View Client Trainings from Customers | Home Dog Training of Georgia

Client: John Hunt
Visit Date: 8/1/2016
Visit Number: 01
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Everything went pretty well. Let’s see what will happen next

Client: Robin Edwards
Visit Date: 8/01/2016
Visit Number: 01
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Initial Problems: Not listening and obedience. Training Notes: Practice front door manners. Make sure you always face and keep behind your door boundary. Practice come on the leash. Say “come once and then direct. Always correct inappropriate behavior. Be sure to praise.

Client: Kendall Greene
Visit Date: 5/10/2021
Visit Number: 01
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 1,200
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Potty Training. Leash Walking. Running out the Door. Basic Obedience.

Training Notes:
Charlie is a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with him. He was a wonderful guest and all our doggies loved him.

In review of today’s discussion, you must remember that your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want him to jump, he can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. He cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because he is not the boss.

Make sure that you correct him as soon as he breaks one of your rules. You must do this in a manner that does not scare or frighten him and still gets his respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided him to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), you must acknowledge his correct action.

Lastly, you must understand that he mostly communicates through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRRRy” sound today. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

As a final note on this subject, consider using the leash as a corrective and directive tool. This is a distractive method used to gain his focus and guide him towards the right actions. Have the leash on him at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity, excitement, and bad behavior.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

When performing the exercises, remember that repetition, consistency, observation, and simplicity are key. ACTION is essential to the process. If you catch yourself thinking “Oh, what a bad dog. I wish he would stop doing that!”, you have missed the point. If Charlie does something wrong, you must actively correct now.

Charlie is a dog and not a person. Do not assume that he is experiencing “human emotions”. Perform your actions because you are keeping him safe and secure. Do not perform your actions because “you think Charlie feels sad”.

It is fine if you want to include hand gestures with any of the obedience commands. Simply include the hand gesture as you are verbalizing your obedience command to Charlie.

Some general exercises we worked on during our board and train program were:

1. COME – Put a six-foot leash on Charlie. Slowly step away from him (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give the leash a slight tug. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

Once he can always come to you from six feet, extend the length by using a longer leash or attaching several together. Practice from ten feet, fifteen feet. Once he can come to you from the longest distance, repeat the exercise at that length, but no longer hold the leash. Let it lie on the ground between you and Charlie.

Continue practicing to confirm that he continually comes to you without the need to grab and tug on the leash. Once this is accomplished, have someone unhook the leash and practice the COME exercise without the leash.

Once he has accomplished coming inside, repeat the process outside. Practice from ten, fifteen, twenty, and thirty feet.

If he is still coming to you without the leash, you are done. If he shows signs of hesitation, isn’t paying attention to you, or wandering off, take a few steps back and practice from a shorter distance with the leash once more.

NOTE: Never give Charlie the COME command without the leash being attached to him if you have any hesitation that he will not come to you.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a six-foot leash on Charlie. Stand beside to him and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his hindquarters moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his hindquarters are still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Charlie a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. WALKING – Make sure that Charlie has his harness and leash on. Also, you will want to start this process in your house when it is calm and devoid of distractions (TV, children, etc.). Just like any other time, when you are walking with Charlie, he must be obeying your rules. I suggest that your “walking rules” for Charlie are to be near you, do not pull on the leash, listen to your commands when given, and have a good time.

Start your walk. If he is not obeying you rules (i.e. pulling, tugging, or not listening), tug the leash slightly while you repeat tapping your leg. Walk for about ten to twenty feet and then turn and walk back. Once you have returned, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Repeat this several times a day. Extend the walk into multiple rooms and eventually outside.

4. JUMPING – Remember to always have Charlie’s leash on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and he approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Charlie begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

5. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – This exercise is based on the rule that Charlie can be anywhere in the house except near you when you are opening the front door. As a rule of thumb, I define “near you” as within six to eight feet of the front door. This is the “Charlie can’t be here zone”.

You and Charlie can be anywhere in the house at the start of this exercise. Try to do “regular things” while not directly engaging him or causing him to become adrenalized. Make sure you know where the squirt bottle is (either by the front door or in your pocket.)

Have someone knock on the door. Calmly walk to the front door. If Charlie runs ahead of you, don’t worry about that yet. Once you are at the front door, turn around and visibly locate him.

If he is within the “Charlie can’t be here zone” (near the front door at your feet), stand tall and face him, make your correction sound, and (if needed) give him several squirts to have him back out of “the zone” and away from the door. It may take several squirts to have him back away.

Once he is away from the front door, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Charlie makes any attempt to continue his approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

6. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Charlie comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you.

If Charlie brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says, “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

7. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in redirecting Charlie’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on him at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or he will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Charlie.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and Charlie will understand that you took control, and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Charlie from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop, and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

8. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this. Please review the documentation contained on your Personal Training Site as needed. Some of the major points to remember with Potty Training are:

a) Food Management: We often overfeed our puppies because we are Americans and love our Big Macs. Measure his daily food allowance at the start of the day and only give him that amount for the entire day. (As always, if there is a situation where your Veterinarian suggests differently, do that.)

Based on his potty schedule and “accidents”, you can adjust his feeding times. If he is making accidents in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning as he wakes up, give Charlie his dinner earlier and cut off his water earlier. You can also adjust the amount of food given in each meal. If Charlie is making more poopie accidents at night, you can decrease his feeding amount in the evening and increase the amounts during the rest of the day.

Put his food and water down and pick it up after 20 to 30 minutes. Remember that it is a meal and not a buffet. Leave a little bit of water down between meals to allow him to hydrate, as necessary. Check the water every hour or two and refill when needed. Always make note when you refill so you can adjust if he starts to make wee-wee accidents. (You have gone from giving water for hydration to giving too much water (overflowing dam).

b) Water: We all need water for hydration and puppies need extra water because their bodies are in a state of rapid growth and development. We want to give Charlie enough water to hydrate for his growth, but not so much water that he is bloated, and the water just passes through him (like flood waters overflowing the top of a dam.)

After each meal, leave the water bowl down with a little bit of water. Check the bowl every 1 or 2 hours. If the bowl is empty, pour a little bit of water into the bowl. If he starts to make wee-wee accidents in the house, you may be giving him too much water between meals. If this is happening and the water bowl is empty, wait for 30 to 60 minutes before you add water to the bowl (just a little bit of water) again. Continue to adjust your “refill” until the wee-wee accidents decrease and are eliminated.

c) Watch: You NEED TO WATCH CHARLIE. This doesn’t mean “I think he just went over there”. It is constant “eyes on Charlie”. When you are always watching him, you will know that he made a mistake and observe any unusual characteristics he may have shown just before the potty accident. This allows you to properly document the accident with the time, location, and possible reason for the accident. If you can’t properly watch him, place him in his crate. This is key in creating a better schedule for tomorrow.

d) Schedule: We talked about creating an initial schedule that is really the documentation for a “Poopie Project Plan”. We discussed the natural times that most dogs (and humans) need to go to the bathroom during the day. Start with that as your plan.

Work your plan from the start of the day by following your planned events and documenting the results (actual occurrences). This will allow every family member to take part and will provide you with a road map of what to do next.

Potty training is like the game of Marco Polo. Every time you call “Marco” and hear “Polo”, you get a little closer to your goal. Work your plan every day. At the end of the day, review what really happened, analyze your observations, and build your “Tomorrow’s Plan” based on the new information you gained today.

There is an old saying that sums this up. “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better”. That is what Potty Training is all about. It is about you becoming more and more familiar with Charlie and his bladder requirements.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice with him every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Charlie when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain his respect and focus.

Client: Cynthia Kimball
Visit Date: 7/7/2021
Visit Number: 01
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Bad Behavior

Training Notes:
Tessa is a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with her. She was very jumpy and somewhat crazy when I first arrived, but quickly understood that she had to pay attention to you.

In review of today’s discussion, you must remember that your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want her to jump, she can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. She cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because she is not the boss.

Make sure that you correct her as soon as she breaks one of your rules. You must do this in a manner that does not scare or frighten her and still gets her respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided her to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), you must acknowledge her correct action.

Lastly, you must understand that she mostly communicates through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting her. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get her attention. We were using the “GRRRRRy” sound today. Any sound that gets her to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shake bottle to get her focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

As a final note on this subject, consider using the leash as a corrective and directive tool. This is a distractive method used to gain her focus and guide her towards the right actions. Have the leash on her at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity, excitement, and bad behavior.

Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her to a calm area until she is deadrenalized and focused on you.

When performing the exercises, remember that repetition, consistency, observation, and simplicity are key. ACTION is essential to the process. If you catch yourself thinking “Oh, what a bad dog. I wish she would stop doing that!”, you have missed the point. If Tessa does something wrong, you must actively correct now.

Tessa is a dog and not a person. Do not assume that she is experiencing “human emotions”. Perform your actions because you are keeping her safe and secure.

It is fine if you want to include hand gestures with any of the obedience commands. Simply include the hand gesture as you are verbalizing your obedience command to Tessa.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. COME – Put a six-foot leash on Tessa. Slowly step away from her (facing her) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If she doesn’t start to move towards you, give the leash a slight tug. Once she reaches you, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

Once she can always come to you from six feet, extend the length by using a longer leash or attaching several together. Practice from ten feet, fifteen feet, and twenty feet. Once she can come to you from the longest distance, repeat the exercise at that length, but no longer hold the leash. Let it lie on the ground between you and Tessa.

Continue practicing to confirm that she constantly comes to you without the need to grab and tug on the leash. Once this is accomplished, unhook the leash and practice the COME exercise without the leash.

Once she has accomplished coming inside, repeat the process outside. Practice from ten, fifteen, twenty, and thirty feet.

NOTE: Never give Tessa the COME command without the leash being attached to her if you have any hesitation that she will not come to you. If you want to attempt to have her come to you without the leash, get down low, call her name, and clap your hands or pat your knees. If she comes to you, that is great. If Tessa does not come to you, that is no big deal. You only offered an invitation with the option of “yes” or “no”. You did not give a command that Tessa must obey.

2. SIT – She is already pretty good with the SIT command. I just want to make sure that you maintain the consistency and methodology between this command and the other commands and rules you will be employing.

You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a six-foot leash on Tessa. Stand in front of her and say “SIT” once. If she doesn’t sit, give her your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If she doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind her head. At the same time guide her rear end backwards until you see her hindquarters moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that her head is moving backwards and her hindquarters are still descending. Once she is sitting, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Tessa a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. WALKING – The instructions that I am providing for this command are slightly different that I would normally deliver. This is due to the fact that you use the scooter to walk her. This should not change your leadership dynamic or rules you will require from Tessa while on your walk. It will change some of the physical constraints that you can employ to maintain your leadership and her focus.

The first thing you should remember is that everything has rules. When you are walking Tessa, I suggest that your rules are that she is not pulling on the leash or highly focused on any external distraction such as a bird, squirrel, deer, person, car, etc. This means that the leash should always be slightly loose and you can always get her focus.

Start your walk on the scooter. If she starts to break your rules as mentioned above, safely stop the scooter, calmly put both of your feet firmly on the ground, give the leash a firm tug back towards you (if you can stand when you do this, that is great; if you remain seated, that should be fine too), and make your correction sound. You may need to give the leash multiple tugs with your correction sound to have her focus back towards you.

If she is not directly by your side when she gives you focus, issue the COME command to have her move to your feet. Give her the SIT command to make sure she is now completely calm and focused on you. You can now let her know she is doing the right thing by giving her a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Continue your walk.

If you see that she is “thinking about” tugging on the leash or inappropriately focusing on an external distraction, you may try a slightly less forceful correction of giving the leash a slight tug while making your correction sound while still proceeding on the scooter. If this gets her to look back to you, that is great. You have successfully told her to “don’t even think about it”. Now that she is properly walking with you, let her know that she is doing a great job by giving her a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Continue with your walk.

If she is just too focused on something or pulling on the leash, you need to “ramp up” the correction. Turn your scooter 180 degrees and proceed in the opposite direction. This will require Tessa to turn in the direction “you want to go” and stop tugging the leash or focusing on the inappropriate distraction. Once you observe that she is calmly and politely walking next to you, turn the scooter around 180 degrees and continue your walk in the original direction.

I suggest that you initially walk Tessa during times of minimal distractions. You mentioned that the “calmest part of the day” in your neighborhood is in the evening. That is when I would suggest you initially practice this process. If you need to take her out at other times to “burn off some energy”, try to pick the “calmest times”.

Do not try to push Tessa too fast into being a great walker. If she is acting up like a “crazy girl” during the walk, turn around and go home. You can always walk her later. You cannot gain her focus and teach her when she is too adrenalized.

4. FOLLOW THRU DOOR – You always want to go through a doorway before Tessa. Have a leash on Tessa. Walk her up to the doorway and have her sit. Hold your hand out like a traffic policeman while you slowly step backwards through the doorway. Always face her.

Once both of your feet are across the threshold, pat your leg to allow Tessa to proceed. Once she has crossed the threshold, have her sit again. (Note: If Tessa is a little too pensive to sit, have her quietly stand and stay still.) Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

5. JUMPING – Remember to always have Tessa’s leash on when you are concerned that she might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and she approaches to jump, stand up, give her your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as she stops and gives you focus, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Tessa begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop her. You can also step on the leash so she doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as she calms down, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

6. CHEWING – Let’s talk about the method of stopping Tessa from chewing when you can “catch her in the act” and another method when you can’t “catch Tessa in the act” of chewing.

If you “catch her in the act”, you must correct her in the moment. Calmly approach her, stand tall and stoic in front of her, make your correction sound, and use the squirt bottle to get her attention focused on you. It may take two or three corrections (Stand/GRRRR/Squirt’s), but Tessa should stop chewing, drop the item, and move away. Once she is moving away, calmly pick up the item and praise her correct choice with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Once you correct her, you need to give her “an acceptable thing to chew”. One example of “an acceptable thing to chew” is the Kong Toy. Take the Kong Toy, put some peanut butter in the food hole, and freeze it. Give this to Tessa to direct her chewing to something you find acceptable.

Another example of “an acceptable thing to chew” is the Deer Antler. These are very safe and (obviously) all natural. Spray some low sodium chicken broth on the antler to make it a little “tastier” and give it to her.

As soon as you take away the “thing you don’t want her to chew”, give her one of these. You can also leave them out for her to naturally locate and chew.

Remember, you can only perform the above procedure if you see Tessa in the act of chewing.

If you can’t “catch her in the act”, you will need to find a way to passively discourage Tessa from chewing. To do this, you need to make the thing you don’t want her to chew to taste yucky. We suggest that you use Bitter Apple.

You need to let Tessa understand that anything that tastes like Bitter Apple is yucky. You do this by spraying a very small amount of it into her mouth. You are not trying to have her drink it; you want the mist of the spray to reach the taste buds in the back of her mouth. This will trigger a “bad taste memory”. She will then associate other things with this same smell as tasting bad.

Spray Bitter Apple on things you don’t want Tessa to chew. The Bitter Apple will eventually evaporate on the object, so you must re-spray from time to time. Once you have sprayed the “don’t chew this” object, place a Kong Toy or Deer Antler in the immediate vicinity.

