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Week 1 Sit with Correction if Needed

  Equipment Needed:   6’ Leash, Training Collar (or a slip lead could replace the two).   NOTE 1 :  IF YOU USE THE SLIP LEAD, THE COLLAR CORRECTION IS NOT AS CLEAN OR PRECISE.  IF YOU HAVE AN AMENABLE DOG, THIS PROBABLY WON’T BE A PROBLEM.   NOTE 2:  YOU DON’T NEED TO PRACTICE EVERY TIME WHILE HEELING.  YOU CAN DO THESE WHILE JUST WALKING WITH YOUR DOG AS WELL.   Explanation and Goal of Exercise:  This exercise is the end goal for the molding and interim sit exercises you have been doing.  You w ant to be able to stand up straight now for both the command and the correction (the correction is loose, tight, loose but quickly with the chain training collar, and just a tug with the slip leash) The goal for this week will be to do three sets of four in a row without needing the correction (which means it is very important to use the well-timed correction when it is needed).   You will want to do this (with the heeling) for...

Week 1 Long Place

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  Explanation and Goal:   This teaches your dog that you might very well be in a seated position when they are in a place (while the third step has started the idea that you may be moving around the room).   This is tricky for dogs as they usually want to be petted or cuddled when you take a seat, but it is important that owners have time to read, work, eat a meal, and so on, without constantly needing to pay attention to their dog.   Usually, this is eventually used for half an hour or an hour.  It is like a crate without walls.  It allows your dog to feel more included, but they are responsible for staying there until released.  This command is valuable when you need to move them out of the way to do chores, and/or you have company over.     Long place is technically the 4th step in teaching the place command:      First step is intro.  Intro is just walking the dog and letting them pass over it.  "Pl...

Week 1 Three Stages to Teach the Place Command In

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 Description of the place command:   The place command, when finished, allows you to send your dog to a bordered object on the floor (a folded quilt or blanket, a cot, or a dog bed are some examples) where your dog can stay until you release them for a period of time and they can be comfortable for a period of time, while you do something else. This exercise also helps your dog to have impulse control and learn that they can’t be the center of everything all of the time. Equipment needed:  Leash, Collar, and Place Object (something that feels different than the floor, like a blanket, cot, or dog bed) You could also use food with a food-motivated dog for this exercise, especially if they are skittish at first about walking over the place object.  Just lure them with the food going over the place object, if you can. STAGE 1:  INTRODUCING THE PLACE OBJECT STEP 1:    Position your place equipment in the middle of the room. STEP 2:  Start walking your ...

Week 1 Sit On The Dog

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 Exercise: Sit on The Dog (do not confuse with the down exercise later on)  Equipment needed: Metal Training Collar, 6' leather lead, chair for handler to sit on that they aren't too worried about (IE an antique chair would not be a good idea, especially for a dog that might try to chew something other than their toy while you aren't watching), silence from the handler which means no verbal commands, praise, or corrections. Also, no conversations of any sort with your dog. NOTE:  THIS CAN ALSO BE DONE WITH A SLIP LEAD, TRANSITIONAL LEAD (NO NOSE LOOP), OR NYLON SLIP COLLAR INSTEAD OF THE METAL CHAIN TRAINING COLLAR AND 6’ LEATHER LEASH.   A FLAT COLLAR CAN BE USED IF IT IS SNUGGED UP SO IT CAN NOT GET OVER THE DOG’S HEAD. Objective and Goals: This exercise starts the leadership portion of dog training in a very non-confrontational way. You are defining the space and activity that the dog will inhabit while you are engaged in other activities. It starts the proce...