Welcome to My AWESOME DOG Crash Course Class

For the class you will need:

• 6-foot leash. A leather leash is preferable since it does not slip.  No flexi-leads.
• Collar – buckle, martingale, prong, or choke.
• (No head-halters or harnesses unless your vet has determined your dog has a medical condition and can’t wear a collar)
• A mat the dog can lay down on.  (i.e. drop rug, piece of carpeting, etc.)
• Shoes that will stay on your feet when you back up quickly
• Commitment of at least 45 minutes per day to train your dog
• Your dog’s favorite toy for lesson 3 

Points to remember:

• Enforce any and every command that you give.
• Use your parenting voice when you are giving a command.   Tell the dog to do the command - don’t ask.  You are in charge, not the dog.
• If your dog isn’t paying attention to you, stop saying his name over and over to try to get his attention.  Say the dog’s name once and give a command. If he doesn’t obey, enforce the command.  Next time, when he hears his name, he will respond quicker.
• Your dog should be wearing a 4’ to 6’ leash at all times. Not the same leash you use for walking your dog…get an inexpensive thin leash that won’t catch on furniture…cat leashes work great.  And yes, that means they wear it in the house.  The only time they should not be wearing it is in his crate or, if he has the run of the house when you are not home, or when you switch leads to take him for a walk.  Depending on how fast the dog learns, that leash may be on for months or a year.  This is so you can enforce every command that you give your dog.
• Don’t repeat commands.   If you do, it becomes just a suggestion and the dog doesn’t know when you want him to do it…is it after you say sit 2 times or is it after 4?
• Praise your dog sincerely and enthusiastically when he does it right.
• You will not have a completely trained dog in 3 weeks.  You will continue working and training your dog for the rest of his life.
• Always end your training on a good note and give your dog success.  If you are not having a good session, put the dog in a sit, praise, chin-touch release and then stop.  Go back to training a little while later.
• Always give a chin-touch release after every command except “OFF” and “Quiet”.  This signals to the dog that he is done with the command.  Not giving a chin-touch release will confuse the dog…he won’t know if he is supposed to still be doing the last command you gave him, or if he can just stop doing it on his own.  Most dogs, given the choice, will just stop doing it and go about their business.
• Be consistent in your commands. For example, if you want your dog to stop barking at every person that walks by, then enforce the quiet command every time he barks at people walking by.  If you don’t, the behavior will be harder to change.
• Daily training is a must.  You can work on “down” or “stay” on his mat while you are preparing or eating dinner.  Do random “comes” as you are cleaning your house or washing your car.  Do commands when taking him for his daily walk.   Train at least 45 minutes a day every day.  You can break this up into two or three sessions.
• Your dog needs exercise.  “A tired dog is a good dog”.  You should try to walk your dog at least a ½ hour in the morning and 45 minutes to an hour each night.   In the summer, walk him during the early morning hours or after sunset to avoid the heat.
• If you have a little dog that is misbehaving, don’t pick him up…that reinforces the naughty behavior by bringing the dog up to your alpha level.  Make him do some sits and downs and get him re-focused.
• In class, if your dog tries to go under your chair, do not let him.  Bring him out, put him on his mat and put him in a sit or a down.   He will then have to concentrate on the command and not hiding.
•  Almost every dog does well at home. He will sit, down, stay and do whatever you ask him to do in your living room…there is nothing better for him to do, plus he has your undivided attention.   When he gets to that point in his training, increase your expectations by taking him to pet stores, shopping center parking lots, outside at Starbucks, parks, school yards, etc. and make him do commands when there are all kinds of distractions.  The more places you take him to, the more distractions you use, the higher your expectations are, the better your dog will behave.
•  Have fun with your dog when you are training.  Training your dog builds an incredible bond between you.