As she equates that one thing is bad (the thing you don’t want her to chew), she will find something good (the thing you want her to chew). After a few encounters, Tessa will ignore the thing you didn’t want her to chew (it tastes yucky) for the thing you want her to chew (tastes good).

If the Bitter Apple becomes ineffective, you can ramp up to Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, or Habanero Sauce (in that order). Place the sauce on the item you don’t want Tessa to chew. Since you can’t spray the sauce as you would the Bitter Apple, put a little on your finger and rub it on the top of her tongue.

7. NIPPING – Let’s review the active approach to stop Tessa from nipping and then a “set the scene” method of getting her from nipping.

In our first approach, as soon as you see Tessa start to become adrenalized, stay calm and still. If you are playing, stop. If possible, move your hands away from her and stand up. This will proactively send a signal to her that you will not engage her and do not condone her actions. If needed, make your correction sound and use the squirt bottle or shake bottle. Praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” when she stops trying to nip.

If she has already started to nip you, remain calm and still. Make your correction sound and stand up, if possible. The important thing is to stay calm. Praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” when she stops nipping.

When you don’t energetically engage, Tessa will place additional focus on your calm demeanor. This will redirect her adrenalated actions and allow things to calm down.

Our second approach involves “setting the scene” when you want to discourage Tessa’s nipping. Do this by placing some Bitter Apple on your hands. Make your hands “available to Tessa” but don’t “stick them in her face”. If she starts to go for your hands, she should smell or taste how “yucky your hands have become” and will not want any part of them.

Make sure you have something else for her such as a chew toy or goodie to distract her away. As soon as she has been directed away from your hands (the target), praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If the Bitter Apple is not effective, you can ramp up to Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, or Habanero Sauce (in that order). Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly when you have finished your exercise using these liquids.

8. LICKING – As I mentioned today, this is an interesting issue. You don’t want Tessa to lick because she loves to lick the lotion off or your hands and the hands of friends. Licking is also a form of respect in the “dog world”. You must decide if she can lick for a moment and then stop or not lick at all. Whatever you decide, your enforcement of that rule must be consistent.

As soon as she starts to lick in a manner that is breaking your rule, you must correct her immediately. Stand up, make your correction sound, and use your spray bottle or shake bottle (if necessary). You may have to repeat your sound and use of your correction device several times if she is highly adrenalated.

As soon as she is no longer licking, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” to let her know she is doing the right thing. Move whatever part of your body that she was licking away from her to minimize the possibility of her returning to the inappropriate behavior.

The most important point to remember through this entire exercise is to remain calm. That will show her that you are the leader and give you the best environment in which to teach her the appropriate action.

9. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – This exercise is based on the rule that Tessa can be anywhere in the house except near you when you are opening the front door. As a rule of thumb, I define “near you” as within six to eight feet of the front door. This is the “Tessa can’t be here zone”.

You and Tessa can be anywhere in the house at the start of this exercise. Try to do “regular things” while not directly engaging her or causing her to become adrenalized. Make sure you know where the squirt bottle is (either by the front door or in your pocket.)

Have someone knock on the door. Calmly walk to the front door. If Tessa runs ahead of you, don’t worry about that yet. Once you are at the front door, turn around and visibly locate her.

If she is within the “Tessa can’t be here zone” (near the front door at your feet), stand tall and face her, make your correction sound, and (if needed) give her several squirts to have her back out of “the zone” and away from the door. It may take several squirts to have her back away.

Once she is away from the front door, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing her. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Tessa makes any attempt to continue her approach, close the door, give your correction sound, and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Close the door. Praise Tessa’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

10. FAMILY COMING OVER – “Families” are always an interesting entity because they can often be crazier than the dog. With that said, we developed an interesting solution to keeping things calm between Tessa and your family when they come over. Here is the scenario that we discussed this afternoon:

Have Tessa in the kitchen/family room area behind the closed gates before your family arrives. She should be wearing her harness and leash. When they arrive, calmly let them in and instruct them to approach the back gate. They should remain about six feet away from the gate, stay calm, and not directly interact with Tessa. If Tessa is excited to see them and jumping at the gate as they approach, that is fine for now. You are about to take care of that.

While your family was walking to the back gate and Tessa was focused on them, you calmly entered the garage hallway through the front gate. You should have your water bottle and squirt bottle in hand and ready to use.

Walk into the kitchen and observe Tessa. If she is calm, that is great. If she is breaking your rules (jumping, barking, highly misfocused, etc.), you need to correct. Stand tall, make your correction sound, and use one or both of your correction tools. If Tessa becomes calm and focused on you, that is great. If she isn’t positively responding to you after giving her two or three “GRRRs and Squirts/Shakes, switch to the redirective method (employ the leash).

Calmly step on the end of the leash, pick it up in your hand, and walk her away from your family into the kitchen or down the hallway. Continue to calmly walk her until she is relaxed and focused on you. Stop and have her sit. Once she is sitting and giving you respectful focus, give her a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule.

Calmly walk her back into the kitchen and near (but not directly in front) of the back gate where your family have been waiting. Make sure that your family is still calm, still, and not directly focused on Tessa.

Ask a family member to slowly open the gate. They should all remain on the living room side of the gate. If Tessa starts to react by jumping or pulling on the leash to rush towards them, correct her using the leash method as discussed above. When she is calm, return her to her spot. If she remains calm while seeing the gate open, you can proceed.

Have one family member slowly and calmly step through the gate and pause on the kitchen/family room side. You can be proactive and give the leash a slight tug while making a low volume correction sound to let Tessa know “Don’t even think about it” if you desire. Pause for a moment and have the person continue to the family room and sit down.

Repeat this step with every family member. If needed, correct Tessa by either redirecting her out of the area for a moment or correcting her with a leash tug and correction sound to keep her calm and focused on you while the family come in and sit down.

When all the family are seated in the family room, calmly walk Tessa into the family room. Have Tessa sit. Observe that she is still calm and focused on you. If she starts to adrenalate at any point, correct her as described above.

Calmly release the leash and sit down. The family members should not pay attention to her for several minutes. After several minutes have passed, they can call her over to them for a pet. If she starts to jump, lick, or break any rules, they (or you) must instantly correct her.

11. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Tessa comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore her until she turns away. If you want to pet her, call her over to you. This assures she is responding to you.

If Tessa brings you a toy, ignore her until she turns away and you can then call her back. Remember, the leader always says, “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

12. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in redirecting Tessa’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on her at different times during the day when you are home. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Tessa.

As she begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If she is moving, let her go to the end of the leash, tug herself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and Tessa will understand that you took control, and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Tessa from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk her away. Once you observe that she is no longer adrenalized, stop, and have her sit. Praise her with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and calmly walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice with her every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Tessa when she breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when she breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain her respect and focus. Finally, just have fun.

Client: Rosemary Nalley
Visit Date: 4/7/2023
Visit Number: 01
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Good behavior. Obedience. Potty. General Puppy stuff. Nipping. Jumping.

Training Notes:
Skeeter is a sweet dog and we enjoyed working with him. He was an excellent house guest and got along wonderfully with our other dogs. He also interacted well with our neighbors and their dogs. With the understanding that he still is only four months ole, he was an attentive student and showed a great ability to learn his lessons.

Everything starts with rules. A “rule” identifies what you want him to do and what you don’t want him to do. “Come” is a rule that tells Skeeter to go to your side. “Don’t jump” is a rule that tells him to remain on the ground. You can easily determine your rules for Skeeter by asking yourself “Is he bugging me?”. If he is, Skeeter is breaking your rule.

Your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want him to jump, he can’t jump for any reason at any time. Everything must be on your terms. He cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because he is not the boss.

We suggest that you consider having between five and ten rules. If you have too many rules, it will become difficult to effectively administer them.

Correct him as soon as he breaks one of your rules. This must be done in a manner that does not scare or frighten him and still gets his respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided him to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), acknowledge his appropriate action.

As we discussed, he mainly communicates through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Remember, all Skeeter’s communication begins with body language.

To augment your body language communication, you may need to introduce a verbal interaction. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRRRRRRy” sound during our board and train program. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine. The key is that the sound should be distinctive and only used when he has broken your rules and you need his focus.

There may be times where you need to “ramp it up” and include a passive/physical form of communication in addition to your body language and verbal interaction. If necessary, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shake bottle to get his focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

As a final note on this subject, consider using the leash as a corrective and directive tool. This is a distractive method used to gain his focus and guide him towards the right actions. Have the leash on him at different times during the day. Always have it on him when you think he may be approaching times of heightened activity, excitement, and bad behavior.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

When performing the exercises, remember that repetition, consistency, observation, and simplicity are key. ACTION is essential to the process. If you catch yourself thinking “Oh, what a bad dog. I wish he would stop doing that!”, you have missed the point. If Skeeter does something wrong, you must actively correct now.

Skeeter is a dog and not a person. Do not assume that he is experiencing “human emotions”. Perform your actions because you want to keep him safe and secure.

When you give him a command, only say it once. As we discussed today, Skeeter is a dog and understands sounds and not words. “Come Come Come” is a different sound than “Come”. Make your sounds consistent so that Skeeter understands what you want him to do.

It is fine if you want to include hand gestures with any of the obedience commands. Simply include the hand gesture as you are verbalizing your obedience command to Skeeter.

Although we don’t normally use treats in our exercises, they are sometimes helpful in the initial stages of obedience lessons (i.e. Come, Sit, Stay). Use them sparingly and try to ween Skeeter off of them as quickly as possible. Show him the treat as you begin the command and only give it to him after he has successfully completed the command and you have provided him with your verbal confirmation.

Some general exercises we worked on during our board and train program were:

1. COME: INSIDE WITH LEASH – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a six-foot leash on Skeeter. Slowly step away from him (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees or crouch down low and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give the leash a slight tug. You may need to give several tugs.

If he is unresponsive to the tug, make your correction sound, wait for one or two seconds, say “COME” again, and give the leash another tug with slightly more force. Repeat this, if needed, until Skeeter is moving towards you.

Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Stand up and repeat this process for several minutes.

When he can always come to you from six feet, extend the length by using a longer leash or attaching several together. Practice from ten feet, fifteen feet, and twenty feet. When he can come to you from the longest distance, repeat the exercise at that length, but no longer hold the leash. Let it lie on the ground between you and Skeeter. The “handle end” of the leash should still be near you and easily accessible if Skeeter is not responding to your command.

Continue practicing confirming that he constantly comes to you without the need to grab and tug on the leash. Once this is achieved, unhook the leash and practice the COME exercise without the leash.

After he has successfully completed the COME exercise when he is inside, repeat the process outside (see below).

A HELPFUL TIP: If Skeeter is slow in learning the COME command, you may need to enhance his ability to focus on you when the command is given. As you are down low and about to verbalize “COME”, pat your knees, snap your fingers, or call his name (“Skeeter”). This may help draw his attention to you as you command him to COME.

ONE MORE THING: There are times where you may be “too far away”. For example, he may have been coming to you from ten feet yesterday, but won’t respond at all from that distance today. Instead of “reinforcing failure” at ten feet, shorten the distance between you and Skeeter until he starts to come to you. Continue your exercise at that length and expand the distance as he consistently obeys your command.

NOTE: Never give Skeeter the COME command without the leash being attached to him if you have any hesitation that he will not come to you. If you want to attempt to have him come to you without the leash, get down low, call his name, become visibly animated, and clap your hands or pat your knees. Just don’t say “COME”.

If he comes to you, that is great. If Skeeter does not come to you, that is no big deal. You offered him an invitation and you allowed him to respond “yes” or “no”.

If you had said “COME” to Skeeter; that is a command and he must comply. If he does not, the only tool you have to gain his compliance and maintain your leadership role is the leash.

2. COME: OUTSIDE WITH LEAD – Put a thirty-foot training lead on Skeeter. (I suggest thirty feet, but any long length is fine. We use a thirty-foot training lead from Leash Boss. Their web site is http://LeashBoss.com.) Slowly step away from him (facing him) until you have reached about five feet. Drop to your knees or crouch down low and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give the lead a slight tug. You may need to give several tugs.

If he is unresponsive to the tug, make your correction sound, wait for one or two seconds, say “COME” again, and give the lead another tug with slightly more force. Repeat this, if needed, until Skeeter is moving towards you.

When he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Stand up and repeat this process for several minutes.

Once he can always come to you from the initial distance, extend the length by using more of the training lead. Practice from ten feet, fifteen feet, twenty feet, and thirty feet. When he can come to you from the longest distance, repeat the exercise at that length, but no longer hold the lead. Let it lie on the ground between you and Skeeter. The “handle end” of the lead should still be near you and easily accessible if Skeeter is not responding to your command.

Keep practicing until he repeatedly comes to you without the need to grab and tug on the lead. If you are in an enclosed area, you can attempt one more step. Unhook the lead and practice the COME exercise without the lead. If you are in an area that is not enclosed (surrounded with a fence, etc.), we do not recommend that you allow Skeeter to be off the lead.

When you are outside and you want Skeeter to come to you, this is mostly because you want him to get in the house. When outside, we suggest that you set up many of your exercises where you are near the door and Skeeter is in the yard.

A HELPFUL TIP: If Skeeter is far away from you and not focused on you when you are about to give the “COME” command, you may need to get his attention. Try calling his name or clapping your hands to get him to look at you. If he is “overly-distracted”, give the lead a slight tug to have him look back at you. Although not required, these actions often help with the successful execution of the command.

ONE MORE THING: There are times where you may be “too far away”. For example, he may have been coming to you from twenty feet yesterday, but won’t respond at all from that distance today. Instead of “reinforcing failure” at twenty feet, shorten the distance between you and Skeeter until he starts to come to you. Continue your exercise at that length and expand the distance as he consistently obeys your command.

A SLIGHT ALTERNATIVE: Our instructions above state that you are constantly holding the lead when you give the COME command. An alternative to this method is to allow the lead to stretch out behind Skeeter as he moves around the yard. You are not holding the lead, but allowing it to freely flow behind Skeeter. Always remain close to the lead. When you are ready to execute the COME command, step on the lead at the appropriate length, pick it up in your hands, and deliver the COME command. All the other instructions remain the same.

NOTE: Never give Skeeter the COME command without the lead being attached to him if you have any hesitation that he will not come to you. If you want to attempt to have him come to you without the lead, get down low, call his name, become visibly animated, and clap your hands or pat your knees. Just don’t say “COME”.

If he comes to you, that is great. If Skeeter does not come to you, that is no big deal. You offered him an invitation and you allowed him to respond “yes” or “no”.

If you had said “COME” to Skeeter; that is a command and he must comply. If he does not, the only tool you have to gain his compliance and maintain your leadership role is the lead.

3. SIT – Initially perform this exercise in a quiet location with minimal or no distractions. Put a six-foot leash on Skeeter. Stand directly in front of him and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, move to his side and pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time use your other hand to guide his rear end backwards until you see his hindquarters moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his hindquarters are still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Move Skeeter a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes. As you continue your sessions and he is constantly sitting on the first command, slowly add distractions.

