Review:
We covered these topics in class each week along with a few extra topics not listed if they were requested by your class.
Class 1
Fitting and using a Gentle Leader –
If your gentle leader is too loose around your dogs neck it will cause a sore on his nose.
Dog Psychology Basics
LEADER LEAD, SUBORDINATES REACT.
DOGS WILL NEVER THINK LIKE PEOPLE
IT IS WHAT YOUR DOG THINKS THAT MATTERS.
Communicating with your Dog
Be consistant, define your commands. Do you sound like a person that has confidence in yourself and confidence that your dog can follow the command?
Are you giving only one command at a time?
Are you waiting for your dogs timing?
Starting a psychological heel
Stand up tall, be confident and relaxed. Pick out something and walk toward it. Remember to turn and go or bump into at the appropriate time.
A proper diet for low stress and low cortisol
Lower protein is better, between 18% & 22%. No BHA, BHT, Red Food Dye, Propolyene Glycol. Use veggies or fruit for treats, check the poison food list first. Make sure your dog is fed twice a day in a quiet place.
Class 2
Fine tuning the psychological Heel
Practice makes perfect. Do not pull on the leash at any time.
Deferential Training
Practice Hand Up, bumping, keeping your dog paying attention to you.
Getting your dog to focus
Use confident body language and gentle leash control and touching to keep your dogs focus.
Using positive training methods
Tell your dog what you do want with praise and treats.
Being a reliable pack leader where to lead.
Be a reliable leader. Do not lead into places your dog thinks are unsafe or uncomfortable, turn and go
Sit
Class 3
Mastering the psychological Heel
Keep your leash loose. Keep the area you are doing the psychological heel in small. This is not done on a long walk. Start your long walks with a 3-5 minute psychological heel. If you start to loose control on the walk, turn and head back toward home. Use Sits and Hand ups periodically. Use the back up having your dog come and sit.
Ignoring distractions
Leaders don’t react. If your dog is worried about something tell him it is no big deal and keep going or turn away.
Sit
Stay
Be consistent with body signals, be confident in yourself and your dog. Praise right away. As you both begin to master commands start to praise only and gradually stop treating.
Come
Make it a party. Don’t give up on your dog. Use the winning lotto ticket only for the come command.
Week 4
Continued deferential training
Don’t check in with your dog. Leader lead. It is you dogs job to check in with you.
Ignoring distractions
Get your dog to focus on you with body language, sit if it is not a scary thing to your dog, hand up and leash handling. Keep your leash short for better control, but not tight. Use a loose leash.
Reliable leading
Be confident and trustworthy. Where you lead is your choice. Keep a check on your dogs state of mind.
Clarify communication
Constancy, reliability, gentleness, fairness. These are the qualities of an alpha. Remember dogs learn better from positives. Telling your dog what not to do can be very confusing. Find positive ways to get out of a stressful situation with your dog.
Sit
Stay
Down
Dogs place learn, so practice the commands everywhere. Be very generous with the praise.
Week 5
Your specific needs
topics you request
perfecting leadership
Have fun with your dog, he loves having a party. Share relaxing time together. Do not work in the heat. Do not work if either of you are upset.