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Okay, so January 2021 didn’t begin as we might have hoped given COVID-19 and the Ontario provincial lockdown. And while you may have a number of weeks to go before training starts, there’s a lot you can do to make your wait productive. Let’s use these homebound weeks of January to prep the pups for a spectacular classroom experience when the doors open up again.

Here’s your January homework

Find your level below:

•  For those of you starting my Puppy or Beginner classes
•  For those of you starting my Intermediate classes
•  For those of you starting my Advanced classes

NOTE: Remember that young puppies have a very limited attention span so plan on maybe two, five minutes sessions per day. That will keep it fun and interesting for them.

For those of you starting my Puppy or Beginner classes

Potty training 101. Set your new puppy up for success

Potty training your puppy isn’t just about keeping the carpets clean. It’s also about developing the foundation of how you and your new companion will work together, for many years to come.

It will take observation, patience, commitment, and lots of consistency, on your part. The better you are at keeping to a schedule for feeding and toileting, the faster and more consistent your new pup will get at letting you know when it's time to "go".

Here’s what you need to know about potty training: https://bit.ly/37NULxs

Get your puppy started on clicker training

It’s fast and fun for both of you. If you have a clicker already, there’s no time like the present.

**If you don’t already have one and would like to start on clicker training, email me. I have a supply at home and can mail one to you for a nominal fee. (This offer's only available for students who have already signed up and paid for my training classes.)

If I could provide only one piece of advice when it comes to training it would be to start using a clicker as soon as you bring your puppy home. Developing the clicker association even at six or eight weeks of age is not too early. Once your pup is a little older, his or her more formal skills such as walking on a leash, and recall, will already be partially developed. Adult dogs can learn this system of communication with ease as well. Clicker training (otherwise known as the mark and reward system) is used to signal success the instant your dog performs correctly.

The clicker tool has a great advantage over human speech because a dog’s central nervous system can process the click many times faster than it can process a word. A spoken word must be recognized and interpreted before the dog understands that a behaviour is being marked. A click is processed instantly. It’s thought that a click goes directly to the instinctive, reflexive part of a dog's brain (the amygdala) while a word is processed in the cortex (the thinking part of the brain), which takes longer.

Once a dog is conditioned to a clicker, he will respond “reflexively” without having to stop and think about it. I’ve watched the effectiveness of clicker training over the past two years which was especially gratifying, to witness during my recent Click-A-Trick class.

Here's how you develop your puppy's clicker skills: https://bit.ly/2KsSQ8X

Teach your dog or puppy the "watch me" cue

Training your dog to “pay attention” to you is a foundation behaviour that should be taught right from the start. It’s simple, gain your dog’s attention by placing a small treat between two fingers and literally lure his gaze up to your nose or your temple. When he looks at you, reward him with the treat and praise. Repeat a few times a day, in the early days, until you have quick and solid consistency. Over time you can fade out the treat while keeping the hand and verbal cue, and increasing the duration of focus.

Here are your pointers to teach the "watch me" cue: https://bit.ly/3psOyNI     

Learn the art of Loose Leash walking

One of the biggest reasons people sign up for dog training is to stop their dogs from pulling on the leash. First day of class, more often than not, students bring (or drag) the dogs in, sit down, and proceed to wind the leash up around their arm. It's an attempt to force good behaviour and silence. What it actually creates is anxiety, reactivity, and...guess what? Pulling.

Now's the time to take a good hard look at our relationship with the leash, why we continue to pull, and what we can do to break our own bad habits.

Why people pull

•  A person pulls on the leash to attempt to teach their dog to walk beside them
•  A person pulls on the leash to gain the dog’s attention
•  A person pulls on the leash to stop the dog from jumping on a visitor
•  A person pulls on the leash to attempt to correct their dog’s inappropriate behaviour, because they feel the dog is embarrassing them
•  A person pulls on the leash because they’ve been doing it for so long they do it on reflex, even when unnecessary

Why dogs pull

• A dog pulls because when he does, you follow him, and forward progress can be made

• A dog pulls because you’ve tried to teach her to walk closer to you by yanking her backward. When you jerk the leash it momentarily goes slack, followed by that hard, painful jerk. So now by association, the dog expects the pain will instantly follow, as soon as the leash loosens up. In essence, you’ve actually conditioned her to constantly pull, to avoid the painful jerk

• A dog pulls when you use an extendable leash (a Flexi) which is designed to always be taut so even if the dog tries to walk with a slack leash, he can’t and therefore gives up trying. Not only is the leash always taut but it varies in length (sometimes three feet, sometimes 15 feet) so the dog never learns what a consistent working distance means

