First puppy Post #178 Has Awesome Training Info!

[BaneTheBrawler]

>not taking advice given in thread
>confused when it doesnt work

how many people have you seen people in this thread say dogs are creatures of habit? giving treats 10% of the time isn't a habit, it's confusing as fuck.

[Aylee]

>not taking advice given in thread
>confused when it doesnt work

how many people have you seen people in this thread say dogs are creatures of habit? giving treats 10% of the time isn't a habit, it's confusing as fuck.

I give her praise every time... I was told to wing her off treats after day 3...

[Abandon]

day 3? what is this, a computer program? It's a fucking puppy, dude. You think babies know after "oh, that's a good baby" to stop pissing themselves? i fear for this dog.

[Aylee]

day 3? what is this, a computer program? It's a fucking puppy, dude. You think babies know after "oh, that's a good baby" to stop pissing themselves? i fear for this dog.

So what feed it treats for the rest of its life? I've been taking them away slowly for the past 6 days

[BaneTheBrawler]

and its not working. obviously more time is required.

[Kohan]

You can use a piece of regular puppy kibble in place of an actual treat if you want to. This will make it so you aren't constantly feeding the dog treats, but are still rewarding it with food, which it will like.

Also, it can take a few weeks to a month to potty train a puppy successfully. While I was using the pad, my dog would pee on it several times a day, necessitating at least two pad changes and a fresh one when it was bedtime.

Puppy pads are especially cheap at WalMart if you ever change your mind.

[Aylee]

You can use a piece of regular puppy kibble in place of an actual treat if you want to. This will make it so you aren't constantly feeding the dog treats, but are still rewarding it with food, which it will like.

Also, it can take a few weeks to a month to potty train a puppy successfully. While I was using the pad, my dog would pee on it several times a day, necessitating at least two pad changes and a fresh one when it was bedtime.

Puppy pads are especially cheap at WalMart if you ever change your mind.

Would you recommend switching to food completely or mixing them? Also how often should I give her the treats

[Koul]

her body isn't fully developed yet. she *should* be able to hold it but she probably doesn't understand the sensations she's feeling. it takes time to learn. even yelling at her and all the other stuff, it'll take time. There's nothing else you can really do.

when she pee's outside are you just letting her do one piss? Or are you letting her pee, walking her more to have her find another spot and pee some more. I know my guy does like 3-4 good pisses when I take him out. Mabye give her more time. I don't know.

also, I hope you're spending a buttload of time with her or you're gunna have a really fun time when she starts to get ancy and tears shit up outta boredom.

[Aylee]

her body isn't fully developed yet. she *should* be able to hold it but she probably doesn't understand the sensations she's feeling. it takes time to learn. even yelling at her and all the other stuff, it'll take time. There's nothing else you can really do.

when she pee's outside are you just letting her do one piss? Or are you letting her pee, walking her more to have her find another spot and pee some more. I know my guy does like 3-4 good pisses when I take him out. Mabye give her more time. I don't know.

also, I hope you're spending a buttload of time with her or you're gunna have a really fun time when she starts to get ancy and tears shit up outta boredom.

When I take her out she stays out until she stops trying (Aka just sits/lays there after I put her back on her feet 2-3 times). She's with me 100% when I'm not at work (longest she's alone is 4 hours, friends watch her while I'm at work). I play with her for about 2 hours a day (15 min at a time usually). We start training tomorrow afternoon also. Is this enough time with her?

[Seraph]

There are a few things you have to remember here. It's a puppy, it's not Einstein, but its also not stupid. You want to teach the dog to equate going to the bathroom outside with praise and treats. Dogs respond really well to positive reinforcement, and not so well to negative reinforcement. You already seem to understand that, so lets get a little more detailed:

- "Treats" don't necessarily need to be huge expensive things. I liked to use one half to one third of a milk-bone, or a small amount of fancier dog food (this will depend on the size of the dog). If the puppy comes to expect awesome treats all the time, it starts getting expensive, and your dog can start getting really fat.

- When teaching the dog the 'command phrase' to see if it needs to go out to the bathroom, use a phrase you would not normally say. The phrase 'Bathroom' is really bad because it can confuse the dog, if you use it in common speech a lot. I generally like to use the word "potty". All of my dogs associate either "gotta go potty?" or "potty outside?" with me asking if they need to go. That way, if I am talking to someone and say "I need to use the bathroom" the dog doesn't hear one of her command phrases and get confused. They said Bathroom! It must be OK to go now! Why did they leave me? Augh!?! /piss Etc.

- When first starting out, the dog gets a treat every time. Every time. Sometimes you can give the dog two treats when you are starting out. Mix it up a little bit, but ALWAYS give the dog praise. After a significant amount of time of perfect record (I've had it take weeks to months) you know the dog understands. This is where you start randomly giving the treats. Not 10% of the time right away. The dog won't understand that, and might think it's doing something wrong now. Start with like 75%-80%. After some time, lower that to maybe 50% of the time. After some more time, you can get away with like 25%-35%. After even more time, I usually move on to the phase where I only reward when they poop outside. After even more time, I leave it completely up to my discretion. With some of my dogs, I got to the point when they would tell me when they had to go, and I would reward them for that (almost starting over again at near 100% treat rewards). This depends on the dog, and it's temperament. Your mileage may vary. If you really want to understand this, look into the science of how they program slot machines. Something like this: http://psychology.about.com/od/vinde...ariablerat.htm

- Your temperament will play into how well this goes. The puppy will be very receptive to how you behave. If you are always getting upset when it pisses inside, it will get nervous/upset, and nervous puppies like to piss more. It's an annoying feedback cycle, try not to fall into it.

- Finally, my rule of thumb was for a puppy, it can only really hold it for about an hour per month old it is. So, a 3 month old puppy can be expected to hold it for up to 3 hours once it is reasonably trained. The faster you get the puppy trained, the easier it gets. Remember, chances are the puppy is just confused, and not trying to ruin your rub/sofa/shoes etc. Also remember that if you wait too long, even the best trained dogs will piss inside, and that's completely your fault.

Good luck, post pics, water bottles are only for misbehaving cats and wives, etc.

[Kohan]

Would you recommend switching to food completely or mixing them? Also how often should I give her the treats

I personally gave my puppy kibble the majority of the time. It would literally be just one piece, and the handful I used for treat-giving was rationed out from her daily helpings, so I didn't overfeed her.

As for the treats I do give, they are this company's: http://charleebear.com/

[BaneTheBrawler]

again, carrots also make good healthy treats. my miniature dachshund lost a whole pound (she's only 5lbs now, so thats a big deal) by replacing treats with baby carrots and cutting down the amount of food she gets at meal times.

[Abandon]

100% agree with potty. My lab got to the point where if he wanted to go out to pee, or for anything (goddamned smart labs), he'd go sit by the door and stare at you. If that didn't do the trick, he'd go pick up something heavy, drop it in your lap, and before you could protest, trot to the door and sit. But you have to be patient. the way you're freaking out, you're expecting a toddler to be reading the Iliad.

[Kohan]

again, carrots also make good healthy treats. my miniature dachshund lost a whole pound (she's only 5lbs now, so thats a big deal) by replacing treats with baby carrots and cutting down the amount of food she gets at meal times.