4. STAY – We are providing you with the information regarding STAY for informational purposes at this time. This is because Skeeter must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. He still needs a little work with SIT before you can successfully work through the STAY command. When ready, please perform the following:

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until Skeeter can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Don’t rush to the next level when he appears to be succeeding in the current level. Have one or two days of “constant success” before you move on.

Place Skeeter in a SIT before you start this command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of Skeeter, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If he begins to move, give him your correction sound to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five to ten seconds. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Continue to practice while extending the time you are standing in front of him and he is remaining in place. When you have accomplished this and Skeeter can remain in place for about fifteen to twenty seconds, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Skeeter, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash and facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If he begins to move, give him your correction sound to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Skeeter, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash and facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Skeeter’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of him, and stop when you have reached his other side. Next, move back until you are in front of him again. If he begins to move, give him your correction sound to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Finally, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Now that you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Skeeter, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash and facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around him. If he begins to move, give him your correction sound to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Practice this exercise for several days with continual success. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Five.

Level Five: At this point you can walk completely around Skeeter with your hand up and he is remaining in his STAY. It is time to add a “real world” situation to the exercise. You will not be holding the leash. Place Skeeter in a SIT and then a STAY. Walk around the room/area while facing him and keeping your hand up in your “traffic policeman’s pose”. Continue this while you slowly add actions such as picking up objects and opening and closing doors and drawers. Always remain in his sight.

If Skeeter moves from his spot, correct him, step back to a prior level, and continue from there. The more you can move around the room/area while he remains stationary in a STAY, the more you can add additional actions that you would normally perform when you want him in a STAY in a “real world situation”.

NOTE: Skeeter is remaining in his STAY because you have conditioned him to remain still while focusing on your outstretched hand. If you leave the room and/or leave his sight, your outstretched hand (the trigger to have him STAY) will be gone and he will probably get up and break his stay.

5. FOLLOW THRU DOOR – You always want to go through a doorway before Skeeter. The reason for this is twofold. First, you are the leader, and you want to show Skeeter that you are always leading. Second, you want to keep Skeeter safe. The only way you can do this is to “check out” whatever is on the other side of the door before you allow him to proceed.

Have Skeeter on a leash or lead. Walk him up to the doorway and have him sit. Hold your hand out like a traffic policeman while you slowly step backwards through the doorway. Always face him.

When both of your feet are across the threshold, pat your leg to allow Skeeter to proceed. Once he has crossed the threshold, have him sit again. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

NOTE: If Skeeter is a little too pensive to sit while he is on either side of the doorway, have him quietly stand and stay still. “Although it may not be pretty”, as long as he is remaining stable as you place your feet on the other side of the door, he has obeyed your rule.

6. WALKING OUTSIDE – Before you begin your walk, remember that you are Skeeter’s protector, boss, and best friend. It is your responsibility to always keep him safe. As you are on your walk, visually scan the immediate area to determine if there are any issues that might place Skeeter in danger or cause him to feel scared. If you find such a situation, create a plan ahead of time to mitigate or eliminate the danger before it takes place. This will prepare you to easily solve any problem you and Skeeter may encounter on your walk.

Just like any other time, when you are walking with Skeeter, he must be obeying your rules. I suggest that your “walking rules” for Skeeter are to be near you, do not pull on the leash, listen to your commands when given, and have a good time. These are only my suggestions. You must create your own rules so that you and Skeeter have an excellent walking experience.

(If you are inside and need to get outside to start your walk, be sure to perform the FOLLOW THROUGH DOOR exercise first. If you are going to finish the walk by bringing Skeeter back inside the house, repeat the FOLLOW THRU DOOR exercise to bring him back inside.)

Start your walk outside with Skeeter calmly next to you wearing his collar and Easy Walk Harness (size Meduim/Small). Have his leash attached to both the collar and harness. Give your WALK command, tug the leash slightly, and begin your walk.

As long as Skeeter is maintaining your rules as mentioned above, all is fine. If he starts to break your rules (pull, not listen, etc.), give the leash a slight tug back towards you as you are walking. Make your correction sound as you tug the leash. Have him look at you and give you focus. Acknowledge his correct behavior with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If he is unresponsive to your slight tug while walking, stop walking, make your correction sound, and give the leash a slightly more forceful tug back towards you. Have him look at you and give you focus. Acknowledge his correct behavior with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Continue your walk.

You can also add an enhanced level of reinforcement to the above correction, if you so desire. After Skeeter has given you focus and you have verbalized your “GOOD PUPPY”, execute a SIT command. Praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” and then continue your walk.

If he really starts to pull or focus on something too much, you may need to “ramp up” your correction. In this case, you can turn around 180 degrees and walk in the opposite direction for about ten to thirty feet. Make sure he is properly walking with you. When he is calm and focused on you, reverse your direction by 180 degrees and continue your walk in the original direction. Acknowledge his correct behavior with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

It is frequently difficult to determine “who is walking who”. Are you walking at the pace that Skeeter has set or is he walking at your pace? It must be your pace because you are the boss. Set the tempo by creating “a cadence in your head”. Think to yourself, “1… 2… 3… 4…; 1… 2… 3… 4…”, as you walk and mark your steps to your count. This will compel you to set a speed and maintain it. It will also allow you to determine if Skeeter is walking at your speed. If he is not, correct him using one of the methods previously discussed in this exercise.

Dogs sometimes like to grab the leash in their mouth as they walk. If Skeeter grabs the leash in his mouth as you are walking, make your correction sound and squirt him with your squirt bottle. It may take multiple squirts to have him drop the leash from his mouth. (Remember to repeat your correction sound every time you give him a squirt.) Praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” after he drops the leash. Continue your walk.

Do not allow Skeeter to tell you when he wants to stop. You need to let him know when he can stop and sniff around. Try and make your “stops” at places you know he likes.

Another issue with WALKING takes place when an inappropriate distraction such as a dog, jogger, neighbor, bicyclist, car, etc. approaches. Skeeter will often start to adrenalize, lock focus on the approaching distraction, jump, bark, and pull. You need to redirect Skeeter’s focus back towards you. We suggest that you do the following:

a) Remove Skeeter from the immediate line of approach by directing him at a 90 degree angle up a driveway, onto a front lawn, etc.

b) Calmly give the leash several tugs as you walk him about ten to fifteen feet up the driveway, onto the front lawn, etc.

c) Have Skeeter focus on you as you remain calm. If he is still concentrating on the approaching distraction, move him farther up the driveway or onto the lawn. Display confidence the entire time while you are gently tugging the leash to maintain Skeeter’s attention on you. Quietly talk to him using a reassuring tone. If needed, step on the leash so that he does not have the ability to jump or move around.

d) If, after doing all this, he is still focusing on the approaching distraction, move Skeeter behind an object that will block his view of the approaching object. This could be a car in the driveway, a fence, or a bush. Continue to have Skeeter focus on you while you display a calm and “in charge” demeanor. If needed, step on the leash to keep him stable and focused on you.

e) Once the distraction has passed, reward Skeeter’s actions of focusing on you with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Continue your walk.

f) If you do not have the ability to perform the above steps (step a thru e) with Skeeter, calmly move him as far away from the approaching object as possible. Turn around and calmly, but briskly walk the way you came until you reach a point where you can leave the road. If that is not an option, move to the side of the road as far away from the approaching object as possible. Actively engage him to gain his complete focus. Place yourself between Skeeter and the object to block his view of the object. Step on the leash to minimize his movement. The one thing you don’t want to do is to freeze in place and let the object directly approach you and Skeeter.

NOTE: Whenever we are directing you to give Skeeter a tug on the leash, it may require more than one tug. If you have given him a single tug without success, repeat by giving him several tugs in quick succession. Make your correction sound each time you give him a tug.

ONE MORE THING: Dogs often chew their harnesses when they are bored. Please remember to remove Skeeter’s harness when you are not walking with him

7. WALKING OUTSIDE WITH TRAINING LEAD – This is an additional level to the instructions we have provided regarding WALKING OUTSIDE. All the information detailed in our WALKING OUTSIDE exercise should still be considered and followed. The only difference in this discussion is that you will replace the standard leash with a training lead. Because of this, you will need to consider some additional procedures.

We recommend a 30 20-foot training lead for walking Skeeter; but any long length should suffice. We use a training lead from Leash Boss. Their web site is http://LeashBoss.com.

When you walk Skeeter on the training lead, you give him the ability to roam, sniff, and just be a happy dog. He does not have the same experience when you walk him on a six-foot leash. You have the choice to give him a short amount of lead (a few feet) or, if you so desire, to give him a longer amount of lead (up to the length of the training lead).

The critical point you should remember is that YOU determine how much training lead you are giving Skeeter. It is your decision, and you are the boss.

Skeeter must still obey all the rules you established in the WALKING OUTSIDE exercise. You will continue to make all the same corrections if he starts to break a rule (i.e. pull, loss of focus, irritating barking, etc.).

When you are walking Skeeter at a greater distance, you can replace or enhance the “quick tug” correction by swiftly stepping on the training lead. You can accomplish this if the training lead is dragging on the ground near your feet as you are walking Skeeter. This is quite effective in getting his immediate attention and allows you to give a speedy correction and then continue the walk.

Since Skeeter is farther away from you than on a “normal walk” with a six-foot leash; you must be more observant of your surroundings. You should be aware of any approaching cars, neighbors, loose dogs, “lead-wrapping” obstacles, or any other condition that may impact his wellbeing. When any of these situations start to arise, you should direct him closer to your side. Give the lead a slight tug and then guide him to you.

You can also practice COME and SIT while walking. At your discretion, stop and perform a COME command (as detailed above). When he has successfully completed the command and you have verbalized your “GOOD PUPPY”, you can execute the SIT command (as detailed above).

Please note that some dogs may be a little too pensive to sit while out on a walk. If Skeeter doesn’t want to sit, don’t make a big deal of it. Just be sure that he can successfully perform the command while inside at a quiet, calm, and secure location.

ONE MORE THING: Dogs often chew their harnesses when they are bored. Please remember to remove Skeeter’s harness when you are not walking with him

8. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Skeeter’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Have his leash on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause him to bark. As soon as he starts to bark, step on the leash, and place the handle in your hand. Make your correction sound as you briskly walk him in a direction away from the distraction to a point where he is giving you focus and has lost interest in whatever was causing him to bark. Have him sit for you. As soon as he does, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

(If he has not mastered the SIT command, have him calmly remain next to you while providing you with calm and respectful focus for one or two seconds. At that point, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.)

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before Skeeter started to bark.

If Skeeter’s focus can be easily directed back to you, simply standing tall, giving your correction sound, and using your physical correction (squirt bottle or shake bottle) may suffice in getting him to stop barking. Once he has stopped barking, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

9. JUMPING – Dogs normally jump because they are showing assertion or are excited. An important facet of this exercise is your ability to remain calm. Your calm demeanor will demonstrate your strong leadership and neutralize Skeeter’s heightened adrenaline level.

Always have Skeeter’s leash on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and he approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (squirt bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Skeeter begins to jump on you or your guest, use your squirt bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If things are a little “too crazy”, you may need to ramp it up. Momentarily remove Skeeter from the immediate area. Please refer to the USE OF THE LEASH discussion below.

10. CHEWING – Let’s talk about the method of stopping Skeeter from chewing when you can “catch him in the act” and another method when you can’t “catch Skeeter in the act” of chewing.

If you “catch him in the act”, you must correct him in the moment. Calmly approach him, stand tall and stoic in front of him, make your correction sound, and use the squirt bottle to get his attention focused on you. It may take two or three corrections (Stand/GRRRR/Squirt’s), but Skeeter should stop chewing, drop the item, and move away. (Be sure to repeat your correction sound every time you give him a squirt.) Once he is moving away, calmly pick up the item and praise his correct choice with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

After you correct him, you need to give him “an acceptable thing to chew”. One example of “an acceptable thing to chew” is the Kong Toy. Take the Kong Toy, put some peanut butter in the food hole, and freeze it. Give this to Skeeter to direct his chewing to something you find acceptable.

As soon as you take away the “thing you don’t want him to chew”, give him one of these. You can also leave them out for him to naturally locate and chew.

Remember, you can only perform the above procedure if you see Skeeter in the act of chewing.

If you can’t “catch him in the act”, you will need to find a way to passively discourage Skeeter from chewing. To do this, you need to make the thing you don’t want him to chew to taste yucky. We suggest that you use Bitter Apple.

You need to let Skeeter understand that anything that tastes like Bitter Apple is yucky. You do this by spraying a very small amount of it into his mouth. You are not trying to have him drink it; you want the mist of the spray to reach the taste buds in the back of his mouth. This will trigger a “bad taste memory”. He will then associate other things with this same smell as tasting bad.

Spray Bitter Apple on things you don’t want Skeeter to chew. The Bitter Apple will eventually evaporate on the object, so you must re-spray from time to time. Once you have sprayed the “don’t chew this” object, place a Kong Toy or Deer Antler in the immediate vicinity.

As he equates that one thing is bad (the thing you don’t want him to chew), he will find something good (the thing you want him to chew). After a few encounters, Skeeter will ignore the thing you don’t want him to chew (it tastes yucky) for the thing you want him to chew (it tastes good).

If the Bitter Apple becomes ineffective, you can ramp up to Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, or Habanero Sauce (in that order). Place the sauce on the item you don’t want Skeeter to chew. Since you can’t spray the sauce as you would the Bitter Apple, put a little on your finger and rub it on the top of his tongue.

11. NIPPING – Let’s review the active approach to stop Skeeter from nipping and then a “set the scene” method of getting him from nipping.

In our first approach, as soon as you see Skeeter start to become adrenalized, stay calm and still. If you are playing with him, stop. If possible, slowly move your hands away from him and calmly stand up. This will proactively send a signal to him that you will not engage him and do not condone his actions. If needed, make your correction sound and use the squirt bottle or shake bottle. Praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” when he stops trying to nip.

If he has already started to nip you, remain calm and still. Make your correction sound and stand up, if possible. The important thing is to stay calm. Praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” when he stops nipping.

When you don’t energetically engage him, Skeeter will place additional focus on your calm demeanor. This will deescalate his adrenalated actions and allow things to cool down.

Our second approach involves “setting the scene” when you want to discourage Skeeter’s nipping.

We suggest that you use Bitter Apple as your “yucky trigger”. Skeeter must understand that anything that tastes like Bitter Apple is yucky. You do this by spraying a very small amount of it into his mouth. You are not trying to have him drink it; you want the mist of the spray to reach the taste buds in the back of his mouth. This will trigger a “bad taste memory”. He will then associate other things with this same smell as tasting bad.

Now, spray some Bitter Apple on your hands. Make your hands “available to Skeeter” but don’t “stick them in his face”. If he starts to go for your hands, he should smell or taste how “yucky your hands have become” and will not want any part of them.

