FAQ & Information

Training Tips

Training Videos & More information about our training programs coming soon!

Training Your Dog

Every dog needs to be taught basic good manners. A critical goal of training is to help your dog recognize you as its leader. You must be firm and decisive in setting the boundaries.

Working with your dog on a regular basis, set the rules, and stick to them; before long, your dog will know what is and what is and what is not acceptable. A dog that knows the five basic commands “sit”, “down”, “come”, “stay”/ and “heel” is a lot easier to be around. Rather than cramping its style, training will allow your dog more freedom than dogs without any training at all. A well behaved dog who reliably comes when called, for example, is able to enjoy more off leash playtime.

It is never too early to start training. Keep sessions short, but do not confine training to specific times. Incorporate exercises into your daily routine so that your dog can practice what it has learned. Some dogs learn commands in hours, while others may take weeks. A daily routine builds good learning habits. Choose a quiet area at first, with few distractions or interruptions, then graduate to somewhere more challenging.

Training Tips

When, where, and how often: With your dog facing you, point to your eyes and say “watch me”. Maintain eye contact for about 10 seconds. Release your dog and say “good dog!” Repeat frequently at various locations.
As leader you need to set firm rules about what it is you want from your dog. Give consistent commands, in the same tone of voice, and in same order.
Never hit or shout at your dog. Harsh correction can result in fear and aggression, both of which will hinder learning. Reprimand your dog immediately or it will not know why it is being reprimanded.
With positive reinforcement, never let good behavior go unnoticed. Your dog knows that behaving well makes good things happen, and therefore makes it happy. Rewarding your dog with snacks, pats, and plenty of praise, you will find that its good behavior will increase only if it is followed by a reward.

Leashes and collars

Before leash-training your dog, make sure it has a comfortable collar. A good first collar is a nylon, leather buckle, or snap-on collar. It should fit snugly around the neck. Although now falling out of favor, choke chains and pinch collars are still sometimes used for training. They should be used only by experienced owners. (Choke chains, when put on backward will not loosen and could suffocate your dog. Check the ring end attached to the leash comes over the neck and the chain will be able to loosen.)

Getting used to a leash, every dog reacts differently when it hears the click of a leash and feels the tug on its collar. If you train your dog correctly, you will soon have it walking politely on a leash. Have your puppy drag the leash around the house for short periods. Start by putting on your dogs training collar, then attach the leash to this. Do not tug your dog. Gradually coax it to move with you. If its concentration wanders, give a quick pull on the leash. Your dog will soon understand that whenever you put the leash on it, you want it to pay attention to you.

-Teaching “Sit”

The fact that a dog has a relatively inflexible spine means that if it tips its head up far enough, it will sit. You can use this to your advantage when teaching a dog to sit in response to a spoken command. By raising a food treat, you can easily get your dog to sit. Repeat the process below six to eight times, praising it each time. Only say the word “sit” once as you maneuver the puppy into a sit. Be careful not to hold the food too high above the dog’s nose as it might jump up to reach it.

With your dog facing you, hold a food reward between your fingers and thumb, with your palm face up, in front of its nose.
Move the reward up and slightly back over your dogs head. Say “sit” once as you do this. As your dog follows the treat with its eyes and head, it will sit down.
Praise your dog, saying “good sit”, and give the food reward

Teaching “Down”

Use food to help guide your dog into position when you want to teach it to lie down. You can try pushing the treat between its front legs to get in position. As it tries to follow the treat, its back end will slide into a down position.

Place your dog in a sit. Hold a food treat in front of it, say “down” and quickly bring the food down to the ground so its head follows.
If your dog needs help, gently guide its shoulders downward. When your dog is lying down, praise it, and give it the treat.
Once your dog associates the word “down” with the action you can be less reliable with the food treats – but keep praising it each time it obeys.

Teaching “Come”

Teaching a dog to come is an extremely important and often difficult task. Never call your dog to you and punish it. Take care not to call it away from something fun. Practice calling your dog and when it comes, praise it and send it back to play.

Stand close to your dog with a food reward in your hand.
Back up a short distance, wiggle the treat and say “come”.
As your dog approaches, say “good come” and give it a treat when it gets to you.

Teaching “Stay”

Teaching your dog to stay on command may avoid a disaster, especially if you live in a busy urban area. Aim for small successes, not long stays. At first, reward a stay of five seconds, then gradually increase the duration of the stay.

With your dog in sit, place your hand, palm open, in front of its face.
Slowly walk backward from your dog, all the while making eye contact and telling it to “stay”
If your puppy does not move for 5 seconds, go back and reward it with food and praise.

Teaching “Heel”

There are two ways to teach your dog to heel. The first is an extension of the “watch me” command. Repeat this command several times and add the command “heel”. At first move only short distances, but gradually move farther and for longer periods as your dog learns to stay with you. This exercise cannot be practiced easily inside. Be prepared to spend a lot of time outdoors.

Have your dog on a leash at your left side. Hold the leash with your right hand so that it crosses your body. Keep your right hand at your wrist.
As you start walking, say your dogs name and “heel”. If necessary, hold on the leash with your left hand until the dog is beside you, then release.
If your dog starts to pull or lag, turn in the opposite direction. Do not worry if you collide. It will soon realize it should be watching you.
When your do is walking nicely by your side, praise it verbally, saying “good heel”. You can also reach down and pet it.