Refrigerated baby carrots also make great cold chews while puppies are teething. (Just watch them and make sure they don't try to swallow too-big pieces.)

While we're on that subject, do read up on when dogs start teething and be ready for that. Your puppy will likely be crankier and stay up and cry more, but they will be in a lot of pain, so be understanding when this happens.

[Minions]

I give my dogs a couple tortilla chips when they use the restroom outside, also when they go in their cage during the day while I'm gone. It's cheap and they like them. I do purchase bones for them to chew on as well. (I have 3 dogs); If you do not give them something to chew on, they tend to chew on other things.... (Your shoes, furniture, pillows, toilet paper). Younger dogs have more issues... my dogs are a few years old and still... if you leave the bathroom open, you will find toilet paper everywhere!

[Brill Weave]

Ok onto the treats issue. Treats ideally are supposed to be no bigger than your thumbnail and something that is easily swallowed. The goal is constant rewarding and praise. If the dog has to spend time chewing on treats they lose their concentration. I'll look to see if I still have the emails but I have all the information from a 7 week training program we had a few months ago for our dog. These are the treats I use.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...AvailInUS%2FNo

They make a bunch of different flavors. All of them smell strong as hell which gets the dog's attention. You can break them apart using your fingers into smaller bites.

So onto positive reinforcement. Every time the dog does something good to start you praise and reward with a treat. Especially when they are puppies. Right now you're forming the habits they will carry over for the rest of their lives.

Start off by getting the dog's attention. Your ultimate goal is that regardless of what's happening she acknowledges you when you call. As soon as she looks at you give her a treat and say good girl etc. Use an excited voice. That causes them to be excited. Reward her for doing any little thing right. Even if it's just looking at you when you call her name. EVERY POSITIVE THING NEEDS A REWARD. After she's acknowledged your presence regularly it's time to add a wrinkle. Hold the treat out to your side. She's going to follow your hand because she knows what's in it. Call her name to get her attention followed by "Watch Me!" Be excited. She will continue looking at your hand. After a few seconds she is going to look at your face because she wants to know why she's not getting her treat. As soon as she looks at you, reward her with the treat and praise.

After you've done this for a week or two you start changing it up a little bit. Instead of giving her a treat every time now only give her a treat every other time. But continue to verbally praise her and pet her when she does something right. This way you're slowly establishing that you're her pack leader and she needs to pay attention to you.

Depending on how well she starts paying attention to you after two weeks of this constant reinforcement you can start branching out further. Walk a few feet away and call her name followed by a strong(not be confused with harsh) her name then "Come!" When she does reward her with a treat. It is ok to coax her over with a treat. For the first day or two you will probably need to do this. Once she starts coming over to you regularly, start to reward her like I mentioned before(alternate each time, one treat, one praise, etc.)

By now she will realize by your voice and actions that if she makes you happy she gets rewarded.

That's when you move onto things like sit and stay which I won't get into unless you want me to.

The most important thing. Train her 5 minutes a day 5 different times, a total of 25 minutes. Do it in different rooms so that she doesn't get used to the same area. If I can find the emails I'll cut and paste them here.

[Tokitoki]

I actually use the same treats. Our puppy really likes them.

Another thing my parents taught me, not sure whether it is right or wrong, is that if they do not initially obey hold out the treat between a few fingers and let her smell and lick around it, but not get to the treat itself. Once they realize they have a reward coming they are more likely to act appropriately. After a few sessions they should be paying attention more closely to your commands and shouldn;t be allowed to sniff and lick around it.

[Brill Weave]

Found them. Spoilering because this shit is huge.

BBA Class Orientation/ Week #1

Spoiler: show

Making Crate Time Enjoyable
Tips to help acclimate your dog to crate time and to assist with crating anxiety

Exercise: Exercise before crating. A tired dog is more apt to relax and sleep well.

Mental Exercise: Mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise. It is the equivalent to us putting in a work day or taking a difficult test.

Meals and Crate Time Treats: Begin feeding ALL meals in the crate. You want the crate to be the place where all good things come from. A Kong and/or raw bone (never cooked bone- it can splinter) filled with marrow are excellent things to use as a crate time meal or a very special crate time treat. If stuffed properly and they like what’s in it, it will take a while for them to clean it out, easing anxiety and tiring them out mentally. This provides them with mental exercise, which is just as important as physical exercise. Their wheels will turn as they figure out how to get everything out. Try layering the Kong with yummy things like baby food, peanut butter, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese wiz, Kong Spray, wet dog food, tuna and/or treats and throw it in the freezer, so it last longer. A great thing for a hot day is to fill a paper or plastic cup with water and freeze peanut butter and treats in it. After it’s frozen, add more water, so that the yummy stuff is now frozen in the middle. When it’s completely frozen, take it out of the cup and give it to your dog.

Building Crate Drive: Build your dog’s drive to be in the crate by putting in high value treats, such as deer antlers, bully sticks, high value toys or something else that they really like and want and shutting the door, waiting for your dog to paw at the door to get in. You want your dog to be BEGGING to go into their crate. If you have a multi dog household, do this with dogs separately to avoid any conflict.

A Comfy Crate: Make the crate as comfortable as possible: cover over top, crate pad, blanket, etc.

Soothing Noise: Leave a radio or TV on to help soothe anxiety. Classical music is a good music selection. You can also invest in a white noise machine or other sound machine.

Leave a little bit of you with them: Leaving an item of clothing with your scent can also help comfort the pup.

DO NOT only crate when leaving: You want your dog to have positive associations with the crate. If you only crate when departing, this makes it a not so good association. Also, it is good to crate when having guests over who may not be dog people. Acclimating your dog to this can be very helpful.

Randomly give signs that you are leaving without actually leaving: Such as: jiggling keys, putting on shoes, etc. This way your dog does not start anticipating your departure and looking for clues. Reward the dog when giving these cues. For example, jiggle your keys and put on your shoes, then give Fido a treat. If you continue to do this, eventually Fido will be waiting for you to do these things, instead of stressing about the fact that doing these things means you are leaving.

Natural Calming Remedies: All natural remedies have been known to help with crate anxiety. Rescue Remedy, DAP collars, plug-ins or sprays are some options. Many people have had excellent luck with a product called ProQuiet.

Dogs DO NOT mind being in a crate. Most, actually really enjoy it. When they are in their crate, they are most likely sleeping. Do not feel bad about crating your dog. It keeps them safe. Remember, they can get in to things that we can’t.

BBA Week #2

Spoiler: show

TRAINING NOTES:
1) REWARD FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR AND IGNORE FOR BAD BEHAVIOR!!!

2) The Rule of 5: Training should be done 5 times a day for 5 minutes at a time in 5 different locations. Start out in an area with absolutely NO distractions and then move to other areas inside, and eventually outside, your home and increase the level of distraction as your dog masters each task.

3) When training at home, it should just be the handler and the dog. ALWAYS have your dog on a leash and keep away from all other dogs if you have a multi-dog home.

4) Give a command ONE TIME. If you do not get the desired behavior that you are asking for after about 5 seconds, then say it again. When you repeat a command, your dog will just start to tune you out.