Make sure you have something else for him such as a chew toy or goodie to distract him away. As soon as he has been directed away from your hands (the target), praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

There is one more “NIPPING issue” that involves “WALKING”. As you pass by him, he will come at you and nip at your pants. You need to set a rule that he can’t nip your pants. Here is what you do:

Slowly approach Skeeter with your squirt bottle in hand. As you get close to him, watch to see if there is any increase in his adrenaline level or excitement. If there is, stop, make your correction sound, and give him one or more squirts of water. (Remember to repeat your correction sound every time you give him a squirt.) When you observe that Skeeter has become calm and disinterested in you, let him know that he is doing the right thing by praising him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Continue to walk past him. As you pass him, turn to face him as you walk. This means that you will be walking backwards once you pass Skeeter. This will assure that he will always be observing your dominant side. This sends him the visual message that you are the boss. If you see him start to adrenalize, focus heavily on you, or move towards you, correct him again as described above.

After you have moved about eight feet past him (the distance may vary), slowly turn around and continue your walk normally (not walking backwards).

12. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – This exercise is based on the rule that Skeeter can be anywhere in the house except near you when you are opening the front door. As a rule of thumb, I define “near you” as within six to eight feet of the front door. This is the “Skeeter can’t be here zone”.

You and Skeeter can be anywhere in the house at the start of this exercise. Try to do “regular things” while not directly engaging him or causing him to become adrenalized. Make sure you know the location of your squirt bottle (either out of sight by the front door or in your pocket.)

Have someone knock on the door. Calmly walk to the front door. If Skeeter runs ahead of you, don’t worry about that yet. When you are at the front door, turn around and visibly locate him.

If he is within the “Skeeter can’t be here zone” (close to you and the front door), stand tall and face him, make your correction sound, and (if needed) give him several squirts to have him back out of “the zone” and away from the door. It may take multiple squirts to have him back away. (Remember to repeat your correction sound every time you give him a squirt.)

Once he is away from the front door, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Gradually open the door for the outside visitor. If Skeeter makes any attempt to continue his approach, correct him as described above.

Continue facing him while opening the door to allow the outside visitor to enter. Close the door. Praise Skeeter’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

NOTE: If you are having difficulty directing Skeeter away from the front door area and out of the “Skeeter can’t be here zone”, use the leash to guide him away. Calmly step on the leash, place it in your hand, and give the leash several slight tugs to have him cross the boundary into the “Skeeter can be here zone”. Once that is done, drop the leash and slowly back up to the door. Continue to face him and brandish the squirt bottle in his direction. Correct with the squirt bottle, if needed, and continue the exercise by opening the door for the outside visitor.

13. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Skeeter comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you. This assures he is responding to you.

If Skeeter brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says, “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

14. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in redirecting Skeeter’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on him at different times during the day when you are home. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Skeeter.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and Skeeter will understand that you took control, and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Skeeter from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash, quietly make your correction sound, and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop, and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and calmly walk away.

NOTE (SLIGHT ALTERNATIVE): If Skeeter is not fully accomplished with the SIT command, replace the SIT command by allowing him to calmly remain next to you while providing you with calm and respectful focus. After one or two seconds, praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and calmly walk away.

15. POTTY OUTSIDE – We went over a great deal of information on this. You can review what we discussed today and find additional material by returning to the “Training Support Center Menu” and clicking on the “Potty & Wee-Wee Pad Training” button. From there, click on the “Potty Training” button. You will now be at our Potty Training Module that goes into great detail regarding “the art of getting your puppy to potty outside”.

Some of the major points to remember with Potty Training are:

Based on his potty schedule and “accidents”, you can adjust his feeding times. If he is making accidents in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning as he wakes up, give Skeeter his dinner earlier and cut off his water earlier. You can also adjust the amount of food given in each meal. For example, if Skeeter is making more poopie accidents at night, you can decrease his feeding amount in the evening and increase his feeding amount in the morning.

Put his food and water down and pick it up after 20 to 30 minutes. Remember that it is a meal and not a buffet. Although we are picking up his food between meals, we recommend giving him a little bit of water between meals. We will review that next.

b) Water: We all need water for hydration and puppies need extra water because their bodies are in a state of rapid growth and development. We want to give Skeeter enough water to hydrate for his growth, but not so much water that he is bloated, and the water just passes through him (like flood waters overflowing the top of a dam.)

After each meal, leave the water bowl down with a little bit of water. Check the bowl every 1 or 2 hours. If the bowl is empty, pour a little bit of water into the bowl. If he starts to make wee-wee accidents in the house, you may be giving him too much water between meals. If this is happening and the water bowl is empty, wait for 30 to 60 minutes before you add water to the bowl (just a little bit of water) again. If his wee-wee accidents are in the evening or first thing in the morning, start picking up his water bowl earlier in the evening, not putting it down again after his dinner, and/or decreasing the amount of water you are providing him at dinner. Continue until the wee-wee accidents decrease and are eliminated.

c) Watch: You NEED TO WATCH SKEETER. This doesn’t mean “I think he just went over there”. It is constant “eyes on Skeeter”. When you are always watching him, you will know that he made a mistake and observe any unusual characteristics he may have shown just before the potty accident. This allows you to properly document the accident with the time, location, and possible reason for the accident. This is key in creating a better schedule for tomorrow.

Work your plan from the start of the day by following your planned events and documenting the results (actual occurrences). This will provide you with a road map of what to do next.

IN CONCLUSION: Rules are critical. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Skeeter when he breaks a rule. Don’t get mad or go nuts when he misbehaves. As the teacher, you must portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain Skeeter’s respect and attention.

Our fundamental form of communication is speaking. Conversely, Skeeter’s fundamental form of communication is body language. Begin your communication with Skeeter through proper body language. That is what he is expecting and will understand.

Practice every day. Both you and Skeeter benefit when you implement and actively engage in a daily training regimen with him. You become a better teacher the more you have the opportunity to direct and educate. Skeeter becomes a better student the more he has the opportunity to focus and learn.

Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Concentrate on the positive results you are achieving and not the length of time they may take to complete.

Call us as soon as you have any questions. Finally, take a deep breath and just have fun.

Client: Diane Miller
Visit Date: 6/19/2023
Visit Number: 01
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Rescue. Knows commands. Needs work on Obedience. Front Door. Walking Manners. Outside Come (Recall).

Training Notes:
Gretchen is a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with her. She was a little jumpy and excited at first, but quickly calmed down and gave us excellent focus. With a little bit of consistency and repetition, she will be an excellent student. As with all shepherds, it is crucial that you portray resolute, yet compassionate leadership. That is what she expects from a leader that will keep her safe and secure.

Everything starts with rules. A “rule” identifies what you want her to do and what you don’t want her to do. “Come” is a rule that tells Gretchen to go to your side. “Don’t jump” is a rule that tells her to remain on the ground. You can easily determine your rules for Gretchen by asking yourself “Is she bugging me?”. If she is, Gretchen is breaking your rule.

Your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want her to jump, she can’t jump for any reason at any time. Everything must be on your terms. She cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because she is not the boss.

We suggest that you consider having between five and ten rules. If you have too many rules, it will become difficult to effectively administer them.

Correct her as soon as she breaks one of your rules. This must be done in a manner that does not scare or frighten her and still gets her respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided her to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), acknowledge her appropriate action.

As with all dogs, Gretchen primarily communicates through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting her. Remember, all Gretchen’s communication begins with body language.

To augment your body language communication, you may need to introduce a verbal interaction. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get her attention. I was using the “GRRRRRRRy” sound today. Any sound that gets her to calmly look at you is fine. The key is that the sound should be distinctive and only used when she has broken your rules and you need her focus.

There may be times where you need to “ramp it up” and include a passive/physical form of communication in addition to your body language and verbal interaction. If necessary, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shake bottle to get her focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

As a final note on this subject, consider using the leash as a corrective and directive tool. During today’s session, we found that this was an excellent tool to gain Gretchen’s focus and have her obey our rules. “The leash” is a distractive method used to gain her focus and guide her towards the right actions. Have the leash on her at different times during the day. Always have it on her when you think she may be approaching times of heightened activity, excitement, and bad behavior.

Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her to a calm area until she is deadrenalized and focused on you.

When performing the exercises, remember that repetition, consistency, observation, and simplicity are key. ACTION is essential to the process. If you catch yourself thinking “Oh, what a bad dog. I wish she would stop doing that!”, you have missed the point. If Gretchen does something wrong, you must actively correct now.

Gretchen is a dog and not a person. Do not assume that she is experiencing “human emotions”. Perform your actions because you want to keep her safe and secure.

When you give her a command, only say it once. As we discussed today, Gretchen is a dog and understands sounds and not words. “Come Come Come” is a different sound than “Come”. Make your sounds consistent so that Gretchen understands what you want her to do.

It is fine if you want to include hand gestures with any of the obedience commands. Simply include the hand gesture as you are verbalizing your obedience command to Gretchen.

Although we don’t normally use treats in our exercises, they are sometimes helpful in the initial stages of obedience lessons (i.e. Come, Sit, etc.). Use them sparingly and try to ween Gretchen off of them as quickly as possible. Show her the treat as you begin the command and only give it to her after she has successfully completed the command and you have provided her with your verbal confirmation.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. COME: INSIDE WITH LEASH – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a six-foot leash on Gretchen. Slowly step away from her (facing her) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees or crouch down low and say “COME” once. If she doesn’t start to move towards you, give the leash a slight tug. You may need to give several tugs.

If she is unresponsive to the tug, make your correction sound, wait for one or two seconds, say “COME” again, and give the leash another tug with slightly more force. Repeat this, if needed, until Gretchen is moving towards you.

Once she reaches you, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Stand up and repeat this process for several minutes.

When she can always come to you from six feet, extend the length by using a longer leash or attaching several together. Practice from ten feet, fifteen feet, and twenty feet. When she can come to you from the longest distance, repeat the exercise at that length, but no longer hold the leash. Let it lie on the ground between you and Gretchen. The “handle end” of the leash should still be near you and easily accessible if Gretchen is not responding to your command.

Continue practicing confirming that she constantly comes to you without the need to grab and tug on the leash. Once this is achieved, unhook the leash and practice the COME exercise without the leash.

After she has successfully completed the COME exercise when she is inside, repeat the process outside. We will discuss that next.

A HELPFUL TIP: If Gretchen is slow in learning the COME command, you may need to enhance her ability to focus on you when the command is given. As you are down low and about to verbalize “COME”, pat your knees, snap your fingers, or call her name (“Gretchen”). This may help draw her attention to you as you command her to COME.

ONE MORE THING: There are times where you may be “too far away”. For example, she may have been coming to you from ten feet yesterday, but won’t respond at all from that distance today. Instead of “reinforcing failure” at ten feet, shorten the distance between you and Gretchen until she starts to come to you. Continue your exercise at that length and expand the distance as she consistently obeys your command.

NOTE: Never give Gretchen the COME command without the leash being attached to her if you have any hesitation that she will not come to you. If you want to attempt to have her come to you without the leash, get down low, call her name, become visibly animated, and clap your hands or pat your knees. Just don’t say “COME”.

If she comes to you, that is great. If Gretchen does not come to you, that is no big deal. You offered her an invitation and you allowed her to respond “yes” or “no”.

If you had said “COME” to Gretchen; that is a command and she must comply. If she does not, the only tool you have to gain her compliance and maintain your leadership role is the leash.

2. COME: OUTSIDE WITH LEAD – Put a thirty-foot training lead on Gretchen. (I suggest thirty feet, but any long length is fine. We use a thirty-foot training lead from Leash Boss. Their web site is http://LeashBoss.com.) Slowly step away from her (facing her) until you have reached about five feet. Drop to your knees or crouch down low and say “COME” once. If she doesn’t start to move towards you, give the lead a slight tug. You may need to give several tugs.

If she is unresponsive to the tug, make your correction sound, wait for one or two seconds, say “COME” again, and give the lead another tug with slightly more force. Repeat this, if needed, until Gretchen is moving towards you.

When she reaches you, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Stand up and repeat this process for several minutes. Slowly add distraction to the process to provide a more “real world” environment.

Once she can always come to you from the initial distance, extend the length by using more of the training lead. Practice from ten feet, fifteen feet, twenty feet, and thirty feet. When she can come to you from the longest distance, repeat the exercise at that length, but no longer hold the lead. Let it lie on the ground between you and Gretchen. The “handle end” of the lead should still be near you and easily accessible if Gretchen is not responding to your command.

Keep practicing until she repeatedly comes to you without the need to grab and tug on the lead. If you are in an enclosed area, (i.e. your neighbor’s fenced-in area) you can attempt one more step. Unhook the lead and practice the COME exercise without the lead. If you are in an area that is not enclosed (surrounded with a fence, etc.), we do not recommend that you allow Gretchen to be off the lead.

When you are outside and you want Gretchen to come to you, this is mostly because you want her to get in the house. When outside, we suggest that you set up many of your exercises where you are near the door and Gretchen is in the yard.

A HELPFUL TIP: If Gretchen is far away from you and not focused on you when you are about to give the “COME” command, you may need to get her attention. Try calling her name or clapping your hands to get her to look at you. If she is “overly-distracted”, give the lead a slight tug to have her look back at you. Although not required, these actions often help with the successful execution of the command.

ONE MORE THING: There are times where you may be “too far away”. For example, she may have been coming to you from twenty feet yesterday, but won’t respond at all from that distance today. Instead of “reinforcing failure” at twenty feet, shorten the distance between you and Gretchen until she starts to come to you. Continue your exercise at that length and expand the distance as she consistently obeys your command.

A SLIGHT ALTERNATIVE: Our instructions above state that you are constantly holding the lead when you give the COME command. An alternative to this method is to allow the lead to stretch out behind Gretchen as she moves around the yard. You are not holding the lead, but allowing it to freely flow behind Gretchen. Always remain close to the lead. When you are ready to execute the COME command, step on the lead at the appropriate length, pick it up in your hands, and deliver the COME command. All the other instructions remain the same.

NOTE: Never give Gretchen the COME command without the lead being attached to her if you have any hesitation that she will not come to you. If you want to attempt to have her come to you without the lead, get down low, call her name, become visibly animated, and clap your hands or pat your knees. Just don’t say “COME”.

If she comes to you, that is great. If Gretchen does not come to you, that is no big deal. You offered her an invitation and you allowed her to respond “yes” or “no”.

If you had said “COME” to Gretchen; that is a command and she must comply. If she does not, the only tool you have to gain her compliance and maintain your leadership role is the lead.

3. SIT – Initially perform this exercise in a quiet location with minimal or no distractions. Put a six-foot leash on Gretchen. Stand directly in front of her and say “SIT” once. If she doesn’t sit, give her your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If she doesn’t sit immediately, move to her side and pull the leash up and behind her head. At the same time use your other hand to guide her rear end backwards until you see her hindquarters moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that her head is moving backwards and her hindquarters are still descending. Once she is sitting, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Move Gretchen a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes. As you continue your sessions and she is constantly sitting on the first command, slowly add distractions.

4. FOLLOW THRU DOOR – You always want to go through a doorway before Gretchen. The reason for this is twofold. First, you are the leader, and you want to show Gretchen that you are always leading. Second, you want to keep Gretchen safe. The only way you can do this is to “check out” whatever is on the other side of the door before you allow her to proceed.

