3 Behaviors All Dog Trainers Should Know

October 27, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Make Sure Your Clients Know These Behaviors

Do you want to spice up your Basic Family Manners Class? Are you bored teaching the same foundation exercises over and over again? Don’t you ever feel like you’re forgetting something? Are your dogs still pulling on a leash and jumping up on people? Here ya go! Learn three new behaviors all dogs should know!

Body Handling

While this is mostly covered in Puppy Class, we forget to cover in Basic Family Manners Class geared for dogs six months and older. Body handling means a dog learns to allow a person to touch, handle and restrain his body. Trust me, it’s not fun having a dog bucking around the room when you’re trying to apply eye medicine or brushing mats out of his coat. 🙂 Plus, your vet and vet tech will thank you profusely!

Body handling teaches a dog to stand still while being examined at the vet’s office, brushed at the groomers, having nails trimmed, having teeth brushed, having medicine and ointments applied to the eyes or ears and so on. Many dogs can learn to remain still for blood withdrawals and injections. We just need to teach the dog what is expected during these procedures.

How to teach:

As you touch your dog’s shoulder, click and treat (repeat 5 times in a row).
Touch his nose, click and treat (repeat 5 times in a row).
Touch his front foot, click and treat (repeat 5 times in a row).
Touch his tail, click and treat (repeat 5 times in a row).

Move forward until:

Touch your dog’s nose, foot, tail or shoulder for 1 second, then click/treat.
Continue until you can touch longer or look in his ear or mouth for longer, then click/treat.

Park Your Dog

During the first week of Basic Family Manners, I teach “Park Your Dog.” We all know that Week One is usually the loudest and rowdiest class by far so teach pet parents how to teach their dogs to calm themselves. I explain how to teach it, demo with the rowdiest dog in class, and then ask pet owners to practice for 5 minutes while I walk around providing feedback. Then I ask owners to “Park Your Dog” during lecture time and when they first arrive at class.

How to teach:

Step on your leash about halfway up to your dog (your dog should have 3 feet of extra leash).
Click and treat your dog the instant the leash becomes loose (Tip: Instead of watching your dog, feel when the leash tightens and loosens under your feet. The moment you feel slack in the leash, click/treat!).
That’s it! Bingo, you are rewarding calm and quiet behavior!

Additional troubleshooting:

Dog still jumps up on you, shorten the leash.
Dog continues to pull on leash, your timing is probably off a bit. Click and treat every time the leash is loose.
My dog is still pulling, call his name and click/treat five times in a row. Now you have his attention, so keep it by rewarding frequently.

View demo video and additional training tips here.

Collar Pressure

I love teaching this behavior, especially for big dogs and little pet parents. 🙂 Having a large dog is tough as he seems to always pull you forward even when teaching him polite leash manners. Well, problem solved, this behavior teaches a dog to follow collar pressure instead of pulling away from it.

Step 1: Touching your dog’s collar is a good thing!

Touch your dog’s collar, next click and treat.
Try this 10 times in a row.

Step 2: Following the pressure on the dog collar.

Apply pressure to the dog’s collar the opposite way he is standing. Use light pressure, such as holding a door open. You are not pulling hard per se, but more like restraining.
Immediately click and treat when your dog follows the direction of pressure (as the dog moves towards the pressure, so that you are no longer applying pressure to your dog’s collar).
Try this 10 times in a row, remember to click and treat each time.

Step 3: Your dog now follows you on the leash.

Touch your dog’s collar, as if you are moving him away from something, such as an open door.
Immediately click and treat when your dog follows the direction of pressure (he moves towards your hand instead of pulling opposite of you).
Try this 10 times in a row, remember to click and treat each time.

View demo video and additional training tips here.

Dog trainers, bark back! What behaviors would you like to teach in class?

How to Park Your Dog

October 24, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Train Your Dog to Stay

As a professional dog trainer, if I had to narrow down the top behavior all dogs should know, I would say parking your dog would be the first one! Trust me, “Come When Called” is probably right up there with “Park Your Dog.” However, this behavior will teach your dog to stay with you.

“Park Your Dog” is a great way to bring your dog’s arousal level down. It’s like taking a yoga breath for your dog.

Why Should I “Park My Dog”?

“Park Your Dog” is a great way to bring your dog’s arousal level down. It’s like taking a “yoga breath” for your dog. Use this dog behavior when your dog becomes overwhelmed by visitors or anything, really! When teaching hyperactive dogs to be calm, many folks ask them to sit still. This is tough, as they are learning how to manage their extra energy and excitement. So next time your dog tries to jump on guests, “park your dog.”

Just by teaching your dog this simple behavior, your dog will learn

Self control (teaching your hyper dog to relax)
Polite greetings of people (not to jump on people or you)
Polite leash manners (not pull on the leash)
Ignore other dogs
Stay with you
Prevent excessive barking

How do I teach “Park Your Dog”?