5) Use your Marker Word (A word or phrase that is used as verbal praise such as “Good, boy!”). ALWAYS mark the good behavior in an enthusiastic tone and follow it with a food reward. DO NOT have treats in your hand, unless otherwise advised. All exercises will have a 2 step reward process: 1) Mark it and 2) treat. Treats should come out of your pocket and/or apron. Please keep your hands out until you need to reach for a treat.

6) When you give your dog a command and you do not get the desired behavior immediately, but they ARE checking in with you, mark it with your mark word and reward ONLY when they do what you want them to do. Most times, when you say the marker word, you will get the behavior that you are looking for.

7) Treat for every exercise until you are advised by the instructor to cut down or eliminate treating.
FOCUS EXERCISES: A well behaved dog will have a solid focus on their handlers in any situation no matter the distraction(s). They should check-in with their handlers frequently for reassurance and to make sure that they are doing the right thing.

NAME RECOGNITION (To build focus):
Practice saying your dog’s name (say it ONLY once), when he/she looks your way, mark it with your marker word and immediately reward. Do this several times. After they catch on and are checking in EVERY time that you say their name, start to vary the volume and the tone of your voice. No matter how and when you say their name, they should ALWAYS check in with you.

WATCH ME (To build focus):
Since your dog now knows to check in with you every time that you say their name, you can also start to use the cue “Watch Me!” to get them to check in with you. Start by saying their name coupled with “watch me”- “Rover, watch me!”. When they check in with you, mark it and reward. Do this 5-6 times and then remove their name, getting them only to respond to “watch me”.

SIT: [NOTE: From this point on, have your dog “sit” at every doorway and before meals]
Use a treat at the dog’s nose to lure their head up and back. This is a simple lesson in quadruped physics – dog’s head goes up and back, the butt goes down. The dog may try to back up. If so, stand near a wall and shorten the distance your dog can back up. As soon as the dog’s butt hits the floor, verbally mark the behavior with your marker word and reward. Once the dog has completed this 4 or 5 times, you can introduce the verbal cue, “Sit”. Only say the command ONE time. If they do not give you the desired behavior after 10 seconds, move YOUR position a bit and give them the command again.

You can also use your marker word to shape them into what you want them to do. If your dog does not sit after being told but they are checking in with you, mark it. Their wheels will start to turn and 9 times out of 10, after they hear the mark word, their butt hit the floor.

Always require a sit before leashing up and before going outside. Sit is one of the most basic and important things a dog can learn. The ultimate goal should be for the dog to default to a sit in any situation. But don’t worry about that now, we’ll get to that soon. In the mean time, if they DO sit by default, mark it and reward.

NOTE: A lure may only be used when teaching your dog a new command. As soon as your dog catches on, stop luring.

DOWN:
Begin with your dog in a sit. Put a treat to the dog’s nose and lure it down- pull the treat right in front of their nose, down the chest, onto the floor and out until the dog’s belly is on the floor. As soon as the dog is down, mark it with your marker word and treat. As with sit, let the dog complete the task 4 or 5 times and then introduce the verbal cue “Down”. Your goal is to get the dog in a down without bending over and eventually without a lure. Remember to only give the command one time. After 10 seconds, if the dog does not give you the desired behavior, give the command again.

BBA Week #3

Spoiler: show

STAND: Get your dog in a sit or down. Lure them up on all fours with a treat. As soon as they are up, mark it and treat. Repeat 6 times. Now as you lure, give the cue “Stand”. Once they catch on, try only using the cue or a hand command to get them up.

STAY: The secret to teaching Stay is to teach it in steps that include Duration, Distraction and Distance.
Begin with your dog in a sit or a down.

Step One= Duration:
Put your hand up in a “Stop” (palm facing the dog) then immediately mark it with your marker word and reward. Repeat this 6 times. Next, as you flash your palm say “Stay”, then immediately mark it and treat. Repeat 6 times. Now add a few second pause before you mark it and reward. Continue doing this, adding a few seconds at a time, until you reach 10 seconds, 20 seconds, etc. Attempt to get your dog to hold a good solid sit-stay or down-stay for a full minute before moving on to the next step.

Free: To get them to break the stay, say “Free!” and move them with you a short distance from where you started. When they move with you, mark and treat. They should be on a leash for this initially.

Step Two= Distraction:
Now you will add movement to your repertoire. With your dog in a sit or down, give them the cue/hand command for Stay and take a step back and then quickly come back to the dog. Repeat 5 times, increasing the length of time before you step back to the dog.

NOTE(s): A dog in a Down-Stay is less likely to get up. If the dog gets up, and/or moves with you when you start to add movement in Step Two, do not say anything. Get them back in to a sit or down, marking for all good behaviors, and start again. If your dog breaks a sit and moves to a down or vice versa, consider the stay broken and start again. You can reinforce the Stay with the cue more than once ONLY IF you feel that your dog is going to move with you.

Now take two steps back and return. Repeat 5 times.

Next, take a step to the side, return and treat. Repeat 5 times. Now do the same exercise to the other side and repeat 5 times.

Other distractions that you can try: jog in place directly in front of your dog, wave your arm and shake your leg or spin around in front of them.

Step Three= Distance: In addition to the time that you move away from them, increase the distance- 10 feet, 20 feet, etc.

NOTE: If you plan on getting your dog their CGC and/or TDI certification, a sit-stay or down-stay is required while you move 20 feet away from your dog.
Step Four: Now that you are able to move away from your dog and they have not broken their sit-stay or down-stay, when you move away from them this time, turn your back to them and walk away a few feet.

Step Five: Get them to stay in one room while you move to another that is out of their line of sight.
(Do not expect your dog to do this immediately- this is something to work up to over several weeks.)

Step Six: Move to your porch or front yard, add people to the area, add another dog, etc.

TARGETING/ TOUCH:
Touch is fun and easy to teach, since dogs naturally explore with their noses. It can also be helpful in teaching advanced tricks and retrieving. This will also get your dog ready for Polite Greetings.

Place your hand, palm out, about 5 inches from the dog’s nose. The dog will likely put his nose to your hand to investigate and smell your hand. As soon as his nose touches your hand, mark with your marker word and give a food reward. Repeat 5 times. Once the dog understands the behavior, you can begin attaching the command “Touch.”

TARGETING/ TOUCH (Con’t):
Now that they have caught on, start switching up your hands and moving them around in different places. No matter where your hand is, when you say “touch”, they should touch their nose to your hand, even if this means them getting up from a sit or down. Now do a few in a row before treating. Now do it faster. Make it fun!

NOTE: You can transfer “touch” to an object other than your hand and teach them to target other things. You can use a ruler, a stick or a dowel. The goal is to get the dog
consistently touching the target, so that you can manipulate the dog’s movement. Regardless, this exercise leads us to the very important lesson of “polite greetings”. A true Bully Breed Ambassador will ALWAYS greet politely, no matter what the circumstance.

BBA Week #4

Spoiler: show

WALK AROUND your dog: (Add to the Stay Protocol)
Put your dog in a down-stay, move to the right of them and back to the front of them. If they do not get up and attempt to move with you, mark it and treat. Do it again, this time moving to the left of them. Do this repeatedly until you can walk the entire way around them without them getting up or spinning around with you. Their head can follow you, but not their body. Once you can make your way around them, now try stopping behind them and pausing for a few seconds. If they don’t get up, move to the front of them and mark and treat.