Have Gretchen on a leash (i.e. when you are going for a walk) or lead (i.e. when you are going to practice COME). Walk her up to the doorway and have her sit. Hold your hand out like a traffic policeman while you slowly step backwards through the doorway. Always face her.

When both of your feet are across the threshold, pat your leg to allow Gretchen to proceed. Once she has crossed the threshold, have her sit again. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

ONE MORE THING: If you are taking Gretchen out to go potty, just let her get out the door. Do not worry about stopping to have her sit and wait for you to step through the doorway. You don’t want her to make an accident at the doorway.

NOTE: If Gretchen is a little too pensive to sit while she is on either side of the doorway, have her quietly stand and stay still. “Although it may not be pretty”, as long as she is remaining stable as you place your feet on the other side of the door, she has obeyed your rule.

5. WALKING OUTSIDE – Before you begin your walk, remember that you are Gretchen’s protector, boss, and best friend. It is your responsibility to always keep her safe. As you are on your walk, visually scan the immediate area to determine if there are any issues that might place Gretchen in danger or cause her to feel scared. If you find such a situation, create a plan ahead of time to mitigate or eliminate the danger before it takes place. This will prepare you to easily solve any problem you and Gretchen may encounter on your walk.

Just like any other time, when you are walking with Gretchen, she must be obeying your rules. I suggest that your “walking rules” for Gretchen are to be near you, do not pull on the leash, listen to your commands when given, and have a good time. These are only my suggestions. You must create your own rules so that you and Gretchen have an excellent walking experience.

(If you are inside and need to get outside to start your walk, be sure to perform the FOLLOW THROUGH DOOR exercise first. If you are going to finish the walk by bringing Gretchen back inside the house, repeat the FOLLOW THRU DOOR exercise to bring her back inside.)

Start your walk outside with Gretchen calmly next to you wearing her collar and harness. Have her leash attached to both the collar and harness (front hook). Give your WALK command, tug the leash slightly, and begin your walk.

As long as Gretchen is maintaining your rules as mentioned above, all is fine. If she starts to break your rules (pull, not listen, etc.), give the leash a slight tug back towards you as you are walking. Make your correction sound as you tug the leash. Have her look at you and give you focus. Acknowledge her correct behavior with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If she is unresponsive to your slight tug while walking, stop walking, make your correction sound, and give the leash a slightly more forceful tug back towards you. Have her look at you and give you focus. Acknowledge her correct behavior with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Continue your walk.

If she really starts to pull or focus on something too much, you may need to “ramp up” your correction. In this case, you can turn around 180 degrees and walk in the opposite direction for about ten to thirty feet. Make sure she is properly walking with you. When she is calm and focused on you, reverse your direction by 180 degrees and continue your walk in the original direction. Acknowledge her correct behavior with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

It is frequently difficult to determine “who is walking who”. Are you walking at the pace that Gretchen has set or is she walking at your pace? It must be your pace because you are the boss. Set the tempo by creating “a cadence in your head”. Think to yourself, “1… 2… 3… 4…; 1… 2… 3… 4…”, as you walk and mark your steps to your count. This will compel you to set a speed and maintain it. It will also allow you to determine if Gretchen is walking at your speed. If she is not, correct her using one of the methods previously discussed in this exercise.

Dogs sometimes like to grab the leash in their mouth as they walk. If Gretchen grabs the leash in her mouth as you are walking, make your correction sound and squirt her with your squirt bottle. It may take multiple squirts to have her drop the leash from her mouth. (Remember to repeat your correction sound every time you give her a squirt.) Praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” after she drops the leash. Continue your walk.

Do not allow Gretchen to tell you when she wants to stop. You need to let her know when she can stop and sniff around. Try and make your “stops” at places you know she likes.

Another issue with WALKING takes place when an inappropriate distraction such as a dog, jogger, neighbor, bicyclist, car, etc. approaches. Gretchen will often start to adrenalize, lock focus on the approaching distraction, jump, bark, and pull. You need to redirect Gretchen’s focus back towards you. We suggest that you do the following:

a) Remove Gretchen from the immediate line of approach by directing her at a 90 degree angle up a driveway, onto a front lawn, etc.

b) Calmly give the leash several tugs as you walk her about ten to fifteen feet up the driveway, onto the front lawn, etc.

c) Have Gretchen focus on you as you remain calm. If she is still concentrating on the approaching distraction, move her farther up the driveway or onto the lawn. Display confidence the entire time while you are gently tugging the leash to maintain Gretchen’s attention on you. Quietly talk to her using a reassuring tone. If needed, step on the leash so that she does not have the ability to jump or move around.

d) If, after doing all this, she is still focusing on the approaching distraction, move Gretchen behind an object that will block her view of the approaching object. This could be a car in the driveway, a fence, or a bush. Continue to have Gretchen focus on you while you display a calm and “in charge” demeanor. If needed, step on the leash to keep her stable and focused on you.

e) Once the distraction has passed, reward Gretchen’s actions of focusing on you with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Continue your walk.

f) If you do not have the ability to perform the above steps (step a thru e) with Gretchen, calmly move her as far away from the approaching object as possible. Turn around and calmly, but briskly walk the way you came until you reach a point where you can leave the road. If that is not an option, move to the other side of the road as far away from the approaching object as possible. Actively engage her to gain her complete focus. Position yourself away from the object and then place Gretchen so that when she focuses on you, her back is to the object. This will keep her focus on you and keep the object out of her sight. Step on the leash to minimize her movement. The one thing you don’t want to do is to freeze in place and let the object directly approach you and Gretchen.

NOTE: Whenever we are directing you to give Gretchen a tug on the leash, it may require more than one tug. If you have given her a single tug without success, repeat by giving her several tugs in quick succession. Make your correction sound each time you give her a tug.

ONE MORE THING: Dogs often chew their harnesses when they are bored. Please remember to remove Gretchen’s harness when you are not walking with her.

6. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Gretchen’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Have her leash on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause her to bark. As soon as she starts to bark, step on the leash, and place the handle in your hand. Make your correction sound as you briskly walk her in a direction away from the distraction to a point where she is giving you focus and has lost interest in whatever was causing her to bark. Have her sit for you. As soon as she does, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before Gretchen started to bark.

If Gretchen’s focus can be easily directed back to you, simply standing tall, giving your correction sound, and using your physical correction (squirt bottle or shake bottle) may suffice in getting her to stop barking. Once she has stopped barking, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

7. JUMPING – Dogs normally jump because they are showing assertion or are excited. An important facet of this exercise is your ability to remain calm. Your calm demeanor will demonstrate your strong leadership and neutralize Gretchen’s heightened adrenaline level.

Always have Gretchen’s leash on when you are concerned that she might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and she approaches to jump, stand up, give her your correction sound, and use your physical correction (squirt bottle or shake bottle). As soon as she stops and gives you focus, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Gretchen begins to jump on you or your guest, use your squirt bottle with your correction sound to stop her. You can also step on the leash so she doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as she calms down, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If things are a little “too crazy”, you may need to ramp it up. Momentarily remove Gretchen from the immediate area. Please refer to the USE OF THE LEASH discussion below.

8. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – This exercise is based on the rule that Gretchen can be anywhere in the house except near you when you are opening the front door. As a rule of thumb, I define “near you” as within six to eight feet of the front door. This is the “Gretchen can’t be here zone”. Everything else (away from the door and outside the six-to-eight-foot boundary of the door) is the “Gretchen can be here zone”.

You and Gretchen can be anywhere in the house at the start of this exercise. Try to do “regular things” while not directly engaging her or causing her to become adrenalized. Make sure you know the location of your squirt bottle (either out of sight by the front door or in your pocket.)

Have someone knock on the door. Calmly walk to the front door. If Gretchen runs ahead of you, don’t worry about that yet. When you are at the front door, turn around and visibly locate her.

If she is within the “Gretchen can’t be here zone” (close to you and the front door), stand tall and face her, make your correction sound, and (if needed) give her several squirts to have her back out of the “Gretchen can’t be here zone”, away from the door, and into the “Gretchen can be here zone”. It may take multiple squirts to have her back away. (Remember to repeat your correction sound every time you give her a squirt.)

Once she is away from the front door, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing her. Gradually open the door for the outside visitor. If Gretchen makes any attempt to continue her approach, correct her as described above.

Continue facing her while opening the door to allow the outside visitor to enter. Close the door. Praise Gretchen’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

NOTE: If you are having difficulty directing Gretchen away from the front door area and into the “Gretchen can be here zone”, use the leash to guide her away. Calmly step on the leash, place it in your hand, and give the leash several slight tugs to have her cross the boundary out of the “Gretchen can’t be here zone” and into the “Gretchen can be here zone”. Once that is done, drop the leash and slowly back up to the door. Continue to face her and brandish the squirt bottle in her direction. Correct with the squirt bottle, if needed, and continue the exercise by opening the door for the outside visitor.

9. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Gretchen comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore her until she turns away. If you want to pet her, call her over to you. This assures she is responding to you.

If Gretchen brings you a toy, ignore her until she turns away and you can then call her back. Remember, the leader always says, “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

10. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in redirecting Gretchen’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on her at different times during the day when you are home. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Gretchen.

As she begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If she is moving, let her go to the end of the leash, tug herself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and Gretchen will understand that you took control, and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Gretchen from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash, quietly make your correction sound, and walk her away. Once you observe that she is no longer adrenalized, stop, and have her sit. Praise her with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and calmly walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: Rules are critical. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Gretchen when she breaks a rule. Don’t get mad or go nuts when she misbehaves. As the teacher, you must portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain Gretchen’s respect and attention.

Our fundamental form of communication is speaking. Conversely, Gretchen’s fundamental form of communication is body language. Begin your communication with Gretchen through proper body language. That is what she is expecting and will understand.

Practice every day. Both you and Gretchen benefit when you implement and actively engage in a daily training regimen with her. You become a better teacher the more you have the opportunity to direct and educate. Gretchen becomes a better student the more she has the opportunity to focus and learn.

Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Concentrate on the positive results you are achieving and not the length of time they may take to complete.

Call us as soon as you have any questions. Finally, take a deep breath and just have fun.

Client: Lindsay Baglivi
Visit Date: 11/04/2023
Visit Number: 01
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Zelda doesn’t listen & Jumps.

Training Notes:
Zelda is a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with her. She was very protective and pensive when I first arrived, but her body language was telling me that she was really a sweet and loving dog. After several hours, she began to understand that you were her boss and protector. This allowed her to provide you with respectful focus.

By the end of the session, she was calm, relaxed, and focused on your every command. Daily practice and vigilance in maintaining your rules will ensure that her positive behavior will continue.

Everything starts with rules. A “rule” identifies what you want her to do and what you don’t want her to do. “Come” is a rule that tells Zelda to go to your side. “Don’t jump” is a rule that tells her to remain on the ground. You can easily determine your rules for Zelda by asking yourself “Is she bugging me?”. If she is, Zelda is breaking your rule.

We suggest that you consider having between five and ten rules. If you have too many rules, it will become difficult to effectively administer them.

As with all dogs, Zelda primarily communicates through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting her. Remember, all Zelda’s communication begins with body language.

There may be times where you need to “ramp it up” and include a passive/physical form of communication in addition to your body language and verbal interaction. If necessary, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shake bottle to get her focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

As a final note on this subject, consider using the leash as a corrective and directive tool. This is a distractive method used to gain her focus and guide her towards the right actions. Have the leash on her at different times during the day. Always have it on her when you think she may be approaching times of heightened activity, excitement, and bad behavior.

Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her to a calm area until she is deadrenalized and focused on you.

When performing the exercises, remember that repetition, consistency, observation, and simplicity are key. ACTION is essential to the process. If you catch yourself thinking “Oh, what a bad dog. I wish she would stop doing that!”, you have missed the point. If Zelda does something wrong, you must actively correct now.

Zelda is a dog and not a person. Do not assume that she is experiencing “human emotions”. Perform your actions because you want to keep her safe and secure.

When you give her a command, only say it once. As we discussed today, Zelda is a dog and understands sounds and not words. “Come Come Come” is a different sound than “Come”. Make your sounds consistent so that Zelda understands what you want her to do.

It is fine if you want to include hand gestures with any of the obedience commands. Simply include the hand gesture as you are verbalizing your obedience command to Zelda.

Although we don’t normally use treats in our exercises, they are sometimes helpful in the initial stages of obedience lessons (i.e. Come, Sit, Stay). Use them sparingly and try to ween Zelda off of them as quickly as possible. Show her the treat as you begin the command and only give it to her after she has successfully completed the command and you have provided her with your verbal confirmation.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. FOCUS ON YOU – WALKING IN THE BACK YARD – This exercise involves walking Zelda in such a way that you always retain her focus and maintain her good behavior. When you can accomplish this, it will demonstrate that she respects you as her leader and protector.

We created a training scenario in the back yard where you and Zelda were walking on the grass and I was standing at the end of the deck, remaining in constant view of Zelda. Since she had been slightly antagonistic against my presence, I would act as the “inappropriate distraction”.

Before we begin, I need to remind you of the rules you will maintain with Zelda. As you are walking her, she must provide you with calm and respectful focus. She cannot pull on the leash while you are walking or lunge at objects (normally myself) as you move through the yard.

We started the exercise with you at one end of the yard. Zelda was wearing her check chain with a six-foot leash. I was standing calmly at the end of the back deck.

Start walking Zelda in the middle of the yard towards the other fence (facing the street). You can allow Zelda to have as much leash as you wish. If Zelda starts to break any of your rules (i.e. pulling, not paying attention, or lunging at me), immediately make your correction sound while giving the leash one or more quick tugs.

Be sure to make your correction sound every time you give the leash a tug. Continue walking as you are delivering the tugs. Once she has returned to calmly walking next to you and providing you with respectful focus, let her know that she is doing the right thing. Provide her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you cannot regain Zelda’s focus through the quick tugs, you must ramp up the process. Walk Zelda in a direction directly away from me and towards the back of the yard. Calmly give the leash one or more quick tugs as you are making your correction sound. Continue your walk away from me and making your correction until you see that she is now focused on you. At that point, stop and praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Try and have her sit for you. If she can, that is great. If she is a little too pensive to sit, have her calmly stand next to you and give you focus. Wait for several seconds and then provide her with a ‘GOOD PUPPY”. At this point, you can resume your walk.

Continue to walk back and forth across the yard. From time to time, stop walking and observe that she is still providing you with respectful focus while you are still. If not, correct by giving the leash several tugs towards you as you make your correction sound. Remember to make your correction sound every time you tug the leash. When she is focusing on you, provide her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Continue your walk back and forth across the yard.

TRAINER’S NOTE: When you have determined that you can successfully stop your walk and she is providing you with respectful focus without the need for correction, include the SIT command in the process. If Zelda sits, that is great. It tells us that she is completely calm in the situation and trusts you. If she would rather remain standing, that is no big deal. It tells us that even though she is obeying and respecting you, she is not ready to provide total submission.

As you pass back and forth across the yard, slowly get closer to the porch. (Remember that for today’s exercise, I was standing at the edge of the porch acting as a nervous distraction. You can replace my presence with anyone else who may make her a little nervous.)

