Obedience

A hot topic in dog training, reinforcement cues fall into the camp of "train smarter, not harder."  Reinforcement cues are words or sounds that you use to tell your dog they are correct and give information about how/where the reinforcement will be delivered.  ...

A couple of weeks ago, I did a blog post on an introduction to the pocket hand for heeling.  This week, we're going to talk about how to use the pocket hand for pivot bowls and heeling forward.   When your dog is comfortable with pocket hand, it’s time to use...

One useful tool for teaching heeling is the pocket hand.  It works great for helping the dog learn the position and working on rear end movement.  Pocket hand is super versatile and can be used by itself or combined with other heeling methods.  It does a great job...

Training a dog for heeling is a rewarding but challenging endeavor, and the pivot bowl is an invaluable tool in this process. However, transitioning your canine companion off the pivot bowl can pose its own set of challenges.   Mastering Pivots on the Bowl  ...

In the realm of dog training, mastering eye contact in the presence of distractions is an important skill that not only deepens the bond between you and your dog but also enhances obedience skills. Increasing the difficulty by adding distractions is a challenge that...

An important step in reducing reinforcement is getting the cookies off your body.  We need to show the dogs that it doesn’t matter if we have rewards in our hands or not; the dog can still be rewarded for doing the behavior.  We are going to use treats as both a...

Learning to reduce your dog’s arousal levels will make training much easier. An over-aroused dog cannot think clearly, which makes learning difficult.   Many behavior problems are caused by a dog that is overaroused. Lowering arousal levels can improve...

A dog that maintains connection while training is crucial to a successful session. However, there are times when we must disconnect from our dogs, and teaching relaxation games will prevent your dog from disconnecting and forming bad habits like wandering and...

When you have multiple dogs, teaching your dogs to release on their names can be very helpful. Maintaining order and teaching your furry companions valuable skills can make your life significantly less chaotic. Teaching a release on their names will make your life...

There are a few ways to make teaching new behaviors easier for you and your dog.  Let’s outline a few of those tips to help you be more successful in this step-by-step guide!   Teaching New Behaviors in Low-Distraction Environments   First, teach your new...

Staying connected to your dog is so important.  If you start off with connection, it will be easier for you to maintain that connection throughout your run!   You walk into the agility ring, running through the course in your head.  Your dog, too, is looking at...

In the realm of dog training, one hurdle that frequently challenges our furry friends is their tendency to get easily distracted by other people. Training your dog to ignore these distractions can prove invaluable when you're out and about. Whether you participate in...

Pivots for Better Heeling! If there's one skill you could train for better heeling, it would be pivots.  Teaching the skills needed for a good pivot is just one small piece of your heeling, but these skills are important! If you take the time to teach the foundation...

Are you frustrated with your fronts?  You're not alone!  Fronts can be tough to teach because they require a lot of practice.  However, you can teach fun fronts without that boring drilling!  Incorporate fun games into your practice and you'll have happier fronts in...

It’s unfortunate but it’s true - teaching a nice close front requires a bit more creativity for a small dog!  Often the littles are a bit more pressure-sensitive (and we are a lot bigger to them!) and aren’t comfortable coming into your space.  It’s a bit more...

Knowing exactly what reinforcement cues are and how they work will result in faster learning and less frustration. The clearer we can be with our dogs about what and how we're rewarding, the better it is for everyone!  If you're looking to clean up your training, read...

The one question you should ask your dog before every single training session is, “Are you ready?” I call this the Where’s Your Brain? game; other people call it ready to work or start button routines. I start each and every training session by asking my dog, "Can you...

Teaching dogs to find heel position is important for so many reasons.  It will help your heeling, setups, and finishes.  It’s important that your dog has a lot of value for being in heel position and that he or she can find heel position from many different angles....

Why would you want to use props to teach front?  Because, used PROPerly, using props for fronts can make your life a lot easier!  Keep reading to find out why I love using props so much!   Easier to Fade   In my opinion, it’s easier to fade a prop than it is...