- Dog training for all
- If things with your dog arent going quite the way you imagined
- If you and your dog need some help
- Dog training for all
- If things with your dog arent going quite the way you imagined
- If you and your dog need some help
- Sensible dog training advice for busy families and professionals
- A dog training plan tailor-made for you
- A variety of days and times available
- In-Home or training venue options
- Positive solutions for happy owners and dogs
- We offer standard pet dog education and Problem behaviour solutions
- Puppy training - group and individual
- Dog Agility - individual
PRICES.
At venue or In-Home consultation (Waikuku/Kaiapoi/Rangiora) please enquire
TO DISCUSS OR BOOK A CONSULTATION:-
Contact Karen on E: dee2finn@gmail.com or Mobile 021-124-0174
STOP FEEDING YOUR DOG FROM A FOOD BOWL
If you have a food bowl go put it in the back of the cupboard right now and leave it there for at least 2 months.
Feed your dog from your hand.
Teach him to look at you when you say his name.
Teach him to come and touch your hand when you hold it out.
Teach him to come to you and walk beside you on a loose lead.
It’s such a waste for both you and the dog to give 100s of biscuits for free (or maybe one sit ) Talk about over payment!!
Each biscuit could be used as a payment for things your dog does well/things you like! This is the way to change behaviour.
Ideas to help make your life with your dog much happier.
1) Play with your dog more
Forget the nonsense about not letting your dog do certain things because it makes them think they are the boss. It’s simply not true and they will not think they rule the roost. Enjoy your time with them as much as you like.
2) Teach them tricks
This will help build their confidence. How good does it feel when you accomplish something or you do well at something? The same applies for your dog. The more confident they become the more comfortable they will find new situations. Tricks will make you smile at your dog!
3) Be more fun outside of the house
Remember you’re competing with a lot of distractions once you leave the house. If you’re no fun what chance have you got at calling your dog when there are birds to chase, dogs to play with, and poop to smell!
4) Don’t force them into situations they are uncomfortable with
If you start ignoring your dog’s signals that tell you they are uncomfortable you might start seeing your dog reacting (they won’t have any other option!). They will also start to think you make awful decisions when it comes to their safety so their trust in you will decrease.
5) Use food toys to relieve boredom.
Boredom is what a lot of dogs experience when left alone for long periods as well as a lack of mental and physical stimulation. Give your dog things to do that will occupy their time positively. Ditch the food bowl and start using kongs and puzzle toys. Even a cannon bone is great fun and a yummy boredom buster.
6) Let them know when they do things you like
Dogs like it when they get told they did something well. Look at their face smiley and tail all wagging when you tell them they’re a good dog. They will also get into a habit of repeating the behaviours they have gotten rewarded for in the past. Win win both ways.
7) Take them out more
It can be pretty dull and depressing for us if we rarely get to leave the house and socialise with friends and family and maybe do some exercise. Just imagine how your dog will feel not being able to explore, socialise and sniff all the wonders of the world. It doesn’t have to be a strenuous 5 hour hike - Just sit over a park and let them sniff, explore and ultimately be a dog. Take them to different places.
101 things to do with a box
Teach your dog to go to a mat
IS A CLICKER NECESSARY?
An interesting excerpt from the following article...
"Additionally, the dogs trained with the verbal marker learned the initial task faster than those trained with just the reinforcer. The data indicates an average of approximately 80 attempts (12 minutes) for the clicker trained dogs, 110 attempts (21 minutes) for those trained with a verbal marker, and 125 attempts (27 minutes) with food reinforcement only."
Is your dog afraid of the clicker?
- Your tongue can create a click sound.
- The top of a ballpoint pen can also make a soft click sound.
- You may be able to download a clicker ap on to your phone and turn the volume down.
Reinforcement in dog training
STOP WALKING your dog
More great tricks to teach your dog
WAVE
Dog in sit stay. Offer food to your dog in a closed hand. Dogs will mug your hand with their mouth and then lift a paw to try to dislodge the food. CLICK and treat any foot movement. You can teach left and right paw. I say "shake" for right paw and "high five" for left paw!!
HIDE YOUR EYES
The dog can be in a sit or down for this one. The idea is to get her to cover her eyes with one paw on command. It will take some practice to find out the best method for your dog as we find they all respond to different signals. I prefer to do it in a down (I use the bang command). Then with treat in hand, I tell my dog to "cover your eyes". I physically lift her paw over her muzzle and reward. I have also found that if I blow gently on her nose, she will swipe at her face. You can also put a small piece of selotape on their nose - they will try to wipe it off! When she does this I reward. You have to just repeat the command and movement until the dog realizes what is needed to get the treat.