Repeat this exercise daily so that Zelda becomes accustomed to focusing on you for her protection.

Although we performed this exercise in the backyard today, you can create similar scenarios in different venues. You can walk Zelda in an area with squirrels or large noises that will cause her to focus away from you and try to “take charge”.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: We were using Zelda’s check chain for this exercise. This was because you were able to control her with the check chain. If you were not able to control her and have her obey your rules, we would have switched to the prong collar. I had shown you a prong collar that I had purchased from Hollywood Feed that would allow you to safely put it on Zelda. I suggest that you get a prong collar if the check chain starts to become ineffective. If you purchase the prong collar, please call me so that we can go into more detail regarding its appropriate use and proper fit.

2. WALKING OUTSIDE – Although we didn’t walk up and down the street today, this exercise could be quite complimentary to the “Focus Exercise” we just finished reviewing. This exercise allows you to be with Zelda in a somewhat familiar public environment in which you must provide her with a sense of safety and leadership.

Before you begin your walk, remember that you are Zelda’s protector, boss, and best friend. It is your responsibility to always keep her safe. As you are on your walk, visually scan the immediate area to determine if there are any issues that might place Zelda in danger or cause her to feel scared. If you find such a situation, create a plan ahead of time to mitigate or eliminate the danger before it takes place. This will prepare you to easily solve any problem you and Zelda may encounter on your walk.

Just like any other time, when you are walking with Zelda, she must be obeying your rules. I suggest that your “walking rules” for Zelda are to be near you, do not pull on the leash, listen to your commands when given, and have a good time. These are only my suggestions. You must create your own rules so that you and Zelda have an excellent walking experience.

Start your walk outside with Zelda calmly next to you wearing her collar and six-foot leash. (As I mentioned earlier, use the check chain if you can control her with that. If keeping her under control becomes an issue while using the check chain, switch to the prong collar.) Give your WALK command, tug the leash slightly, and begin your walk.

As long as Zelda is maintaining your rules as mentioned above, all is fine. If she starts to break your rules (pull, not listen, etc.), give the leash a slight tug back towards you as you are walking. Make your correction sound as you tug the leash. Have her look at you and give you focus. Acknowledge her correct behavior with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

It is frequently difficult to determine “who is walking who”. Are you walking at the pace that Zelda has set or is she walking at your pace? It must be your pace because you are the boss. Set the tempo by creating “a cadence in your head”. Think to yourself, “1… 2… 3… 4…; 1… 2… 3… 4…”, as you walk and mark your steps to your count. This will compel you to set a speed and maintain it. It will also allow you to determine if Zelda is walking at your speed. If she is not, correct her using one of the methods previously discussed in this exercise.

Dogs sometimes like to grab the leash in their mouth as they walk. If Zelda grabs the leash in her mouth as you are walking, make your correction sound and squirt her with your squirt bottle. It may take multiple squirts to have her drop the leash from her mouth. (Remember to repeat your correction sound every time you give her a squirt.) Praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” after she drops the leash. Continue your walk.

Do not allow Zelda to tell you when she wants to stop. You need to let her know when she can stop and sniff around. Try and make your “stops” at places you know she likes.

Another issue with WALKING takes place when an inappropriate distraction such as a dog, jogger, neighbor, bicyclist, car, etc. approaches. Zelda will often start to adrenalize, lock focus on the approaching distraction, jump, bark, and pull. You need to redirect Zelda’s focus back towards you. We suggest that you do the following:

a) Remove Zelda from the immediate line of approach by directing her at a 90 degree angle up a driveway, onto a front lawn, etc.

b) Calmly give the leash several tugs as you walk her about ten to fifteen feet up the driveway, onto the front lawn, etc.

c) Have Zelda focus on you as you remain calm. If she is still concentrating on the approaching distraction, move her farther up the driveway or onto the lawn. Display confidence the entire time while you are gently tugging the leash to maintain Zelda’s attention on you. Quietly talk to her using a reassuring tone. If needed, step on the leash so that she does not have the ability to jump or move around.

d) If, after doing all this, she is still focusing on the approaching distraction, move Zelda behind an object that will block her view of the approaching object. This could be a car in the driveway, a fence, or a bush. Continue to have Zelda focus on you while you display a calm and “in charge” demeanor. If needed, step on the leash to keep her stable and focused on you.

e) Once the distraction has passed, reward Zelda’s actions of focusing on you with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Continue your walk.

NOTE: Whenever we are directing you to give Zelda a tug on the leash, it may require more than one tug. If you have given her a single tug without success, repeat by giving her several tugs in quick succession. Make your correction sound each time you give her a tug.

ONE MORE THING: We have suggested that you use either the check chain or prong collar for Zelda’s walk. If these tools appear ineffective, we can switch to a PetSmart Easy Walk Harness. This is a harness where the leash is hooked to Zelda’s chest. Instead of the restriction of the check chain or pinch of the prong collar, the Easy Walk Harness will swing her around so that she is facing you. It is simply another method of gaining her focus. Please give us a call if you would like to try this approach.

3. COMING IN THE DOOR – You had mentioned that Zelda often jumps on you when you come in the door. This is breaking your rule, and you must disallow it every time she attempts to jump. Here is what you do:

Always have the squirt bottle in your hand as you open the door and come into the house. Slowly open the door just wide enough so that you can either locate Zelda or clearly see that she is not near the door. If she is close to the door, extend the squirt bottle through the slightly opened door so she can see it. At the same time, make your correction sound.

Continue to open the door, calmly step inside, and close the door. If Zelda is in sight, always be facing her. If she starts to approach and gives any indication that she will jump, make your correction sound and give her one or more squirts of water to stop her. Always make your correction sound every time you give her a squirt of water. As soon as you see that she is no longer jumping or even wants to jump, praise her correct decision with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

You can now proceed into the house. Continue to keep an eye on Zelda to see if she may try to jump again. If she approaches to jump, face her, make your correction sound, and give her one or more squirts of water. Be sure to make your correction sound every time you give her a squirt. Give her a high pitched ‘GOOD PUPPY” as soon as she has stopped her attempt to jump on you.

TRAINER’S NOTE: It is important that you stay calm through this entire process. When you come into the house or enter a room, it can be a very exciting time for Zelda. When you remain calm, it will help minimize the natural excitement of the moment and not overtly encourage her jumping.

4. COME: OUTSIDE WITH LEAD – This is an excellent exercise because of its simplicity. Whenever Zelda hears “COME”, all she has to do is to go to the origin of the sound (normally you). It is also the command that bugs us the most when our dog disobeys.

This command serves a special purpose for our work with Zelda. You mentioned that she has a hard time listening to you. Practicing this command will continually reinforce her need to listen to you.

Let’s begin:

Put a thirty-foot training lead on Zelda. (I suggest thirty feet, but any long length is fine. We use a thirty-foot training lead from Leash Boss. Their web site is http://LeashBoss.com.) Slowly step away from her (facing her) until you have reached about five feet. Drop to your knees or crouch down low and say “COME” once. If she doesn’t start to move towards you, give the lead a slight tug. You may need to give several tugs.

Once she can always come to you from the initial distance, extend the length by using more of the training lead. Practice from ten feet, fifteen feet, twenty feet, and thirty feet. When she can come to you from the longest distance, repeat the exercise at that length, but no longer hold the lead. Let it lie on the ground between you and Zelda. The “handle end” of the lead should still be near you and easily accessible if Zelda is not responding to your command.

Keep practicing until she repeatedly comes to you without the need to grab and tug on the lead. If you are in an enclosed area, (i.e., your backyard) you can attempt one more step. Unhook the lead and practice the COME exercise without the lead. If you are in an area that is not enclosed (surrounded with a fence, etc.), we do not recommend that you allow Zelda to be off the lead.

A HELPFUL TIP: If Zelda is far away from you and not focused on you when you are about to give the “COME” command, you may need to get her attention. Try calling her name or clapping your hands to get her to look at you. If she is “overly-distracted”, give the lead a slight tug to have her look back at you. Although not required, these actions often help with the successful execution of the command.

ONE MORE THING: There are times where you may be “too far away”. For example, she may have been coming to you from twenty feet yesterday, but won’t respond at all from that distance today. Instead of “reinforcing failure” at twenty feet, shorten the distance between you and Zelda until she starts to come to you. Continue your exercise at that length and expand the distance as she consistently obeys your command.

A SLIGHT ALTERNATIVE: Our instructions above state that you are constantly holding the lead when you give the COME command. An alternative to this method is to allow the lead to stretch out behind Zelda as she moves around the yard. You are not holding the lead, but allowing it to freely flow behind Zelda. Always remain close to the lead. When you are ready to execute the COME command, step on the lead at the appropriate length, pick it up in your hands, and deliver the COME command. All the other instructions remain the same.

NOTE: Never give Zelda the COME command without the lead being attached to her if you have any hesitation that she will not come to you. If you want to attempt to have her come to you without the lead, get down low, call her name, become visibly animated, and clap your hands or pat your knees. Just don’t say “COME”.

If she comes to you, that is great. If Zelda does not come to you, that is no big deal. You offered her an invitation and you allowed her to respond “yes” or “no”.

If you had said “COME” to Zelda; that is a command and she must comply. If she does not, the only tool you have to gain her compliance and maintain your leadership role is the lead.

5. SIT – Initially perform this exercise in a quiet location with minimal or no distractions. Put a six-foot leash on Zelda. Stand directly in front of her and say “SIT” once. If she doesn’t sit, give her your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

Move Zelda a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes. As you continue your sessions and she is constantly sitting on the first command, slowly add distractions.

TRAINER’S NOTE: Sometimes Zelda may be in a position where she feels slightly pensive and not willing to provide complete submission. When this takes place, she may not want to obey your SIT command. If you feel this is the case, do not force her to sit. Have her calmly stand at your side and provide you with respectful focus for a few moments.

6. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Zelda’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

(If she is a little too pensive to sit at the current time, have her calmly remain next to you while providing you with calm and respectful focus for one or two seconds. At that point, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.)

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before Zelda started to bark.

If Zelda’s focus can be easily directed back to you, simply standing tall, giving your correction sound, and using your physical correction (squirt bottle or shake bottle) may suffice in getting her to stop barking. Once she has stopped barking, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Always have Zelda’s leash on when you are concerned that she might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and she approaches to jump, stand up, give her your correction sound, and use your physical correction (squirt bottle or shake bottle). As soon as she stops and gives you focus, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Zelda begins to jump on you or your guest, use your squirt bottle with your correction sound to stop her. You can also step on the leash so she doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as she calms down, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If things are a little “too crazy”, you may need to ramp it up. Momentarily remove Zelda from the immediate area. Please refer to the USE OF THE LEASH discussion below.

8. CHEWING – Let’s talk about the method of stopping Zelda from chewing when you can “catch her in the act” and another method when you can’t “catch Zelda in the act” of chewing.

If you “catch her in the act”, you must correct her in the moment. Calmly approach her, stand tall and stoic in front of her, make your correction sound, and use the squirt bottle to get her attention focused on you. It may take two or three corrections (Stand/GRRRR/Squirt’s), but Zelda should stop chewing, drop the item, and move away. (Be sure to repeat your correction sound every time you give her a squirt.) Once she is moving away, calmly pick up the item and praise her correct choice with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

After you correct her, you need to give her “an acceptable thing to chew”. One example of “an acceptable thing to chew” is the Kong Toy. Take the Kong Toy, put some peanut butter in the food hole, and freeze it. Give this to Zelda to direct her chewing to something you find acceptable.

As soon as you take away the “thing you don’t want her to chew”, give her one of these. You can also leave them out for her to naturally locate and chew.

Remember, you can only perform the above procedure if you see Zelda in the act of chewing.

If you can’t “catch her in the act”, you will need to find a way to passively discourage Zelda from chewing. To do this, you need to make the thing you don’t want her to chew to taste yucky. We suggest that you use Bitter Apple.

You need to let Zelda understand that anything that tastes like Bitter Apple is yucky. You do this by spraying a very small amount of it into her mouth. You are not trying to have her drink it; you want the mist of the spray to reach the taste buds in the back of her mouth. This will trigger a “bad taste memory”. She will then associate other things with this same smell as tasting bad.

Spray Bitter Apple on things you don’t want Zelda to chew. The Bitter Apple will eventually evaporate on the object, so you must re-spray from time to time. Once you have sprayed the “don’t chew this” object, place a Kong Toy or Deer Antler in the immediate vicinity.

As she equates that one thing is bad (the thing you don’t want her to chew), she will find something good (the thing you want her to chew). After a few encounters, Zelda will ignore the thing you don’t want her to chew (it tastes yucky) for the thing you want her to chew (it tastes good).

If the Bitter Apple becomes ineffective, you can ramp up to Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, or Habanero Sauce (in that order). Place the sauce on the item you don’t want Zelda to chew. Since you can’t spray the sauce as you would the Bitter Apple, put a little on your finger and rub it on the top of her tongue.

9. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Zelda comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore her until she turns away. If you want to pet her, call her over to you. This assures she is responding to you.

If Zelda brings you a toy, ignore her until she turns away and you can then call her back. Remember, the leader always says, “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

10. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in redirecting Zelda’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on her at different times during the day when you are home. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Zelda.

As she begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If she is moving, let her go to the end of the leash, tug herself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and Zelda will understand that you took control, and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Zelda from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash, quietly make your correction sound, and walk her away. Once you observe that she is no longer adrenalized, stop, and have her sit. Praise her with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and calmly walk away.

NOTE (SLIGHT ALTERNATIVE): If Zelda is a little pensive and unwilling to perform the SIT command, replace the SIT command by allowing her to calmly remain next to you while providing you with calm and respectful focus. After one or two seconds, praise her with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and calmly walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: Rules are critical. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Zelda when she breaks a rule. Don’t get mad or go nuts when she misbehaves. As the teacher, you must portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain Zelda’s respect and attention.

Our fundamental form of communication is speaking. Conversely, Zelda’s fundamental form of communication is body language. Begin your communication with Zelda through proper body language. That is what she is expecting and will understand.

Practice every day. Both you and Zelda benefit when you implement and actively engage in a daily training regimen with her. You become a better teacher the more you have the opportunity to direct and educate. Zelda becomes a better student the more she has the opportunity to focus and learn.

Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Concentrate on the positive results you are achieving and not the length of time they may take to complete.

Call us as soon as you have any questions. Finally, take a deep breath and just have fun.

Client: Dayle and Steve Vanderwerff
Visit Date: 11/06/2023
Visit Number: 01
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Barking. Not listening.

Training Notes:
Fergus and Holland are sweet dogs and I enjoyed working with them. They were very yappy and demanding at first, but quickly decided to obey us as soon as we began the training. Because of their breeds they naturally tend to be demanding and wanting it “their way or the highway”. You will need to remain focused and consistent with the enforcement of your rules and obedience training in order to let them know that you guys are now “the bosses of them”. They are great puppies and will be excellent dogs.

Everything starts with rules. A “rule” identifies what you want them to do and what you don’t want them to do. “Come” is a rule that tells Fergus and Holland to go to your side. “Don’t jump” is a rule that tells them to remain on the ground. You can easily determine your rules for Fergus and Holland by asking yourself “Are they bugging me?”. If they are, they are breaking your rule.