TOUCH FOR A POLITE GREETING:
You will be using the touch exercise to teach your dog to greet people without jumping. You will need a second person to help you with this exercise.
With your dog on leash, allow the second person to approach your dog. If your dog jumps or barks, do not let the person close enough to make contact. Instead, have them stop where they are and wait for your dog to have ALL four paws on the ground. When your dog does this, praise him and allow the second party to come closer. If the dog jumps again, do the same thing and keep doing it until the dog stops jumping. Once the second person is able to get close enough to the dog, let them put out their hand (This is what most people do instinctively when meeting a dog). As soon as the dog’s nose touches their hand, say your marker word and reward your dog. You can do some name recognition while the person is approaching to get them in the habit of checking in with you when someone approaches.

NOTE: Dogs should NEVER be approached head-on with someone looking directly into their eyes. The person approaching should come from the side of the dog or should walk sideways toward the dog. They should always put their hand out for the dog to sniff and not pat the top of the dog’s head. Sometimes that is threatening to a dog and they do not like it. A scratch under the chin or on the side of their neck is much more appropriate.

The next step is to have your dog sitting before someone approaches. For the first few times, you can ask your dog to sit as someone is approaching. After those few times, the person should not approach UNTIL the dog is in a sit. Eventually, the dog will sit by default, after they start doing that consistently, you can tell them “down” and the person can’t approach until they are down. If the dog pops up out of a sit or a down, do not let the greeter make contact.

As your dog gets better at this exercise, you will want to:
• Practice in many locations • Practice with many different willing people • Increase the amount of time that the person is interacting with your dog

If you have a multi-dog household, it is recommended to train one dog at a time. Sometimes the excitement of
a new guest can cause normally well behaved dogs to act out. Keeping the other dog(s) crated can make learning easier.

If your dog has a mat or bed that they go to, you can teach the dog to go to their mat or bed (Homework/Recap Week #5) after greeting. Some dogs even learn to retreat to their area as soon as they hear a door knock. When they go to their bed or mat, you can reward them with a favorite toy or treat. Some dogs offer better greeting styles if they already have something in their mouths, such as a favorite rope toy, a ball or a stuffed toy.

LOOSE LEASH WALKING- FIND IT and THIS WAY:
Start indoors, with minimal distractions. Put the dog on a leash, treats in hand.

THIS WAY- Use this cue if you have a dog that consistently pulls out in front of you.
Start to walk, say your dog’s name, followed by “This Way”, mark it and treat. You will do these things all in a row, initially, to get your dog used to this way of walking. Their name gets them to check in, “This Way” is the cue to keep them at your side, the marker and the treat are the rewards. Eventually, you can eliminate their name and just use the cue to get them to check in and stay at your side. When they do, always mark and treat.

FIND IT- Use this cue ONLY if you have a dog that lags behind you when walking.
Start to walk, toss a treat close enough that your dog will NOT reach the end of his leash and say “Find it!”. Do this continuously from one end of the room to the other.

NOTE: “This Way!” is to keep your dog at your side and “Find It!” will keep your dog moving forward. It is acceptable to use several “This Ways” in a row while walking to keep your dog at your side.

STOP AND SIT:
Your dog should get in the habit that when you stop, they stop AND sit by default. Start stopping at random and when you do, ask your dog for a “sit”. When they sit, mark it and treat.

HANDLING & “DOGGIE MASSAGE”:
Have you dog in a sit or down. Touch your dog everywhere: touch their ears (look inside their ears), look at their teeth (put your hands in their mouth), touch their paws, touch their bellies and touch their back and their tail, while varying the pressure. If you’re massaging, remember to do this very slowly, so your dog does not get excited or over stimulated.
This exercise is done for two reasons: 1) So your dog gets used to being touched all over so you and/or your vet can check them regularly for medical reasons and 2) this calms your dog down after a movement exercise. Proper temperament allows your dog to get somewhat amped up and then calmed down rather quickly.

RECALL (COME):
Always keep this command FUN. For many dogs, when they come back to you, the fun ends. This exercise shows them that the fun is only beginning.
You will need a toy for this exercise. If your dog is not toy motivated, higher value treats will work, too. You will also need a second party to practice this exercise, someone to handle the dog (Handler) while you (Caller) call them. The dog should be on a leash until they have mastered this command. Start in a place indoors where there are minimal distractions. Once your dog is good at his recall, you can take it to a safely fenced area, where there are no other dogs or people.

NOTE: When you start the exercise, your dog does not need to be focused on the handler OR you and does not need to be in a sit or a down. This may be the only time that it is acceptable for your dog to be a bit distracted.

Caller: Stand approximately 10 feet apart from the Handler. With the toy behind your back (as to not lure your dog with the toy), call your dog in a VERY happy and excited voice. When your dog comes to you, reward him with 20 seconds worth of verbal praise and playtime with the toy (or treats if you are using food motivation instead of toy motivation). Then put the toy where he cannot see it and have the handler take the dog several feet away again. Repeat several times. Also, practice this with every member of your household, so the dog comes to everyone when called.

NOTE: As the distractions increase, you MUST be the most exciting thing to your dog. A solid recall is one of the most important things for your dog to have.

BBA Week #5

Spoiler: show

FRONT: (Add to your Loose Leash Walking repertoire)
Start to add this to your Loosh Leash Walking protocol. When walking, randomly walk three steps backwards and say “front”. Your dog should change their direction and walk toward you. When they do, mark it and treat. Have them do this several times, then add a Sit- after you say “front” and they walk towards you, tell them to “sit”, when they sit, mark it and treat.

WAIT: (Add to your Loose Leash Walking repertoire)
After your dog gets the hang of walking nicely on a leash, increase to a hurried pace then start to slow down and tell your dog to “wait”. As they slow down with you, mark and treat. This will come in handy when you walk down steps with your dog.

GO TO YOUR “MAT”, “SPOT”, “BED”, ETC:
Every dog does better in new situations if it has a safe, familiar place to go to. One way to do this is to have a mat that you can take with you when going somewhere that may be new or stressful to your dog.

Stand a foot or two away from the mat with your dog. Say “Go to your mat!” or whatever cue you choose, while tossing a treat onto the mat. Once your dog is on the mat (even if it’s only one paw) and getting the treat, mark it with your marker word and as soon as your dog checks in with you, reward. Do several repetitions.
Next, when the dog gets on the mat, mark it with your marker word then ask for a “sit”. When they sit, mark it again and reward. Do several repetitions again. Next toss the treat, saying “Go to your mat”, or whatever cue you have selected, and wait for him to offer a sit without you asking, mark it (but do not treat) and then immediately ask for a down.
When they give the down, mark it and then reward. Do several repetitions, and then tell him “Free!”. Now move the mat just a foot or two away in a new location.

NOTE: YOU should not move. By not moving, you are not luring or leading your dog to the mat. They are going on their own. Also, I recommend breaking this exercise up over several days: Day 1- just getting them to go to the mat. Day 2- getting them to sit when they get to the mat. Day 3- getting them to lay down when they get to the mat.
Once he has consistently gone to his mat and has laid down in different locations, work on duration. Cue him to go to his mat, wait for a down, and wait a couple seconds. Mark with “Yes” and treat. Gradually increase the duration of time he is on the mat.