COOKIE ON PAWS/ NOSE (Extension of Leave it Game)
Hold dogs
muzzle and give "stay" or "leave it" command. Place a
cookie on top of nose and continue to say "stay" or "leave
it". Let go of muzzle. Dog must hold the cookie
until you give a release command - "take it". Then she must catch the
cookie in her mouth. This is a fun way to give treats and looks cute.
FIND IT
The idea is to have the dog use her nose to find a hidden
object. First
start with simple exercises. Show the dog a treat (strong smelling ones work
best). Then let the dog see you place it under the edge of a
towel or a plastic cup/cone about 6 feet away. Let the dog smell the scent of the treat
on your hand. Send dog and say "find it". Reward with praise
when she finds the treat. The reward is the treat. Start to move farther
back from the hiding place and move the location of the treat - put it further
under the towel so it is harder to get out. Then leaving towel in same place,
put the treat a few feet away from the towel and send the dog. The dog
will have to sniff out the location. Eventually, you will place the dog with
her back to the location and have someone make sure she cant see where you put
the treat. Then when that level has been achieved, move the dog to
another room, hide the treat, let dog sniff your hand and send to "find it".
Give lots of praise. You can eventually move from food to solid
obstacles such as keys, toys, etc. This makes the exercise into a
retrieval.
GO THAT WAY
The object is to tell the dog to go in a certain
direction and she will move wherever you point. First use a bait (can be
food or toy). Place three baits - one directly in front of you about 10
feet away, one along the same line (10 feet away) to the right and one to the
left. Dog is in sit or stand beside you on long line (or flexi). On
command "go that way", point to the treat you want the dog to go
to. If dog has trouble, toss a treat in that direction to get her
started. Reward when she moves correctly. If the dog goes wrong
way, stop her with the long line and direct again. Continue to give the
command until there is success. Once dog picks up first treat point to
the next one and say "g that way", and so on. The dog must pay
attention and move in the direction you are pointing to. Eventually you
will start to give commands when the dog is in a position. For example, I
will send my dog to the left (may have to toss a treat) When she gets there I
tell her to "down" or "sit". If she does it, I walk
in and reward. Alternate commands until your dog will obey from longer
distances.
SPEAK
This is usually a simple one to teach if your
dog likes to bark at you. Trick is to get her to do it on command and from
distances. First decide on a hand signal that is not similar to any
other. I use a motion of opening and closing my thumb and fingers (facing
the dog). I think this looks more like a mouth opening and closing.
Other handlers use a closed fist, twisting motion. Tell your dog to
"speak" at the same time. When she does, reward with treat
immediately and say "good speak". If your dog doesn't bark readily,
continue to give command until she gets really fed up with you and barks.
Then quickly reward. She wont know why but if done enough, she'll get the
message. Tasha learned this in less than 10 minutes (she is not a
barker). Gradually give the command verbally only and then hand signal
only. Increase distance to the maximum comfort zone.
JUMP OVER
DOGS
This is an interesting trick to do once you
have a group of dogs that meet certain qualifications:
1. Get along (ie non aggressive with each other)
2. Keep a still down stay
3. Good at jumping low obstacles
If you have this combination, this trick can look very impressive. First start
with pairs. Have one dog in a down stay with the handler holding the
leash short and a treat in hand if required. The other handler gives the
"over" command and while on leash has the dog jump the one who is
down. Repeat in opposite direction to get dog used to jumping on both sides
of handler. Then switch dogs. When the pairs are reliable, put up to 6
dogs in down stays about 3 feet apart (depending on size of jumper). One
dog (on leash to begin) jumps all of the other dogs. This is repeated
several times for each dog and then they change places until all dogs have had
a turn jumping.
PLAY
DEAD/BANG
With
dog in sit or stand stay, point finger and pull hand up while saying
bang. This action is similar to the down hand signal. Dog must lie
down on side with head down. You may have to do in stages - down and
side.
CIRCLE:
With
dog in stand stay in front of you, give "circle" command and entice
dog with food treat or toy to turn in circle. Don't encourage to
"chase tail'. Give reward when dog turns fully. Gradually give
command from greater distances. For distance, it helps to put reward on
end of pole and use to get dog to turn in circle.
BOW
With
dog in stand stay, handler in front of dog, with reward (food treat) in
hand. Move both hands in towards dogs front paws (above paws) while
saying "bow". As dog extends head down for treat in a bow
position, reward. This trick is eventually down at a distance and can be
down from the side with a single hand command.
CRAWL
Dog
in down stay. Hold treat in right hand with left hand on dog's withers (farther
back on large dogs). Move hand with treat up and down (short movements)
while saying crawl. As dog moves forward, hold him/her down with hand on
back. Move treat hand away from dog so dog has to follow to get
treat. Reward initially after any movement and then require longer
distances. If dog has trouble crawling, this can be down under someone's
legs or under a solid chair or low agility table.