Step on your leash (about half way up to your dog, your dog should have 3 feet of extra leash).
Click and treat your dog the instant the leash becomes loose. Tip: instead of watching your dog, feel when the leash tightens and loosens under your feet. The moment you feel slack in the leash, Click and treat!
That’s it! Bingo, you are rewarding calm and quiet behavior!

Additional Troubleshooting:

Dog still jumps up on you, shorten the leash.
Dog continues to pull on leash, your timing is probably off a bit. Click/treat every time the leash is loose.
My dog is still pulling, then call their name and click/treat five times in a row. Now you have their attention, so keep their attention by rewarding frequently.

VIDEO: How to Teach “Park Your Dog”

When can you park your dog?

While talking to someone at the park
Having guests over
Outdoor dining
Paying at the pet store or vet’s office
During group class lecture, we ask pet parents to “park their dog” while listening to instructions

I want to hear from you! When should you park your dog?

Top 5 Tips for Training Rescue Dogs

October 1, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Five Things You Need to Know About Rescuing a Dog

These five professional dog trainer tips are important when you bring home a rescue dog as you’ll need to incorporate them into your daily routine quickly. This way your rescue dog learns polite behaviors immediately. Plus, spending time with your new dog will build a strong bond of trust so start training now.

Enroll in a Dog Training Class

Completing a dog training class within two weeks of adoption will build a bond between you and your rescue dog. Your new pooch will learn polite manners while earning luscious treats, which means they will love you even more!
Choose a dog trainer that uses positive reinforcement. This means no yelling, pushing, yanking or pulling your puppy around. During classes, choose treats your dog loves!

Reward Good Behavior

When your rescue dog behaves as expected reward him with treats. Positive rewards are a great way to reinforce the desired behavior of your dog. Rewards can include a game of tug or snuggle time. It’s a great idea to keep a bowl of treats nearby for quick rewards. You can reward your rescue dog for things, such as: going potty outside, laying quietly at your feet, not barking, sitting when putting on his leash and coming when called.

Crate Training

This is your rescue dog’s sanctuary. He is safe and can relax so make it fun and rewarding to be in his crate. Feed your dog meals in his crate and provide special food stuffed toys for him to enjoy while he relaxes in his crate.

Come When Called

Teach your rescue dog that it’s fun to come back to you! While a rescue dog may have learned this behavior, it’s vital he learns to come back to you specifically. He’s still adjusting to his new home.
Use the ER Recall: Stand still, squat down and say “Puppy Puppy Puppy” using a high-pitched sound. Dogs really respond to high-pitched rapid repeating sounds. Have a party when your dog returns to you. Give him 5 treats and do the Happy Dance (always make it a big deal). You need to be much more interesting than the squirrel outside.

Engage in Daily Mental Stimulation

This is just as important as physical exercise.

Walk your rescue dog on leash for 30 minutes per day. Allow him plenty of sniffing opportunities. This is equivalent to reading his Facebook page. By sniffing, he is reading “posts” and may answer “posts” back. The more often you take your dog for a walk, the less likely he is to have an accident in the house.
Feed your dog meals using interactive toys. Pour his kibble into a food dispensing toy so that he needs to push or paw the toy to dispense his food — it’s like solving puzzles. Meals times are 20 minutes long instead of 30 seconds, and your dog will be tired afterwards.

Bark back. I want to hear back from you! How have these tips helped your rescue dog acclimate to your household?

READ ALSO: Adopting a Rescue Dog

Come When Called Part 3: Adding Distractions

September 26, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Teaching Your Dog to Come When Called

Adding Distractions to “Come” Cue

If your dog ignores you and runs off, it might need some specific training. Here is the final installment of a four-part series on training your dog to come. You’ll learn:

How to perform an emergency recall
To call your dog indoors from the backyard
To call your dog back to you around distractions (squirrels, etc.)
How to teach multiple dogs to come back to you
Fun games

Directions

View first video and practice homework for seven days.
View second video, practice homework for seven days.
View third video, practice homework for seven days.
View fourth, and final, video.

Each video contains tons of information so re-watch them several times. Bookmark for easy future reference.

What you will need:

Delicious treats the size of a pea
Six-foot leash
Flat buckle collar or body harness
Clicker

Note: Always enroll your dog in a group dog training class. This video should not be used in place of dog training class attendance.

You’ve completed the “Come When Called” series. Revisit the videos as often as necessary for polite greeting behavior!

In case you missed it: Come When Called Part 1: Intro

How to Train Your Dog Not to Jump Part 2

September 9, 2014 by Fanna Easter

How to Stop Your Dog From Jumping

Does your dog jump on you or guests? View this 3-part video series, which will teach your dog:

Not to jump on you when coming home
To greet guests politely

If you missed Part 1, How to Train Your Dog Not to Jump Part 1.

Directions:

View first video and practice homework for 7 days.
View second video and practice homework for 7 days.
View third, and last, video.

Each video contains TONS of information, so rewind and watch several times. Bookmark for easy reference.

What you will need:

Delicious treats the size of a pea. View Choosing Dog Training Treats for more tips.
6-foot leash
Flat buckle collar or body harness
Clicker is optional. View Clicker Training Tips for more details.