The ultimate goal is that when you give the “go to your mat” command, no matter where you are in your house, they go directly to their mat. With that being said, after they really catch on, only toss a treat every so often, until you can remove the toss completely. Do not remove the toss completely UNTIL they have mastered the down when getting to their mat.

YOU CHOOSE:
This exercise will teach your dog to not be “pushy” to get what they want and that they will ONLY get the reward when they back off. This also helps if your dog is a little bit mouthy and/or communicating with their mouth.

Hold a treat is each hand, palms closed in a fist and straight out in front of you at the dog’s level. Your dog will naturally sniff and/or push your hand with their nose, and maybe even paw at your hand. As soon as they let up or go to sniff the other hand, mark it with your marker word and reward with the treat from the opposite hand. Repeat 10 times. Now try it with your palms open and your thumb on the treat. Repeat 10 times. Now really up the ante and have the treat lying in your palm, fully exposed. Your dog should be waiting very patiently and not attempting to take the treat AT ALL. Hold it for a few seconds, mark it and reward.

NOTE: Your dog should do a default sit for this exercise.

OBJECT EXCHANGE:
When doing object exchanges always have an object of higher value to trade with. Give your dog a toy that he likes. As soon as you give him the toy, offer him a high value treat like a piece of tuna or a piece of hot dog. He should drop the toy to take the treat. Now give him the toy back and do another exchange. You can repeat this several times. Once the dog catches on to the game, you can let him play with the toy for a few seconds then do another exchange.

This teaches your dog several things:
1. Play time begins and ends when you say
2. Exchanging objects does not mean that the fun ends
3. It is rewarding to exchange!

BBA Week #6

Spoiler: show

LEAVE IT:
Have your dog in a down or sit position. Place a lower value treat like a few pieces of kibble on the floor about a foot away from your dog. If the dog moves toward the food, quickly cover the treat with your foot. When the dog backs off, mark it with your marker word and reward from your hand. Do this 4-5 times and then start to give the command “leave it”. Eventually, you should not have to cover the treat.

The Idea: When the dog makes the choice not to go for the treat, he gets something better from somewhere else. This teaches a dog boundaries and self-control. Once your dog masters the stationary “leave it”, you can practice walking by a piece of food and continuing on.

TAKE IT:
After your dog has mastered “Leave It”, you can start to use “Take It” when you want them to take something that they are allowed to have.

SELF CONTROL:
This is an important thing to teach your dog. It is an easy way to combine fun and training and teaches your dog a valuable lesson. Always have your dog on leash when practicing this exercise. If at any time you feel uncomfortable, stop the session. If you feel that your dog is just too over stimulated, you should stop.
Initiate play with your dog (ie. Fetch, etc.). Let him play for a few seconds, then stop play and tell him to sit. When he sits, reward him with more play. Frequently interrupting play teaches your dog to get excited and then calm down and better impulse control. Once he masters the sit for play, you can request a down, a down/stay and a sit/stay all in between periods of play.

LOOK AT THE ??? :
The object of “Look at that” is for your dog to look at an object and then check back in with you. Think of if you were told NOT to look at something, wouldn’t it make you feel better just to see it? Or imagine if there was something really scary behind you while you were walking, but someone kept you from seeing where it was. We do this to our dogs all the time! Example(s): Another dog walking down the street? We tell the dog “Watch me!” A squirrel? We say “Leave it!” Doing this may stress the dog out more, or make them want the object more. The “look at that” exercise can help you manage your dog better, increase his confidence and build your relationship. This is because you are allowing them to sneak a peek, but requiring them to check back in with you…The best of both worlds!

Start indoors, with minimal distractions, with an object that will get your dogs attention but will not overly excite him. A water bottle will do. Pull the bottle out from behind your back. As soon as the dog looks at the object, mark with your marker word and treat. When your dog hears the marker word, they should check in with you. That’s why we use it! Do 4-5 repetitions, and then add the cue: “Look at the bottle”. Do several repetitions again.

Once your dog has mastered this, you can teach him to look at anything then check in with you by following
the same steps. For prey driven dogs, I like to teach them “Look at the dog!”, “Look at the cat!” and “Look at
the squirrel!”

NOTE: “Look at the DOG!” is very useful for those dogs that are a bit dog reactive or for those that tend to stare at or stare down other dogs.

WALK AWAY!!!:
This is helpful when your dog is in a situation that could cause him to be reactive or cause him harm, because it enables you to back the dog up and add some distance very quickly.
Begin walking with your dog on a loose leash. As soon as your dog pulls, even slightly, toward the object (ie. dog or person), cheerfully say “Walk Away!” and move backwards quickly. When the dog follows, mark it and reward. They will see this as a fun game and it distracts them and redirects their attention from the thing that may have been harmful.

The 7th week was the graduation so we didn't do anything then and there was no recap.

[Tokitoki]

Found them. Spoilering because this shit is huge.

BBA Class Orientation/ Week #1

Spoiler: show

Making Crate Time Enjoyable
Tips to help acclimate your dog to crate time and to assist with crating anxiety

Exercise: Exercise before crating. A tired dog is more apt to relax and sleep well.

Mental Exercise: Mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise. It is the equivalent to us putting in a work day or taking a difficult test.

Meals and Crate Time Treats: Begin feeding ALL meals in the crate. You want the crate to be the place where all good things come from. A Kong and/or raw bone (never cooked bone- it can splinter) filled with marrow are excellent things to use as a crate time meal or a very special crate time treat. If stuffed properly and they like what’s in it, it will take a while for them to clean it out, easing anxiety and tiring them out mentally. This provides them with mental exercise, which is just as important as physical exercise. Their wheels will turn as they figure out how to get everything out. Try layering the Kong with yummy things like baby food, peanut butter, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese wiz, Kong Spray, wet dog food, tuna and/or treats and throw it in the freezer, so it last longer. A great thing for a hot day is to fill a paper or plastic cup with water and freeze peanut butter and treats in it. After it’s frozen, add more water, so that the yummy stuff is now frozen in the middle. When it’s completely frozen, take it out of the cup and give it to your dog.

Building Crate Drive: Build your dog’s drive to be in the crate by putting in high value treats, such as deer antlers, bully sticks, high value toys or something else that they really like and want and shutting the door, waiting for your dog to paw at the door to get in. You want your dog to be BEGGING to go into their crate. If you have a multi dog household, do this with dogs separately to avoid any conflict.

A Comfy Crate: Make the crate as comfortable as possible: cover over top, crate pad, blanket, etc.

Soothing Noise: Leave a radio or TV on to help soothe anxiety. Classical music is a good music selection. You can also invest in a white noise machine or other sound machine.

Leave a little bit of you with them: Leaving an item of clothing with your scent can also help comfort the pup.

DO NOT only crate when leaving: You want your dog to have positive associations with the crate. If you only crate when departing, this makes it a not so good association. Also, it is good to crate when having guests over who may not be dog people. Acclimating your dog to this can be very helpful.

