MooseYoungBlackLab

  Your dog training program has come to an end or you have plateaued while training your dog yourself.      Very few dog training packages or programs train your dog completely.   If you want to make the most of what you have learned and have a well-trained dog, here are some things you can work on.     Work on increasing the three Ds .   The three Ds represent duration, distance, and distraction .   Often these are worked on one at a time to build upon what is familiar to the dog already .   Just remember to be reasonable and judge your team’s ability so that you don’t overload your dog unfairly .   When distance is worked on outside, it is common to have a long line 15’ for safety .     Different e nvironments can introduce challenging distractions.  Pick a few new environments each week that challenge your dog without unfairly overloading them.  This could just start with different rooms i...

Equipment Needed:  6' Leash, Training Collar (or slip leash can be used instead for both) Explanation and Goal of Exercise:   Great for keeping a dog stationary when doing chores around the house.   Stationing a dog in any human or canine social environment when needed.   To keep the dog from greeting too enthusiastically by learning to wait and greet when allowed.   There are many other uses for this exercise. The dog is required to perform the position of the command and stay there until the release word is given. This is also the beginning of the dog's understanding that when you move, the rules of stay remain the same. The handler/owner will increase the duration first, add distractions, and finally add distance from the dog to this exercise. NOTE:  AS DISTRACTIONS AND DISTANCE ARE ADDED TO THE EXERCISE, IT IS ENTIRELY PROBABLE THAT YOU WILL NEED TO START AT LESS TIME THAN BEFORE.   GENERALLY, YOU CAN QUICKLY BUILD THIS UP...

Equipment Needed:  6’ Leash, Training Collar, OR a Slip Lead   Explanation and Goal of Exercise:  The goal of heeling is to have your dog in an exact position for ease of movement in a busy city, or when you are bringing in the groceries, or just so you don't trip over your dog. Heeling also keeps your dog focused on you rather than jumping on an interesting human or dog OR becoming snarky with a passing stranger or strange dog.    Also teaches the owner the concept of slack leash = more control. So that the opposition reflex of a taunt reach does not kick in OR the formula for aggression that restraint + frustration = aggression. We are teaching the dog to decide correctly and be focused on their "job". A dog's job can be as simple as allowing for a stress-free walk in the city.   Due to the configuration of training collars and the need to pick a side, generally heeling is on the left-hand side of the handler, dog is ideally a foot away from the handler, ...

  Equipment Needed:  6’ Leash, Training Collar, and Food Reward     Explanation and Goal of Exercises:  This begins to teach your dog to leave something or someone alone.   This is important as later on your dog could be interested in something dangerous to themselves.  This exercise aims to start the process and understanding of the “Leave It” command.   STEP 1:  First have your dog on leash and collar so they do not wander off.   STEP 2: Take a food reward and put it in your closed fist.   STEP 3:  Present your fist to the dog but not all the way up to their nose.   STEP 4: Say “leave it”.  If they are at y our hand already do not snatch your hand away.  Snatching your hand away ends up having the dog go after your hand in an unpleasant way later on.     STEP 5A: If they leave your hand alone, say the release word, “Yes”, as you open your hand for the dog to take the food reward.   STEP 5B...