• A dog pulls when you are frustrated and sometimes yell, making her much less willing to stay closer to you and engage with you. Your frustration stresses her out. The more stressed she is the more erratic and reactive she will be on a walk. Expect that teaching a dog to walk on a slack leash does not happen overnight. It’s going to take a few months of teamwork. Take a pocket full of Cheerios or something he or she likes with you, every time you go out. Make staying around you, fun and worthwhile

Here’s how to get started on leash skills:  https://bit.ly/3pjCtKq  

For those of you who are starting my Intermediate classes

Clicker refresher

I would like to see a high level of responsiveness to the clicker by the time class starts for you and your dog. Anyone starting my Intermediate classes, should already have a clicker.

**If you don’t already have one and would like to start on clicker training, email me. I have a supply at home and can mail one to you for a nominal fee. (This offer's only available for students who have already signed up and paid for my training classes.)

Clicker training (otherwise known as the mark and reward system) is used to create a fast and reliable association between your command and when your dog's performed as requested. The clicker tool has a great advantage over human speech because a dog’s central nervous system can process the click many times faster than it can process a word. A spoken word must be recognized and interpreted before the dog understands that a behaviour is being marked. A click is processed instantly. It’s thought that a click goes directly to the instinctive, reflexive part of a dog's brain (the amygdala) while a word is processed in the cortex (the thinking part of the brain), which takes longer.

I’ve watched the effectiveness of clicker training over the past two years and it was especially gratifying to witness during my recent Click-A-Trick class.

Need the refresher? Find it here: https://bit.ly/2KsSQ8X

Start some 4D training skills (distance, duration, diversity distraction)

• Increase the distance and duration of your “waits and stays”
• Try some “stay” cues while dropping a bag near your dog. Aim at having your puppy hold position until you release him
• Practice your “stay” cue while another family member rings the doorbell or knocks on the door
• Practice your threshold “waits and stays” (dog in one room, you in another, doorway in between)
• Get out there and really master the art of loose leash walking

Work on fading the lure

•  Never allow the dog to see the reward. By now it should be out of sight until you get the compliance you are after
•  Randomize using different types of rewards and ask the dog to provide more than one cue before receiving rewards
•  Ask for a much longer period of duration before offering a reward

Actively incorporate the release cue

If you want greater compliance with duration and through distraction, you'll need to really enforce the release cue. Ensure your puppy holds its position until he or she hears either the clicker or your verbal release cue.

For those of you who are starting my Advanced classes

Let’s do a refresher of the 4D training skills (distance, duration, diversity distraction)

•  Increase the distance and duration of your “waits and stays”
•  Try some “stay” cue’s while, dropping a bag near your dog. Aim at having your puppy hold position until you release him
•  Practice your “stay” cue while another family member rings the doorbell or knocks on the door
•  Practice your threshold “waits and stays” (dog in one room, you in another, doorway in between)
•  Get out there and really master the art of loose leash walking

Move leash skills to successful combinations of loose leash walking and healing

By now you and your dog should have a fairly comfortable walking routine. Work on keeping your dog generally in that magic 3’ by 3’ circle on your left side, upon your request. Do allow for sniff time along the way. That’s only fair, however, ask your dog for some good solid stretches of loose leash walking and healing as well. I like to allow the dog more freedom in the first half of the walk, then incorporate active walking skills on the way home.

Practice the “heel and switch” cue until it’s smooth and happens upon request—and without immediate reward.

Fading the lure

•  Never allow the dog to see the reward. By now it should be out of sight until you get the compliance you are after
•  Randomize using different types of rewards and ask the dog to provide more than one cue before receiving rewards
•  Ask for a much longer period of duration before offering a reward

Incorporate the “Leave it” cue with the 4D’s from Intermediate level

•  Ask your dog to sit, place a food item on the floor a few feet in front of him and tell him to “leave it”
•  Work on moving farther away from him with his full compliance
•  See if you can move out of his sight and back again with the item still in place
•  Start this exercise where the dog is only given a food reward intermittently. Move toward a praise reward

NOTE: Remember that your dog should never be rewarded with the item on the floor. As you return to him, scoop it up and discard it. Reward him with something either from your pocket or from behind your back…and eventually, this cue should be rewarded by praise only.

Have fun with the homework and I'll see you all, very soon.

THE DOG BLOG is a great resource for tips on training and canine well being. Got questions or a topic in mind? Let me know via the comments box. I would love to hear from you.