Randomly give signs that you are leaving without actually leaving: Such as: jiggling keys, putting on shoes, etc. This way your dog does not start anticipating your departure and looking for clues. Reward the dog when giving these cues. For example, jiggle your keys and put on your shoes, then give Fido a treat. If you continue to do this, eventually Fido will be waiting for you to do these things, instead of stressing about the fact that doing these things means you are leaving.

Natural Calming Remedies: All natural remedies have been known to help with crate anxiety. Rescue Remedy, DAP collars, plug-ins or sprays are some options. Many people have had excellent luck with a product called ProQuiet.

Dogs DO NOT mind being in a crate. Most, actually really enjoy it. When they are in their crate, they are most likely sleeping. Do not feel bad about crating your dog. It keeps them safe. Remember, they can get in to things that we can’t.

BBA Week #2

Spoiler: show

TRAINING NOTES:
1) REWARD FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR AND IGNORE FOR BAD BEHAVIOR!!!

2) The Rule of 5: Training should be done 5 times a day for 5 minutes at a time in 5 different locations. Start out in an area with absolutely NO distractions and then move to other areas inside, and eventually outside, your home and increase the level of distraction as your dog masters each task.

3) When training at home, it should just be the handler and the dog. ALWAYS have your dog on a leash and keep away from all other dogs if you have a multi-dog home.

4) Give a command ONE TIME. If you do not get the desired behavior that you are asking for after about 5 seconds, then say it again. When you repeat a command, your dog will just start to tune you out.

5) Use your Marker Word (A word or phrase that is used as verbal praise such as “Good, boy!”). ALWAYS mark the good behavior in an enthusiastic tone and follow it with a food reward. DO NOT have treats in your hand, unless otherwise advised. All exercises will have a 2 step reward process: 1) Mark it and 2) treat. Treats should come out of your pocket and/or apron. Please keep your hands out until you need to reach for a treat.

6) When you give your dog a command and you do not get the desired behavior immediately, but they ARE checking in with you, mark it with your mark word and reward ONLY when they do what you want them to do. Most times, when you say the marker word, you will get the behavior that you are looking for.

7) Treat for every exercise until you are advised by the instructor to cut down or eliminate treating.
FOCUS EXERCISES: A well behaved dog will have a solid focus on their handlers in any situation no matter the distraction(s). They should check-in with their handlers frequently for reassurance and to make sure that they are doing the right thing.

NAME RECOGNITION (To build focus):
Practice saying your dog’s name (say it ONLY once), when he/she looks your way, mark it with your marker word and immediately reward. Do this several times. After they catch on and are checking in EVERY time that you say their name, start to vary the volume and the tone of your voice. No matter how and when you say their name, they should ALWAYS check in with you.

WATCH ME (To build focus):
Since your dog now knows to check in with you every time that you say their name, you can also start to use the cue “Watch Me!” to get them to check in with you. Start by saying their name coupled with “watch me”- “Rover, watch me!”. When they check in with you, mark it and reward. Do this 5-6 times and then remove their name, getting them only to respond to “watch me”.

SIT: [NOTE: From this point on, have your dog “sit” at every doorway and before meals]
Use a treat at the dog’s nose to lure their head up and back. This is a simple lesson in quadruped physics – dog’s head goes up and back, the butt goes down. The dog may try to back up. If so, stand near a wall and shorten the distance your dog can back up. As soon as the dog’s butt hits the floor, verbally mark the behavior with your marker word and reward. Once the dog has completed this 4 or 5 times, you can introduce the verbal cue, “Sit”. Only say the command ONE time. If they do not give you the desired behavior after 10 seconds, move YOUR position a bit and give them the command again.

You can also use your marker word to shape them into what you want them to do. If your dog does not sit after being told but they are checking in with you, mark it. Their wheels will start to turn and 9 times out of 10, after they hear the mark word, their butt hit the floor.

Always require a sit before leashing up and before going outside. Sit is one of the most basic and important things a dog can learn. The ultimate goal should be for the dog to default to a sit in any situation. But don’t worry about that now, we’ll get to that soon. In the mean time, if they DO sit by default, mark it and reward.

NOTE: A lure may only be used when teaching your dog a new command. As soon as your dog catches on, stop luring.

DOWN:
Begin with your dog in a sit. Put a treat to the dog’s nose and lure it down- pull the treat right in front of their nose, down the chest, onto the floor and out until the dog’s belly is on the floor. As soon as the dog is down, mark it with your marker word and treat. As with sit, let the dog complete the task 4 or 5 times and then introduce the verbal cue “Down”. Your goal is to get the dog in a down without bending over and eventually without a lure. Remember to only give the command one time. After 10 seconds, if the dog does not give you the desired behavior, give the command again.

BBA Week #3

Spoiler: show

STAND: Get your dog in a sit or down. Lure them up on all fours with a treat. As soon as they are up, mark it and treat. Repeat 6 times. Now as you lure, give the cue “Stand”. Once they catch on, try only using the cue or a hand command to get them up.

STAY: The secret to teaching Stay is to teach it in steps that include Duration, Distraction and Distance.
Begin with your dog in a sit or a down.

Step One= Duration:
Put your hand up in a “Stop” (palm facing the dog) then immediately mark it with your marker word and reward. Repeat this 6 times. Next, as you flash your palm say “Stay”, then immediately mark it and treat. Repeat 6 times. Now add a few second pause before you mark it and reward. Continue doing this, adding a few seconds at a time, until you reach 10 seconds, 20 seconds, etc. Attempt to get your dog to hold a good solid sit-stay or down-stay for a full minute before moving on to the next step.

Free: To get them to break the stay, say “Free!” and move them with you a short distance from where you started. When they move with you, mark and treat. They should be on a leash for this initially.

Step Two= Distraction:
Now you will add movement to your repertoire. With your dog in a sit or down, give them the cue/hand command for Stay and take a step back and then quickly come back to the dog. Repeat 5 times, increasing the length of time before you step back to the dog.

NOTE(s): A dog in a Down-Stay is less likely to get up. If the dog gets up, and/or moves with you when you start to add movement in Step Two, do not say anything. Get them back in to a sit or down, marking for all good behaviors, and start again. If your dog breaks a sit and moves to a down or vice versa, consider the stay broken and start again. You can reinforce the Stay with the cue more than once ONLY IF you feel that your dog is going to move with you.

Now take two steps back and return. Repeat 5 times.

Next, take a step to the side, return and treat. Repeat 5 times. Now do the same exercise to the other side and repeat 5 times.

Other distractions that you can try: jog in place directly in front of your dog, wave your arm and shake your leg or spin around in front of them.

Step Three= Distance: In addition to the time that you move away from them, increase the distance- 10 feet, 20 feet, etc.

NOTE: If you plan on getting your dog their CGC and/or TDI certification, a sit-stay or down-stay is required while you move 20 feet away from your dog.
Step Four: Now that you are able to move away from your dog and they have not broken their sit-stay or down-stay, when you move away from them this time, turn your back to them and walk away a few feet.

Step Five: Get them to stay in one room while you move to another that is out of their line of sight.
(Do not expect your dog to do this immediately- this is something to work up to over several weeks.)

Step Six: Move to your porch or front yard, add people to the area, add another dog, etc.

