxes, I will walk again until the next time. STEP 3B:   When the dog has a handle on this concept, I may pull back slightly with my hand on the leash if I feel tension, but the dog is doing pretty okay.   Then I make up either paces or objects to which I will stop and practice the sit portion of the exercise.   If your dog is really ...

Week 2 Sit with Correction if Needed

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  Equipment Needed:   6’ Leash, Training Collar (or a slip lead could replace the two).   NOTE 1:  YOU DON’T NEED TO PRACTICE EVERY TIME WHILE HEELING.  YOU CAN DO THESE WHILE JUST WALKING WITH YOUR DOG AS WELL.   SAVE SOME "SITS FIRST COMMAND" FOR THE LURED HEELING, WHERE YOU MAY BE WORKING MORE WITH FOOD. NOTE 2: REMEMBER WE ARE PRAISING AND PRESENTING FOOD REWARD UPON YOUR DOG RESPONDING TO THE CHAIN CORRECTION. NOTE 3: REMEMBER THAT TO GIVE THE COLLAR CORRECTION, THE COLLAR NEEDS TO BE LOOSE FOR THE "ONE MISSISSIPPI" COUNT UNTIL THE CORRECTION. THE CORRECTION IS LOOSE COLLAR, COLLAR TIGHTENS MOMENTARILY, AND THEN LOOSE COLLAR. Explanation and Goal of Exercise:  This exercise is the end goal for the molding and interim luring with food sit exercises you have been doing.  You w a nt to be able to stand up straight now for both the command and the correction (the correction is loose , tight, loose but quickly with the chain training coll...

Week 2 Lured Heeling Step 1

  Equipment Needed: 6’ Leash, Training Collar, OR a Slip Lead  Explanation and Goal of Exercise:  The goal of heeling is to have your dog in an exact position for ease of movement in a busy city, or when you are bringing in the groceries, or just so you don't trip over your dog. Heeling also keeps your dog focused on you rather than jumping on an interesting human or dog OR becoming snarky with a passing stranger or strange dog.  Also teaches the owner the concept of slack leash = more control. So that the opposition reflex of a taunt reach does not kick in OR the formula for aggression that restraint + frustration = aggression. We are teaching the dog to decide correctly and be focused on their "job". A dog's job can be as simple as allowing for a stress-free walk in the city.    Due to the configuration of training collars and the need to pick a side, generally heeling is on the left-hand side of the handler, dog is ideally a foot away from the ...

Week 1 Notes, Homework, and Video

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     NOTE 1:  ALL TRAINING SHOULD BE DONE WITH TRAINING COLLAR AND TRAINING LEASH ON. NOTE 2:   DO NOT LEAVE TRAINING COLLAR OR TRAINING SLIP LEAD ON WHEN YOU ARE NOT ACTIVELY TRAINING YOUR DOG. NOTE 3:  PLEASE PUT ON YOUR TRAINING COLLAR CORRECTLY.  ALSO BE SURE TO HOLD THE LEASH CORRECTLY. This is a link to a leash article on our business blog.  Leashes How to Hold Them and How to Fold Them . NOTE 4:  EVERYTHING THIS WEEK SHOULD BE DONE IN LOW AND EASY DISTRACTION (INSIDE IN A QUIET AREA). NOTE 5:   THE GOALS ARE PLACES TO WORK TO IN THE FUTURE.  IF YOU DON'T MAKE THE GOAL, DON'T WORRY AS LONG AS YOU PUT IN THE WORK TOWARDS THE GOAL.  PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL OR EMAIL ME WITH ANY TRAINING PROBLEMS THAT COME UP IN BETWEEN LESSONS. NOTE 6:  IF YOU DON'T GET THROUGH ALL THE EXERCISES IN ONE DAY, YOU CAN JUST BE SURE THAT THE EXERCISES YOU DID NOT GET TO ARE DONE THE NEXT DAY.   THE MOS...

Week 1 Molded Sit

 Equipment needed:   6' Leather Lead (or slip lead or transitional lead), Training Collar (or slip lead or transitional lead) Explanation and Goal of Exercise: This method of molding the dog into position, teaches the dog to allow our hands to mold and manipulate various parts of their body. The handler is also teaching themselves how to determine if a dog's muscles are relaxed with trust OR tense with distrust. Additionally, it is possible to detect a physical problem by touch as you mold your dog into a sit (and then see your veterinarian before continuing). This also prepares your dog to sink into a sit readily when given the correction later on (if the correction is even necessary). A sit is when your dog's upper torso is upright, front leg(s) on the ground/floor, and bottom area is on the ground. Hand Drills (practice until your moves can move swiftly through the motions without the handler needing to think about it, before practicing with the dog): Practice these w...

Week 1 Sits First Command (with food reward method)

 Goal and Purpose of This Exercise:  We need a reliable sit in distractions to advance the training or change the unwanted behavior or your dog.    Equipment Needed:  Training Collar, Leather Leash, and Food Reward STEP 1:  Walk with your dog STEP 2:  Stop before doing anything STEP 3:  Say the command "Sit" STEP 4A:  If your dog completes the command correctly, say the praise marker word ("Good"), then use the release marker word ("Yes") as you give the food reward. STEP 4B:  If your dog does not sit, just set your dog up again and show them that you have the food reward.   You can also move him again under this method. STEP 5:  Repeat until you get four in a row 3 times without needing to cajole or give them a verbal correction OR after 15 minutes.   

Week 1 Stay Command (the beginning)

  Equipment Needed: 6' Leash, Training Collar (or a slip lead instead of the leash and collar )       Explanation and Goal of Exercise:  Great for keeping a dog stationary when doing chores around the house.   Stationing a dog in any human or canine social environment when needed.   To keep the dog from greeting too enthusiastically by learning to wait and greet when allowed.   There are many other uses for this exercise.    The dog is required to perform the position of the command, and stay there until the release word is given.   The handler/owner will be increasing the duration first, add in distractions, and finally add on distance from the dog to this exercise.     NOTE ON STAYS:   DO NOT RUSH THROUGH THIS EXERCISE.   IF YOU STOP AT ONE SECTION, BUT DO THE BEST WORK POSSIBLE THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT.   IF YOU CAME HERE MORE ADVANCED, BUT HAVE TROUBLE AT ONE LEVEL, THEN...