Teach it

Live it

〰️

Dream it

Teach it Live it 〰️ Dream it

Imagine your perfect life with your dog and then work to teach them each puzzle piece (Photo: a puzzle that is missing one piece sits on a table)

What happens if you put together a puzzle, but you’re missing several pieces?

You won’t enjoy looking at the puzzle very much.

You may even feel frustrated when you realize the pieces are missing.

I often use the analogy of a mosaic or a puzzle to explain what is happening between people and their dogs.

Your relationship with your dog is made up of lots of pieces. If you don’t have every single piece, then the relationship isn’t as great as it should be.

If you haven’t taught your dog what “drop it” means, for example, then you will struggle to get them to drop toys or household items that they have decided should be toys.

Puppies are not born knowing what to chew in our homes and what not to chew. We must teach them and be consistent. (Photo: black and white dog chewing a shoe)

If you never taught your dog what “leave it” means, they won’t know that they shouldn’t pick up your kid’s sock, the remote control, or your shoe.

Every puzzle piece is a lesson that must be taught. It must also be practiced over, and over and over in many different situations in order for your dog to truly understand what it means. In dog training, we call this proofing a command.

For example, you may teach your dog how to sit and stay in your kitchen. They get very good at this, so you begin to make it more challenging by adding more duration, distance, and distraction (still in the kitchen.)

Set your dog up for success by teaching new commands inside your home with minimal distractions (Photo: black Labrador Retriever sitting on a hardwood floor)

What many people do next is to expect the dog to know how to sit and stay in a dog park or at their campsite. This distraction is way too high if your dog is only beginning to learn to listen to your commands inside your home.

Instead, you want to set your dog up for success, by training the sit stay in many rooms of your home. Then, you’re going to try it on your balcony or back deck with as few distractions as possible. The wonderful outdoor smells are distracting enough to your dog without attempting your first outdoor sit stay while the neighbour dogs are barking and the little girl next door is hollering greetings at you over the fence.

Remember to keep a leash on your dog at first, so that you can easily return them to their spot (if they break the stay.)

When you take the time to teach your dog what you would like them to do, it avoids the frustration that happens when dogs choose their own jobs. It’s hard to stop them from digging in your garden, running the fence with the neighbour dog, or barking at people who walk by your property. If you teach them what you want them to do from day one, they will be a joy to live with. They’ll be happier and so will you.

This isn’t how dogs learn :) We must teach them. (photo: Pomeranian wearing reading glasses and “reading” an iPad)

What are five puzzle pieces you should work on right now to improve your relationship with your dog or teach your puppy so they start off on the right track?

DROP IT (AKA AUS): When you teach your puppy this command early (8 weeks old,) you will enjoy playing with toys so much. Not only that, but if she grabs garbage off the ground on your walk, you can ask her to drop it and she will know what you are talking about.
LEAVE IT: Teaching your puppy to “leave it” allows her to understand not to pick up garbage on the walk, toys that are not hers (kid’s toys, cat toys, your hamster ball, etc,) and your shoes.
COME: Recall should be taught immediately. Like “drop it” and “leave it,” “come” is a life-saving command. If your dog currently ignores you when she’s in your backyard and you say “come,” you must take this seriously. If she won’t come when she’s in your yard, she will not come off the road when there’s a car heading for her.

One of our clients recalling her puppy, Harper, the Cattle Dog Mix (Photo: Cattle Dog Mix, Harper, recalling to her owner)

4. HEEL: Dogs require leadership and consistent communication that is clear. Learning to follow her humans instead of lead them (walk in front, zigzagging, pulling) prevents leash reactivity from ever happening.

5. PLACE: If you don’t provide a job for your dog, she will choose her own and you won’t like what she chooses. No one likes living with a dog who steals food off of the counter, herds the children (and nips them,) barks out the window all day, or chases the cats. You must teach her what to do instead. Teaching her placework will build her confidence, help her know what to do when houseguests arrive, and teach her how to be calm. She will love feeling calm. You’ll love it too.

If your dog isn’t crate trained, that is another great place to begin. That puzzle piece should also represent a calm and safe space that your dog loves.

Not sure how to teach your dog to love her crate, how to do placework, or teach her rock-solid recall? That’s what we're here for.

Schedule your free call or in-person session here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/take-action

With in-home sessions, you can relax. You don’t need to drive anywhere, we come to you. By working with your dog in her own environment, she’ll feel more comfortable and so will you.

Happy training, Dog Leaders!

Alyssa

Photos by: Upsplash Images (cover image: woman high-fiving her dog as they both sit on a set of train tracks), Sigmund @sigmund (a puzzle that is missing one piece sits on a table,) klara welz

@huebscherei (black and white dog chewing a shoe,) Sharon McCutcheon

@sharonmccutcheon (black Labrador Retriever sitting on a hardwood floor,) Cookie the Pom

@cookiethepom (Pomeranian wearing reading glasses and “reading” an iPad,) Claire Atkinson (Cattle Dog Mix, Harper, recalling to Claire,)