TARGETING/ TOUCH:
Touch is fun and easy to teach, since dogs naturally explore with their noses. It can also be helpful in teaching advanced tricks and retrieving. This will also get your dog ready for Polite Greetings.

Place your hand, palm out, about 5 inches from the dog’s nose. The dog will likely put his nose to your hand to investigate and smell your hand. As soon as his nose touches your hand, mark with your marker word and give a food reward. Repeat 5 times. Once the dog understands the behavior, you can begin attaching the command “Touch.”

TARGETING/ TOUCH (Con’t):
Now that they have caught on, start switching up your hands and moving them around in different places. No matter where your hand is, when you say “touch”, they should touch their nose to your hand, even if this means them getting up from a sit or down. Now do a few in a row before treating. Now do it faster. Make it fun!

NOTE: You can transfer “touch” to an object other than your hand and teach them to target other things. You can use a ruler, a stick or a dowel. The goal is to get the dog
consistently touching the target, so that you can manipulate the dog’s movement. Regardless, this exercise leads us to the very important lesson of “polite greetings”. A true Bully Breed Ambassador will ALWAYS greet politely, no matter what the circumstance.

BBA Week #4

Spoiler: show

WALK AROUND your dog: (Add to the Stay Protocol)
Put your dog in a down-stay, move to the right of them and back to the front of them. If they do not get up and attempt to move with you, mark it and treat. Do it again, this time moving to the left of them. Do this repeatedly until you can walk the entire way around them without them getting up or spinning around with you. Their head can follow you, but not their body. Once you can make your way around them, now try stopping behind them and pausing for a few seconds. If they don’t get up, move to the front of them and mark and treat.

TOUCH FOR A POLITE GREETING:
You will be using the touch exercise to teach your dog to greet people without jumping. You will need a second person to help you with this exercise.
With your dog on leash, allow the second person to approach your dog. If your dog jumps or barks, do not let the person close enough to make contact. Instead, have them stop where they are and wait for your dog to have ALL four paws on the ground. When your dog does this, praise him and allow the second party to come closer. If the dog jumps again, do the same thing and keep doing it until the dog stops jumping. Once the second person is able to get close enough to the dog, let them put out their hand (This is what most people do instinctively when meeting a dog). As soon as the dog’s nose touches their hand, say your marker word and reward your dog. You can do some name recognition while the person is approaching to get them in the habit of checking in with you when someone approaches.

NOTE: Dogs should NEVER be approached head-on with someone looking directly into their eyes. The person approaching should come from the side of the dog or should walk sideways toward the dog. They should always put their hand out for the dog to sniff and not pat the top of the dog’s head. Sometimes that is threatening to a dog and they do not like it. A scratch under the chin or on the side of their neck is much more appropriate.

The next step is to have your dog sitting before someone approaches. For the first few times, you can ask your dog to sit as someone is approaching. After those few times, the person should not approach UNTIL the dog is in a sit. Eventually, the dog will sit by default, after they start doing that consistently, you can tell them “down” and the person can’t approach until they are down. If the dog pops up out of a sit or a down, do not let the greeter make contact.

As your dog gets better at this exercise, you will want to:
• Practice in many locations • Practice with many different willing people • Increase the amount of time that the person is interacting with your dog

If you have a multi-dog household, it is recommended to train one dog at a time. Sometimes the excitement of
a new guest can cause normally well behaved dogs to act out. Keeping the other dog(s) crated can make learning easier.

If your dog has a mat or bed that they go to, you can teach the dog to go to their mat or bed (Homework/Recap Week #5) after greeting. Some dogs even learn to retreat to their area as soon as they hear a door knock. When they go to their bed or mat, you can reward them with a favorite toy or treat. Some dogs offer better greeting styles if they already have something in their mouths, such as a favorite rope toy, a ball or a stuffed toy.

LOOSE LEASH WALKING- FIND IT and THIS WAY:
Start indoors, with minimal distractions. Put the dog on a leash, treats in hand.

THIS WAY- Use this cue if you have a dog that consistently pulls out in front of you.
Start to walk, say your dog’s name, followed by “This Way”, mark it and treat. You will do these things all in a row, initially, to get your dog used to this way of walking. Their name gets them to check in, “This Way” is the cue to keep them at your side, the marker and the treat are the rewards. Eventually, you can eliminate their name and just use the cue to get them to check in and stay at your side. When they do, always mark and treat.

FIND IT- Use this cue ONLY if you have a dog that lags behind you when walking.
Start to walk, toss a treat close enough that your dog will NOT reach the end of his leash and say “Find it!”. Do this continuously from one end of the room to the other.

NOTE: “This Way!” is to keep your dog at your side and “Find It!” will keep your dog moving forward. It is acceptable to use several “This Ways” in a row while walking to keep your dog at your side.

STOP AND SIT:
Your dog should get in the habit that when you stop, they stop AND sit by default. Start stopping at random and when you do, ask your dog for a “sit”. When they sit, mark it and treat.

HANDLING & “DOGGIE MASSAGE”:
Have you dog in a sit or down. Touch your dog everywhere: touch their ears (look inside their ears), look at their teeth (put your hands in their mouth), touch their paws, touch their bellies and touch their back and their tail, while varying the pressure. If you’re massaging, remember to do this very slowly, so your dog does not get excited or over stimulated.
This exercise is done for two reasons: 1) So your dog gets used to being touched all over so you and/or your vet can check them regularly for medical reasons and 2) this calms your dog down after a movement exercise. Proper temperament allows your dog to get somewhat amped up and then calmed down rather quickly.

RECALL (COME):
Always keep this command FUN. For many dogs, when they come back to you, the fun ends. This exercise shows them that the fun is only beginning.
You will need a toy for this exercise. If your dog is not toy motivated, higher value treats will work, too. You will also need a second party to practice this exercise, someone to handle the dog (Handler) while you (Caller) call them. The dog should be on a leash until they have mastered this command. Start in a place indoors where there are minimal distractions. Once your dog is good at his recall, you can take it to a safely fenced area, where there are no other dogs or people.

NOTE: When you start the exercise, your dog does not need to be focused on the handler OR you and does not need to be in a sit or a down. This may be the only time that it is acceptable for your dog to be a bit distracted.

Caller: Stand approximately 10 feet apart from the Handler. With the toy behind your back (as to not lure your dog with the toy), call your dog in a VERY happy and excited voice. When your dog comes to you, reward him with 20 seconds worth of verbal praise and playtime with the toy (or treats if you are using food motivation instead of toy motivation). Then put the toy where he cannot see it and have the handler take the dog several feet away again. Repeat several times. Also, practice this with every member of your household, so the dog comes to everyone when called.

NOTE: As the distractions increase, you MUST be the most exciting thing to your dog. A solid recall is one of the most important things for your dog to have.

BBA Week #5

Spoiler: show

FRONT: (Add to your Loose Leash Walking repertoire)
Start to add this to your Loosh Leash Walking protocol. When walking, randomly walk three steps backwards and say “front”. Your dog should change their direction and walk toward you. When they do, mark it and treat. Have them do this several times, then add a Sit- after you say “front” and they walk towards you, tell them to “sit”, when they sit, mark it and treat.

