Training Course Features
A clear path to a better-behaved dog!
1st Steps: How your dog learns
Learning how to teach your puppy or dog to be the best member of your family that they could possibly be means understanding how to your dog learns.
Understanding things like:
- dogs repeat things they find rewarding, including things that are instinctive
- dogs learn by association, therefore classical conditioning is the best way
- punishment doesn’t work for many reasons
- replacing unwanted behaviour with something you want means your dog will be able to use environmental cues to perform taught behaviours, even when you are not there
- socialisation is not what you think, and it is imperative as a puppy, to your dog having a long happy, calm and relaxed life
- management is as important as socialisation and training to ensure you keep you dog safe as well as preventing any unwanted behaviours from being repeated while you teach new behaviours
Then: How to implement that understanding into practical results
Knowing how to train your puppy so they will become a much-loved member of your family using
- management and enrichment
- generalisation training, socialisation and separation routines
- proofing behaviours by adding duration, distraction and distance training
Useful Behaviours:
In the home
- wait
- stay
- lie down
- relax
- on your mat
- come to me/recall
- leave it
- stand
- look at me
Out and about (if it is safe to do so with your dog – see rescues page re rescue dogs and dogs with issues)
- wait
- stay
- lie down
- relax
- on your mat
- come to me/recall
- leave it
- stand
- look at me
- loose leash walking
- heel/with me
What puppies do!
What your puppy will and should do in order to learn.
- make mistakes without fear of punishment
- play to release energy
- play to learn
- have ‘zoomies’ to help regulate emotions
- have choice, yes your puppy needs to be allowed to say no as trust is extremely important in any relationship
- explore, wee, poo, bite, run, dig, chew, and sleep, lots and lots of sleep
- have free access to water and shelter
What your puppy requires.
- management
- training
- companionship
- socialisation
- trust
- love
- food
- water
- shelter
- routine
- and choice
What choices your puppy needs to be able to make
- to move somewhere warm if they are cold
- move somewhere cool if they are hot
- to drink if they are thirsty
- to chew if they are teething, or stressed
- space to stand and stretch and move to be dry and clean
- to do the behaviour you request because they feel safe to do so
- to NOT do the behaviour you request because they do not feel safe enough at that time
