Make Training a Part of Everyday Life…with GREAT Rewards!

Everyone has the same story – “I’m just too busy to train my dog.”  The truth is…we’re all VERY busy, but that’s no excuse for avoiding daily habits that have become (ahem) annoying to live with. Like the dog that gets crazy when the leash comes out, or the one who rushes out the door, running over everyone and everything in his way.

Training should be a part of everyday life, and if we commit to making it a part of everyday life it is easy and very rewarding. I work with lots of clients with lots of doggie dilemmas. If you could focus on a few of the things that are having a negative effect on YOUR every day life, those problems would be history before you know it.

Let’s start with our “leash-crazy” dog. Try to desensitize your dog to the leash and take the excitement down a notch.  It’s nice to know that your dog enjoys his daily walks, but when you have trouble just putting the leash on – now that’s a problem. Bring out the leash – DO NOT look at your dog. Carry it close to your body for a few step and then put it down (on a table, chair, whatever). Do NOT look at your dog.  Pick up the leash again and move it somewhere else. Continue this process until your dog is no longer in his “over-the-top” excitement phase because of the leash. When you have accomplished this, put the leash away, still not looking at your dog.

You have now accomplished a few very important things 1) you are the owner of the leash. 2) you have started to desensitize him to the over-excitement of the leash. 3) just because the leash comes out, it doesn’t mean that your dog is going for a walk. 4) now that the excitement of the leash is down to a manageable state, you can tell your dog to sit (calmly) while you attach the leash. If you try this step a few times and your dog cannot sit nicely for the leash being attached, put it away (out of site) and try again in a few minutes. Throughout this process your dog will learn to behave calmly while in the presence of the leash and show good manners while you put it on.

All you have to do is 1) keep calm, 2) repeat in the same calm manner, and  3) do NOT put the leash on and go for a walk when your dog is overly excited and you are in a hurry. You’ll be surprised how quickly things will improve if you show your dog that this is the only way things will progress to a walk. It WILL work. Be patient and repeat. YOU have all the power to set the bar as high as you want it to be!

Now let’s address the dog who barrels out the door, taking anyone and anything down in his path. Calmly make your dog sit & wait at the door. Reach for the door handle. If your dog moves, move your hand away and start again. This is a process that must be repeated calmly – I mean really CALMLY.  If you start to get frustrated he will know and you will eventually cave in and let him out before he gives you what you expect. Once you can touch the door knob, slowly start to open or slide the door. If he moves, quickly shut it before he has even reached it. Repeat sit & wait and try again. You do this until he can sit while you fully open the door. As long as he is still calm, give him a calm command like “out” as you point. Some people like to say “ok”, which may be fine, but if “ok” represents too much excitement change it to something calmer (you don’t want to undo all the hard work you just put in). It will get easier and faster over time.

Once you start to implement a few mannerly rules to everyday activities, your dog will start to respond and turn on his “training gene”.  All dogs have it, and it’s up to you to bring it out. I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to – dogs are so happy working for us, and we are so happy when they accomplish a few new training skills. Once you start it’s contagous.  Just a little time and consistency and you will have the dog you always wanted!  Train them, challenge them and love them. Hugs from their biggest fan, Auntie Stacie.

Happy New year!

Stacie & “Ronan”