Your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want them to jump, they can’t jump for any reason at any time. Everything must be on your terms. They cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because they “are not the boss of you”.

We suggest that you consider having between five and ten rules. If you have too many rules, it will become difficult to effectively administer them.

Correct them as soon as they break one of your rules. This must be done in a manner that does not scare or frighten them and still gets their respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided them to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), acknowledge their appropriate action.

As with all dogs, they primarily communicate through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting them. Remember, all their communication starts with body language.

To augment your body language communication, you may need to introduce a verbal interaction. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get their attention. I was using the “GRRRRRRRy” sound today. Any sound that gets them to calmly look at you is fine. The key is that the sound should be distinctive and only used when they have broken your rules and you need their focus.

There may be times where you need to “ramp it up” and include a passive/physical form of communication in addition to your body language and verbal interaction. If necessary, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shake bottle to get their focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

As a final note on this subject, consider using the leash as a corrective and directive tool. This is a distractive method used to gain their focus and guide them towards the right actions. Have their leashes on them at different times during the day. Always have their leashes on them when you think they may be approaching times of heightened activity, excitement, and bad behavior.

Step on the leash if they start to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk them to a calm area until they are deadrenalized and focused on you.

When performing the exercises, remember that repetition, consistency, observation, and simplicity are key. ACTION is essential to the process. If you catch yourself thinking “Oh, what bad dogs. I wish they would stop doing that!”, you have missed the point. If Fergus or Holland do something wrong, you must actively correct now.

They are dogs and not people. Do not assume that they are experiencing “human emotions”. Perform your actions because you are keeping them safe and secure.

When you give them a command, only say it once. As we discussed today, they are dogs and understand sounds and not words. “Come Come Come” is a different sound than “Come”. Make your sounds consistent so that they understand what you want them to do.

It is fine if you want to include hand gestures with any of the obedience commands. Simply include the hand gesture as you are verbalizing your obedience command to them.

Although we don’t normally use treats in our exercises, they are sometimes helpful in the initial stages of obedience lessons (i.e. Come, Sit, etc.). Use them sparingly and try to ween Fergus and Holland off of them as quickly as possible. Show them the treat as you begin the command and only give it to them after they have successfully completed the command and you have provided them with your verbal confirmation.

All the exercises I will discuss are pertinent to both Fergus and Holland. As I review them, I will use Fergus as “my example dog” in explaining the exercise. Be assured, the same information is completely relevant, as needed, for Holland.

I suggest that you do the exercises with them one at a time. It also may be a good idea to have the other out of the room so that one dog does not distract the other.

If appropriate, and only when both Fergus and Holland are effectively performing the exercise on an individual basis, should you have both concurrently participating in the exercise. The rules that you employ when working with them individually still pertain when working with them concurrently.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Fergus’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before Fergus started to bark.

If Fergus’s focus can be easily directed back to you, simply standing tall, giving your correction sound, and using your physical correction (squirt bottle or shake bottle) may suffice in getting him to stop barking. Once he has stopped barking, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

TRAINER’S NOTE: Since this is a behavioral issue, there will probably be times where Fergus and Holland will be together barking at the same time. You will need to perform these actions with them concurrently. Focus on the “biggest offender” first and then move on to the other.

2. JUMPING – Dogs normally jump because they are showing assertion or are excited. An important facet of this exercise is your ability to remain calm. Your calm demeanor will demonstrate your strong leadership and neutralize Fergus’s heightened adrenaline level.

Always have Fergus’s leash on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and he approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (squirt bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Fergus begins to jump on you or your guest, use your squirt bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If things are a little “too crazy”, you may need to ramp it up. Momentarily remove Fergus from the immediate area. Please refer to the USE OF THE LEASH discussion below.

TRAINER’S NOTE: Since this is a behavioral issue, there will probably be times where Fergus and Holland will be together jumping at the same time. You will need to perform these actions with them concurrently. Focus on the “biggest offender” first and then move on to the other.

3. WHEN GUESTS OR FAMILY COME OVER – It is always a crazy time when family or guests come over to the house. You would rather that Fergus and Holland aren’t going nuts as you are having people come in the door and you are trying to greet them. Because of the heightened level of adrenaline being created by dogs and people alike, trying to keep everything and everyone calm is next to impossible.

The rule for Fergus and Holland is to be calm, don’t bark, don’t jump, and be good little boys. This is an almost impossible rule to implement and maintain as you are having people entering the house. Because of this, we suggest the following process when you have invited guests and/or family to your house.

Before your guests arrive, have Fergus and Holland wearing their leashes in another room with the door closed. There will be someone watching them, keeping them occupied, and maintaining their focus. When your guests arrive, the person watching the dogs will be vigilant in keeping them quiet and focused.

He may need to correct by making the correction sound and giving them one or multiple squirts of water. Remember to always make your correction sound every time you give them a squirt. Once they calm down, be sure to let them know they are doing the right thing by giving them a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If the squirt bottle doesn’t work, pick up the leash and walk the offending puppy around in a circle until you gain his focus. Have him pause or sit for a moment and then reward his good behavior with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. (Remember, you can’t direct the offending puppy out of the room because that is where all your arriving guests are currently gathering.)

Continue to keep Fergus and Holland calm in the other room with the door closed as all your guests enter, take their seats, or perform any activity they desire. The important thing is that you have now created a calm and stable environment in the house. Let the house remain calm for about ten to fifteen minutes.

It is now time to bring in Fergus and Holland. Before you begin, tell your guests and family members to remain calm and not to pay attention to Fergus or Holland.

Whoever was not in the room now needs to enter and both of you should take a dog’s leash. You can now enter the room with both dogs on their leashes. Do not walk directly towards any guest or family member. Walk the dogs past your guests, allowing them to look and sniff. Everyone should remain still, calm, and quiet.

If Fergus or Holland start to jump or bark, give their leash a quick tug, make your correction sound, and give them one or multiple squirts of water. If this eliminates their inappropriate behavior, that is great. You should give them a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If they continue, calmly remove them from the room to a location where they are giving you respectful focus. Have them sit or remain by your side giving you focus for three to five seconds. Let them know they are doing the right thing by giving them a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, slowly return to the area with your guests and continue your walk around the room.

Once both dogs can calmly walk around the room without barking, jumping, or being generally annoying for about three to five minutes, calmly drop their leashes. Let them continue to “move about” as you remain “near at hand”. If they start to act up, step on the leash, remove them from the area, and correct them as described above.

TRAINER’S NOTE: If any of your guests or family members want to play with Fergus and Holland, that is perfectly acceptable. They should take them on their leashes into the yard, unhook their leashes, and play with them. When they are finished playing, they should not bring them inside immediately. Sit outside with them for a few minutes to allow their “excitement levels” to drop. When they are calm, you should reattach their leashes and calmly bring them back inside.

4. COME: INSIDE WITH LEASH – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a six-foot leash on Fergus. Slowly step away from him (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees or crouch down low and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give the leash a slight tug. You may need to give several tugs.

Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Stand up and repeat this process for several minutes.

When he can always come to you from six feet, extend the length by using a longer leash or attaching several together. Practice from ten feet, fifteen feet, and twenty feet. When he can come to you from the longest distance, repeat the exercise at that length, but no longer hold the leash. Let it lie on the ground between you and Fergus. The “handle end” of the leash should still be near you and easily accessible if Fergus is not responding to your command.

Continue practicing confirming that he constantly comes to you without the need to grab and tug on the leash. Once this is achieved, unhook the leash and practice the COME exercise without the leash.

After he has successfully completed the COME exercise when he is inside, repeat the process outside. Practice from ten, fifteen, twenty, and thirty feet. Only allow Fergus off leash (final step) if you are in a fenced-in area (i.e., your back yard).

A HELPFUL TIP: If Fergus is slow in learning the COME command, you may need to enhance his ability to focus on you when the command is given. As you are down low and about to verbalize “COME”, pat your knees, snap your fingers, or call his name (“Fergus”). This may help draw his attention to you as you command him to COME.

ONE MORE THING: There are times where you may be “too far away”. For example, he may have been coming to you from ten feet yesterday, but won’t respond at all from that distance today. Instead of “reinforcing failure” at ten feet, shorten the distance between you and Fergus until he starts to come to you. Continue your exercise at that length and expand the distance as he consistently obeys your command.

NOTE: Never give Fergus the COME command without the leash being attached to him if you have any hesitation that he will not come to you. If you want to attempt to have him come to you without the leash, get down low, call his name, become visibly animated, and clap your hands or pat your knees. Just don’t say “COME”.

If he comes to you, that is great. If Fergus does not come to you, that is no big deal. You offered him an invitation and you allowed him to respond “yes” or “no”.

If you had said “COME” to Fergus; that is a command and he must comply. If he does not, the only tool you have to gain his compliance and maintain your leadership role is the leash.

5. SIT – Initially perform this exercise in a quiet location with minimal or no distractions. Put a six-foot leash on Fergus. Stand directly in front of him and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

Move Fergus a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes. As you continue your sessions and he is constantly sitting on the first command, slowly add distractions.

6. FOLLOW THRU DOOR – You always want to go through a doorway before Fergus. The reason for this is twofold. First, you are the leader, and you want to show Fergus that you are always leading. Second, you want to keep Fergus safe. The only way you can do this is to “check out” whatever is on the other side of the door before you allow him to proceed.

Have Fergus on a leash. Walk him up to the doorway and have him sit. Hold your hand out like a traffic policeman while you slowly step backwards through the doorway. Always face him.

When both of your feet are across the threshold, pat your leg to allow Fergus to proceed. Once he has crossed the threshold, have him sit again. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

NOTE: If Fergus is a little too pensive to sit while he is on either side of the doorway, have him quietly stand and stay still. “Although it may not be pretty”, as long as he is remaining stable as you place your feet on the other side of the door, he has obeyed your rule.

7. WALKING OUTSIDE – Before you begin your walk, remember that you are Fergus’s protector, boss, and best friend. It is your responsibility to always keep him safe. As you are on your walk, visually scan the immediate area to determine if there are any issues that might place Fergus in danger or cause him to feel scared. If you find such a situation, create a plan ahead of time to mitigate or eliminate the danger before it takes place. This will prepare you to easily solve any problem you and Fergus may encounter on your walk.

Just like any other time, when you are walking with Fergus, he must be obeying your rules. I suggest that your “walking rules” for Fergus are to be near you, do not pull on the leash, listen to your commands when given, and have a good time. These are only my suggestions. You must create your own rules so that you and Fergus have an excellent walking experience.

(If you are inside and need to get outside to start your walk, be sure to perform the FOLLOW THROUGH DOOR exercise first. If you are going to finish the walk by bringing Fergus back inside the house, repeat the FOLLOW THRU DOOR exercise to bring him back inside.)

Start your walk outside with Fergus calmly next to you wearing his collar and Easy Walk Harness (size Small). (Holland will need a size Medium/Small.) Have his leash attached to both the collar and harness. Give your WALK command, tug the leash slightly, and begin your walk.

As long as Fergus is maintaining your rules as mentioned above, all is fine. If he starts to break your rules (pull, not listen, etc.), give the leash a slight tug back towards you as you are walking. Make your correction sound as you tug the leash. Have him look at you and give you focus. Acknowledge his correct behavior with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

It is frequently difficult to determine “who is walking who”. Are you walking at the pace that Fergus has set or is he walking at your pace? It must be your pace because you are the boss. Set the tempo by creating “a cadence in your head”. Think to yourself, “1… 2… 3… 4…; 1… 2… 3… 4…”, as you walk and mark your steps to your count. This will compel you to set a speed and maintain it. It will also allow you to determine if Fergus is walking at your speed. If he is not, correct him using one of the methods previously discussed in this exercise.

Do not allow Fergus to tell you when he wants to stop. You need to let him know when he can stop and sniff around. Try and make your “stops” at places you know he likes.

Another issue with WALKING takes place when an inappropriate distraction such as a dog, jogger, neighbor, bicyclist, car, etc. approaches. Fergus will often start to adrenalize, lock focus on the approaching distraction, jump, bark, and pull. You need to redirect Fergus’s focus back towards you. We suggest that you do the following:

a) Remove Fergus from the immediate line of approach by directing him at a 90 degree angle up a driveway, onto a front lawn, etc.

b) Calmly give the leash several tugs as you walk him about ten to fifteen feet up the driveway, onto the front lawn, etc.

c) Have Fergus focus on you as you remain calm. If he is still concentrating on the approaching distraction, move him farther up the driveway or onto the lawn. Display confidence the entire time while you are gently tugging the leash to maintain Fergus’s attention on you. Quietly talk to him using a reassuring tone. If needed, step on the leash so that he does not have the ability to jump or move around.

d) If, after doing all this, he is still focusing on the approaching distraction, move Fergus behind an object that will block his view of the approaching object. This could be a car in the driveway, a fence, or a bush. Continue to have Fergus focus on you while you display a calm and “in charge” demeanor. If needed, step on the leash to keep him stable and focused on you.

e) Once the distraction has passed, reward Fergus’s actions of focusing on you with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Continue your walk.

NOTE: Whenever we are directing you to give Fergus a tug on the leash, it may require more than one tug. If you have given him a single tug without success, repeat by giving him several tugs in quick succession. Make your correction sound each time you give him a tug.

ONE MORE THING: Dogs often chew their harnesses when they are bored. Please remember to remove Fergus’s harness when you are not walking with him

8. GOING OUT AND IN THE DOOR – You want to be able to come in and out the door without Fergus rushing you, jumping on you, running out the door, or causing other mischief. Let’s first look at leaving and then coming back inside.

Your rule for Fergus when you leave through the door is for him to stay out of the “Fergus can’t be here zone”. This is a zone approximately six to eight feet extending from the door into the house. Calmly walk up to the door as you are preparing to leave. Turn around to determine if Fergus is within the “Fergus can’t be here zone”. If he is, face him, stand tall, make your correction sound, and give him one or more squirts of water until he backs up and out of the immediate area. (Remember to repeat your correction sound every time you give him a squirt.)

When he is out of the immediate area, slowly open the door while still facing him. If he starts to approach again and enter the “Fergus can’t be here zone”, correct him as described above until he has retreated. Continue through the door and close the door. Give him a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” just before the door finally closes shut. You can now leave and do whatever you need to do away from the house.

When you return home, make sure you have your squirt bottle with you as you reach the door. Your rule is you want Fergus to be away from the door when you enter and not to bug you until you are ready to greet him.

Loudly make your correction sound while you are outside the door. Next, slowly crack the door open just wide enough for you to extend the squirt bottle into the door opening.

If Fergus is within the “Fergus can’t be here zone”, correct him as described above. Continue your correction until he has retreated outside the “Fergus can’t be here zone”. Now, slowly open the door, correcting if necessary until you can step through the opening and close the door.

There is one more thing to do before the COMING BACK INSIDE exercise is finished. You must decide when you want to greet Fergus. In order to do this, perform any overt, physical action that you clearly initiate. Put your keys or phone on the table, open the refrigerator for a bottle of water, turn on the TV, etc.