WAIT: (Add to your Loose Leash Walking repertoire)
After your dog gets the hang of walking nicely on a leash, increase to a hurried pace then start to slow down and tell your dog to “wait”. As they slow down with you, mark and treat. This will come in handy when you walk down steps with your dog.

GO TO YOUR “MAT”, “SPOT”, “BED”, ETC:
Every dog does better in new situations if it has a safe, familiar place to go to. One way to do this is to have a mat that you can take with you when going somewhere that may be new or stressful to your dog.

Stand a foot or two away from the mat with your dog. Say “Go to your mat!” or whatever cue you choose, while tossing a treat onto the mat. Once your dog is on the mat (even if it’s only one paw) and getting the treat, mark it with your marker word and as soon as your dog checks in with you, reward. Do several repetitions.
Next, when the dog gets on the mat, mark it with your marker word then ask for a “sit”. When they sit, mark it again and reward. Do several repetitions again. Next toss the treat, saying “Go to your mat”, or whatever cue you have selected, and wait for him to offer a sit without you asking, mark it (but do not treat) and then immediately ask for a down.
When they give the down, mark it and then reward. Do several repetitions, and then tell him “Free!”. Now move the mat just a foot or two away in a new location.

NOTE: YOU should not move. By not moving, you are not luring or leading your dog to the mat. They are going on their own. Also, I recommend breaking this exercise up over several days: Day 1- just getting them to go to the mat. Day 2- getting them to sit when they get to the mat. Day 3- getting them to lay down when they get to the mat.
Once he has consistently gone to his mat and has laid down in different locations, work on duration. Cue him to go to his mat, wait for a down, and wait a couple seconds. Mark with “Yes” and treat. Gradually increase the duration of time he is on the mat.

The ultimate goal is that when you give the “go to your mat” command, no matter where you are in your house, they go directly to their mat. With that being said, after they really catch on, only toss a treat every so often, until you can remove the toss completely. Do not remove the toss completely UNTIL they have mastered the down when getting to their mat.

YOU CHOOSE:
This exercise will teach your dog to not be “pushy” to get what they want and that they will ONLY get the reward when they back off. This also helps if your dog is a little bit mouthy and/or communicating with their mouth.

Hold a treat is each hand, palms closed in a fist and straight out in front of you at the dog’s level. Your dog will naturally sniff and/or push your hand with their nose, and maybe even paw at your hand. As soon as they let up or go to sniff the other hand, mark it with your marker word and reward with the treat from the opposite hand. Repeat 10 times. Now try it with your palms open and your thumb on the treat. Repeat 10 times. Now really up the ante and have the treat lying in your palm, fully exposed. Your dog should be waiting very patiently and not attempting to take the treat AT ALL. Hold it for a few seconds, mark it and reward.

NOTE: Your dog should do a default sit for this exercise.

OBJECT EXCHANGE:
When doing object exchanges always have an object of higher value to trade with. Give your dog a toy that he likes. As soon as you give him the toy, offer him a high value treat like a piece of tuna or a piece of hot dog. He should drop the toy to take the treat. Now give him the toy back and do another exchange. You can repeat this several times. Once the dog catches on to the game, you can let him play with the toy for a few seconds then do another exchange.

This teaches your dog several things:
1. Play time begins and ends when you say
2. Exchanging objects does not mean that the fun ends
3. It is rewarding to exchange!

BBA Week #6

Spoiler: show

LEAVE IT:
Have your dog in a down or sit position. Place a lower value treat like a few pieces of kibble on the floor about a foot away from your dog. If the dog moves toward the food, quickly cover the treat with your foot. When the dog backs off, mark it with your marker word and reward from your hand. Do this 4-5 times and then start to give the command “leave it”. Eventually, you should not have to cover the treat.

The Idea: When the dog makes the choice not to go for the treat, he gets something better from somewhere else. This teaches a dog boundaries and self-control. Once your dog masters the stationary “leave it”, you can practice walking by a piece of food and continuing on.

TAKE IT:
After your dog has mastered “Leave It”, you can start to use “Take It” when you want them to take something that they are allowed to have.

SELF CONTROL:
This is an important thing to teach your dog. It is an easy way to combine fun and training and teaches your dog a valuable lesson. Always have your dog on leash when practicing this exercise. If at any time you feel uncomfortable, stop the session. If you feel that your dog is just too over stimulated, you should stop.
Initiate play with your dog (ie. Fetch, etc.). Let him play for a few seconds, then stop play and tell him to sit. When he sits, reward him with more play. Frequently interrupting play teaches your dog to get excited and then calm down and better impulse control. Once he masters the sit for play, you can request a down, a down/stay and a sit/stay all in between periods of play.

LOOK AT THE ??? :
The object of “Look at that” is for your dog to look at an object and then check back in with you. Think of if you were told NOT to look at something, wouldn’t it make you feel better just to see it? Or imagine if there was something really scary behind you while you were walking, but someone kept you from seeing where it was. We do this to our dogs all the time! Example(s): Another dog walking down the street? We tell the dog “Watch me!” A squirrel? We say “Leave it!” Doing this may stress the dog out more, or make them want the object more. The “look at that” exercise can help you manage your dog better, increase his confidence and build your relationship. This is because you are allowing them to sneak a peek, but requiring them to check back in with you…The best of both worlds!

Start indoors, with minimal distractions, with an object that will get your dogs attention but will not overly excite him. A water bottle will do. Pull the bottle out from behind your back. As soon as the dog looks at the object, mark with your marker word and treat. When your dog hears the marker word, they should check in with you. That’s why we use it! Do 4-5 repetitions, and then add the cue: “Look at the bottle”. Do several repetitions again.

Once your dog has mastered this, you can teach him to look at anything then check in with you by following
the same steps. For prey driven dogs, I like to teach them “Look at the dog!”, “Look at the cat!” and “Look at
the squirrel!”

NOTE: “Look at the DOG!” is very useful for those dogs that are a bit dog reactive or for those that tend to stare at or stare down other dogs.

WALK AWAY!!!:
This is helpful when your dog is in a situation that could cause him to be reactive or cause him harm, because it enables you to back the dog up and add some distance very quickly.
Begin walking with your dog on a loose leash. As soon as your dog pulls, even slightly, toward the object (ie. dog or person), cheerfully say “Walk Away!” and move backwards quickly. When the dog follows, mark it and reward. They will see this as a fun game and it distracts them and redirects their attention from the thing that may have been harmful.

The 7th week was the graduation so we didn't do anything then and there was no recap.

This is great. I'm having a bit of trouble getting our puppy used to the crate. We feed her in it, leave a shirt I've worn, leave her favorite toys with her, give her the good stuff (Kong with peanut butter and a treat inside), etc., but she's not overly fond of the crate. It probably doesn't help that she's 6 months old and I assume spent most of that time in a small cage or caged area in a shelter.

I'm going to try putting her toys in there and closing the door. She was doing well going in without the door on, but once we put the door on, even with it wide open, she gets nervous.

[Aylee]

Thanks a ton for the info! I read the first section and it's on part with what I've been doing. She learned watch me and sit after 2-2-3 times yesterday at her first training class. She enjoys the crate becaise I randomly give her treats for going in and stuff. I'll read the rest in a few. Gf bought puppy pads to help with the potty training and they have become her favorite toy! Lol she grabs them and runs off with them.