Playing fetch with Brooklyn could go on for hours. We both LOVED it! (Photo of Brooklyn the German Shepherd-X leaping into a lake.)
This tip is so easy, that it often gets overlooked. I figured this out completely by accident, with my first dog, Brooklyn. It’s an absolute game-changer that I now pass on to all of my clients.
Brooklyn was one of those “who on Earth would have EVER given you up?” pups. At seven months old, he was housebroken, knew how to sit and shake a paw, and was amazing with my cat, Jonas, from day one.
Brooklyn was a very high energy German Shepherd X. I think the best gift I ever gave him was teaching him how to play fetch. We alternated between kick-fetch, Kong-on-a-rope (the one that was supposed to float but never, ever did,) and Chuck-it. He didn’t care if it was on land or in the water, it was what he lived for.
Brooklyn splashes into the water chasing his ball.
After fetch, his leash manners were amazing. He heeled all the way home, his tongue, which was Guinness-Book-of-World-Records long, drawing attention and smiles from passersby. He walked pretty nicely on the way TO the park, but the way home was far better. It was a lightbulb moment: All I had to do was drain out some of that fetch energy and then teach him the word heel when he did it naturally on the way home. This lead to my “drain before you train” philosophy.
A dog who has their exercise needs met is so much easier to train (and live with.) Read that twice.
One of my new clients this week sent me an email letting me know she’d taken her dog on an extra walk at lunchtime to get him ready to train with me that evening. She ended the sentence with a lighthearted LOL, and that’s what reminded me to share this with all of you — it’s such an easy tip and so many of you would benefit from doing it! My client’s gut instinct told her that this was probably something that would help the training session go more smoothly, and she was absolutely right.
No matter what you’d like to teach your dog, drain some of their excess energy before you begin the session. How much exercise will they need before the session will depend on breed, age, motivation level, and temperament.
A black and white Setter carries a ball in her mouth while running,)
Do you need to drain before you train with EVERY dog?
No.
If you have a young puppy or a high drive working breed who is keen to work, you may not need this tip at all. I do hope that it helps one or two of you out there, who are struggling with a new rescue dog and hoping to teach her some leash manners.
Have a fetch-filled Friday, Dog Leaders!
Alyssa
Photos by: Alyssa Foulkes (Brooklyn the GSD-X leaping into a lake,) Alyssa Foulkes (Brooklyn splashes into the water chasing his ball,) Stainless Images (black and white Setter carries a ball in her mouth while running.)