Philosophy
We can teach you how to talk to your dog and understand
canine behavior in general, all the while being sensitive to
your pet's unique personality! We center our training approach
around handling manners. These are casual,
command-free responsibilities for your dog that do not require
the rigidity of formal commands. The result is legitimate,
hands-free, relaxed control over your canine companion while
he/she is in the center of activity... please call us anytime
for advice and a free
evaluation.
Manners
Handling manners are the core of your new relationship, the
foundation of obedience training. Through these informal
exercises, the dog is free to make decisions and the handler
supply the consequences to them.
- Composure and Grooming: close
proximity while not bothering anyone in any way
- Visitor and Animal Control: the
dog is not allowed to initiate physical contact or force
engagement. The dog must wait for invitation.
- Food Control: the dog can eat
only what the handler offers or what is in his or her food
pan.
- Door Control: the dog cannot
cross a newly exposed threshold or your door threshold at
home without permission.
- Walking Exercise: the dog
travels left of the handlers centerline on a full, loose
leash.
Formal
Commands
Formal commands are a specific word given for a
specific response. Allow for a generous "one-and-one-thousand"
response time after a single command.
- Heeling (neck-to-leg
travel): the dog's collar should be the distance of
about an open hand form the seam of your left pant
leg.
- Sit: neatly, attentively on the
hocks, in the exact place that you gave the command.
- Down: in prone position, hocks
and elbows on the floor.
- Stay: the handler is going to
move. The dog cannot move or change positions without the
handler giving a new command.
- Come: the dog must immediately
make his/her way to the handler's front and sit
attentively.
Use physical praise, verbal praise and food (as
additional bonus) to reward. Use non-emotional leash and collar
corrections without words as a deterrent.
Master the exercises around distractions. First,
with collar on and leash in hand. Then with collar on but leash
out of hand. Finally, with collar on and leash off... please
call us anytime for advice and a free
evaluation.
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