Ignore him until you complete this task. If he tries to get your attention while you are performing “your task”, correct him. Once you are done with your task, let him know he was a good boy by providing him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, you can greet him.

9. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Fergus comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you. This assures he is responding to you.

If Fergus brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says, “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

10. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in redirecting Fergus’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on him at different times during the day when you are home. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Fergus.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and Fergus will understand that you took control, and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Fergus from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash, quietly make your correction sound, and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop, and have him sit or calmly stand next to you while providing you with respectful focus for about three to five seconds. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and calmly walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: Rules are critical. When you establish your rules, you must always correct them when they break a rule. Don’t get mad or go nuts when Fergus or Holland misbehave. As the teacher, you must portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain their respect and attention.

Our fundamental form of communication is speaking. Conversely, their fundamental form of communication is body language. Begin your communication with Fergus and Holland through proper body language. That is what they are expecting and will understand.

Practice every day. Both you, Fergus, and Holland benefit when you implement and actively engage in a daily training regimen with them. You become a better teacher the more you have the opportunity to direct and educate. Fergus and Holland become better students the more they have the opportunity to focus and learn.

Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Concentrate on the positive results you are achieving and not the length of time they may take to complete.

Call us as soon as you have any questions. Finally, take a deep breath and just have fun.

Client: Sally Miller
Visit Date: 11/09/2023
Visit Number: 01
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Rescue – Been in & out of several homes. Doesn’t Listen. Jumps. Chews. Walking Manners. They are at wits end.

Training Notes:
River is a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with her. Her overall demeanor is excellent and far better than one would expect from a newly acquired rescue dog. She quickly provided us with respectful focus when we started to work with her. She is an outstanding student and gives every indication that she will be a wonderful addition to your family.

Everything starts with rules. A “rule” identifies what you want her to do and what you don’t want her to do. “Come” is a rule that tells River to go to your side. “Don’t jump” is a rule that tells her to remain on the ground. You can easily determine your rules for River by asking yourself “Is she bugging me?”. If she is, River is breaking your rule.

We suggest that you consider having between five and ten rules. If you have too many rules, it will become difficult to effectively administer them.

As with all dogs, River primarily communicates through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting her. Remember, all River’s communication begins with body language.

There may be times where you need to “ramp it up” and include a passive/physical form of communication in addition to your body language and verbal interaction. If necessary, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shake bottle to get her focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

As a final note on this subject, consider using the leash as a corrective and directive tool. This is a distractive method used to gain her focus and guide her towards the right actions. Have the leash on her at different times during the day. Always have it on her when you think she may be approaching times of heightened activity, excitement, and bad behavior.

Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her to a calm area until she is deadrenalized and focused on you.

When performing the exercises, remember that repetition, consistency, observation, and simplicity are key. ACTION is essential to the process. If you catch yourself thinking “Oh, what a bad dog. I wish she would stop doing that!”, you have missed the point. If River does something wrong, you must actively correct now.

River is a dog and not a person. Do not assume that she is experiencing “human emotions”. Perform your actions because you want to keep her safe and secure.

When you give her a command, only say it once. As we discussed today, River is a dog and understands sounds and not words. “Come Come Come” is a different sound than “Come”. Make your sounds consistent so that River understands what you want her to do.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. COME: OUTSIDE WITH LEAD – Put a thirty-foot training lead on River. (I suggest thirty feet, but any long length is fine. We use a thirty-foot training lead from Leash Boss. Their web site is http://LeashBoss.com.) Slowly step away from her (facing her) until you have reached about five feet. Drop to your knees or crouch down low and say “COME” once. If she doesn’t start to move towards you, give the lead a slight tug. You may need to give several tugs.

Once she can always come to you from the initial distance, extend the length by using more of the training lead. Practice from ten feet, fifteen feet, twenty feet, and thirty feet. When she can come to you from the longest distance, repeat the exercise at that length, but no longer hold the lead. Let it lie on the ground between you and River. The “handle end” of the lead should still be near you and easily accessible if River is not responding to your command.

Keep practicing until she repeatedly comes to you without the need to grab and tug on the lead. If you are in an enclosed area, (i.e., your fenced-in backyard) you can attempt one more step. Unhook the lead and practice the COME exercise without the lead. If you are in an area that is not enclosed (surrounded with a fence, etc.), we do not recommend that you allow River to be off the lead.

A HELPFUL TIP: If River is far away from you and not focused on you when you are about to give the “COME” command, you may need to get her attention. Try calling her name or clapping your hands to get her to look at you. If she is “overly-distracted”, give the lead a slight tug to have her look back at you. Although not required, these actions often help with the successful execution of the command.

ONE MORE THING: There are times where you may be “too far away”. For example, she may have been coming to you from twenty feet yesterday, but won’t respond at all from that distance today. Instead of “reinforcing failure” at twenty feet, shorten the distance between you and River until she starts to come to you. Continue your exercise at that length and expand the distance as she consistently obeys your command.

A SLIGHT ALTERNATIVE: Our instructions above state that you are constantly holding the lead when you give the COME command. An alternative to this method is to allow the lead to stretch out behind River as she moves around the yard. You are not holding the lead, but allowing it to freely flow behind River. Always remain close to the lead. When you are ready to execute the COME command, step on the lead at the appropriate length, pick it up in your hands, and deliver the COME command. All the other instructions remain the same.

NOTE: Never give River the COME command without the lead being attached to her if you have any hesitation that she will not come to you. If you want to attempt to have her come to you without the lead, get down low, call her name, become visibly animated, and clap your hands or pat your knees. Just don’t say “COME”.

If she comes to you, that is great. If River does not come to you, that is no big deal. You offered her an invitation and you allowed her to respond “yes” or “no”.

If you had said “COME” to River; that is a command and she must comply. If she does not, the only tool you have to gain her compliance and maintain your leadership role is the lead.

2. SIT – Initially perform this exercise in a quiet location with minimal or no distractions. Put a six-foot leash on River. Stand directly in front of her and say “SIT” once. If she doesn’t sit, give her your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

Move River a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes. As you continue your sessions and she is constantly sitting on the first command, slowly add distractions.

3. FOLLOW THRU DOOR – You always want to go through a doorway before River. The reason for this is twofold. First, you are the leader, and you want to show River that you are always leading. Second, you want to keep River safe. The only way you can do this is to “check out” whatever is on the other side of the door before you allow her to proceed.

Have River on a leash. Walk her up to the doorway and have her sit. Hold your hand out like a traffic policeman while you slowly step backwards through the doorway. Always face her.

When both of your feet are across the threshold, pat your leg to allow River to proceed. Once she has crossed the threshold, have her sit again. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

NOTE: If River is a little too pensive to sit while she is on either side of the doorway, have her quietly stand and stay still. “Although it may not be pretty”, as long as she is remaining stable as you place your feet on the other side of the door, she has obeyed your rule.

4. WALKING OUTSIDE – Before you begin your walk, remember that you are River’s protector, boss, and best friend. It is your responsibility to always keep her safe. As you are on your walk, visually scan the immediate area to determine if there are any issues that might place River in danger or cause her to feel scared. If you find such a situation, create a plan ahead of time to mitigate or eliminate the danger before it takes place. This will prepare you to easily solve any problem you and River may encounter on your walk.

Just like any other time, when you are walking with River, she must be obeying your rules. I suggest that your “walking rules” for River are to be near you, do not pull on the leash, listen to your commands when given, and have a good time. These are only my suggestions. You must create your own rules so that you and River have an excellent walking experience.

(If you are inside and need to get outside to start your walk, be sure to perform the FOLLOW THROUGH DOOR exercise first. If you are going to finish the walk by bringing River back inside the house, repeat the FOLLOW THRU DOOR exercise to bring her back inside.)

Start your walk outside with River calmly next to you wearing her collar and Easy Walk Harness (size Medium). Have her leash attached to both the collar and harness. Give your WALK command, tug the leash slightly, and begin your walk.

As long as River is maintaining your rules as mentioned above, all is fine. If she starts to break your rules (pull, not listen, etc.), give the leash a slight tug back towards you as you are walking. Make your correction sound as you tug the leash. Have her look at you and give you focus. Acknowledge her correct behavior with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

It is frequently difficult to determine “who is walking who”. Are you walking at the pace that River has set or is she walking at your pace? It must be your pace because you are the boss. Set the tempo by creating “a cadence in your head”. Think to yourself, “1… 2… 3… 4…; 1… 2… 3… 4…”, as you walk and mark your steps to your count. This will compel you to set a speed and maintain it. It will also allow you to determine if River is walking at your speed. If she is not, correct her using one of the methods previously discussed in this exercise.

Do not allow River to tell you when she wants to stop. You need to let her know when she can stop and sniff around. Try and make your “stops” at places you know she likes.

Another issue with WALKING takes place when an inappropriate distraction such as a dog, jogger, neighbor, bicyclist, car, etc. approaches. River will often start to adrenalize, lock focus on the approaching distraction, jump, bark, and pull. You need to redirect River’s focus back towards you. We suggest that you do the following:

a) Remove River from the immediate line of approach by directing her at a 90 degree angle up a driveway, onto a front lawn, etc.

b) Calmly give the leash several tugs as you walk her about ten to fifteen feet up the driveway, onto the front lawn, etc.

c) Have River focus on you as you remain calm. If she is still concentrating on the approaching distraction, move her farther up the driveway or onto the lawn. Display confidence the entire time while you are gently tugging the leash to maintain River’s attention on you. Quietly talk to her using a reassuring tone. If needed, step on the leash so that she does not have the ability to jump or move around.

d) If, after doing all this, she is still focusing on the approaching distraction, move River behind an object that will block her view of the approaching object. This could be a car in the driveway, a fence, or a bush. Continue to have River focus on you while you display a calm and “in charge” demeanor. If needed, step on the leash to keep her stable and focused on you.

e) Once the distraction has passed, reward River’s actions of focusing on you with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Continue your walk.

NOTE: Whenever we are directing you to give River a tug on the leash, it may require more than one tug. If you have given her a single tug without success, repeat by giving her several tugs in quick succession. Make your correction sound each time you give her a tug.

ONE MORE THING: Dogs often chew their harnesses when they are bored. Please remember to remove River’s harness when you are not walking with her.

5. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect River’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

(If she is currently a little too pensive to perform the SIT command, have her calmly remain next to you while providing you with calm and respectful focus for one or two seconds. At that point, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.)

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before River started to bark.

If River’s focus can be easily directed back to you, simply standing tall, giving your correction sound, and using your physical correction (squirt bottle or shake bottle) may suffice in getting her to stop barking. Once she has stopped barking, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

6. JUMPING – Dogs normally jump because they are showing assertion or are excited. An important facet of this exercise is your ability to remain calm. Your calm demeanor will demonstrate your strong leadership and neutralize River’s heightened adrenaline level.

Always have River’s leash on when you are concerned that she might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and she approaches to jump, stand up, give her your correction sound, and use your physical correction (squirt bottle or shake bottle). As soon as she stops and gives you focus, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and River begins to jump on you or your guest, use your squirt bottle with your correction sound to stop her. You can also step on the leash so she doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as she calms down, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If things are a little “too crazy”, you may need to ramp it up. Momentarily remove River from the immediate area. Please refer to the USE OF THE LEASH discussion below.

7. CHEWING – Let’s talk about the method of stopping River from chewing when you can “catch her in the act” and another method when you can’t “catch River in the act” of chewing.

If you “catch her in the act”, you must correct her in the moment. Calmly approach her, stand tall and stoic in front of her, make your correction sound, and use the squirt bottle to get her attention focused on you. It may take two or three corrections (Stand/GRRRR/Squirt’s), but River should stop chewing, drop the item, and move away. (Be sure to repeat your correction sound every time you give her a squirt.) Once she is moving away, calmly pick up the item and praise her correct choice with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

After you correct her, you need to give her “an acceptable thing to chew”. One example of “an acceptable thing to chew” is the Kong Toy. Take the Kong Toy, put some peanut butter in the food hole, and freeze it. Give this to River to direct her chewing to something you find acceptable.

As soon as you take away the “thing you don’t want her to chew”, give her one of these. You can also leave them out for her to naturally locate and chew.

Remember, you can only perform the above procedure if you see River in the act of chewing.

If you can’t “catch her in the act”, you will need to find a way to passively discourage River from chewing. To do this, you need to make the thing you don’t want her to chew to taste yucky. We suggest that you use Bitter Apple.

You need to let River understand that anything that tastes like Bitter Apple is yucky. You do this by spraying a very small amount of it into her mouth. You are not trying to have her drink it; you want the mist of the spray to reach the taste buds in the back of her mouth. This will trigger a “bad taste memory”. She will then associate other things with this same smell as tasting bad.

Spray Bitter Apple on things you don’t want River to chew. The Bitter Apple will eventually evaporate on the object, so you must re-spray from time to time. Once you have sprayed the “don’t chew this” object, place a Kong Toy or Deer Antler in the immediate vicinity.

As she equates that one thing is bad (the thing you don’t want her to chew), she will find something good (the thing you want her to chew). After a few encounters, River will ignore the thing you don’t want her to chew (it tastes yucky) for the thing you want her to chew (it tastes good).

If the Bitter Apple becomes ineffective, you can ramp up to Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, or Habanero Sauce (in that order). Place the sauce on the item you don’t want River to chew. Since you can’t spray the sauce as you would the Bitter Apple, put a little on your finger and rub it on the top of her tongue.

8. NIPPING – Let’s review the active approach to stop River from nipping and then a “set the scene” method of getting her from nipping.

In our first approach, as soon as you see River start to become adrenalized, stay calm and still. If you are playing with her, stop. If possible, slowly move your hands away from her and calmly stand up. This will proactively send a signal to her that you will not engage her and do not condone her actions. If needed, make your correction sound and use the squirt bottle or shake bottle. Praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” when she stops trying to nip.

When you don’t energetically engage her, River will place additional focus on your calm demeanor. This will deescalate her adrenalated actions and allow things to cool down.

Our second approach involves “setting the scene” when you want to discourage River’s nipping.

We suggest that you use Bitter Apple as your “yucky trigger”. River must understand that anything that tastes like Bitter Apple is yucky. You do this by spraying a very small amount of it into her mouth. You are not trying to have her drink it; you want the mist of the spray to reach the taste buds in the back of her mouth. This will trigger a “bad taste memory”. She will then associate other things with this same smell as tasting bad.

Now, spray some Bitter Apple on your hands. Make your hands “available to River” but don’t “stick them in her face”. If she starts to go for your hands, she should smell or taste how “yucky your hands have become” and will not want any part of them.

9. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If River comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore her until she turns away. If you want to pet her, call her over to you. This assures she is responding to you.

If River brings you a toy, ignore her until she turns away and you can then call her back. Remember, the leader always says, “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

10. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in redirecting River’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on her at different times during the day when you are home. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from River.

As she begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If she is moving, let her go to the end of the leash, tug herself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and River will understand that you took control, and you are the boss.

If you need to remove River from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash, quietly make your correction sound, and walk her away. Once you observe that she is no longer adrenalized, stop, and have her sit. Praise her with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and calmly walk away.

NOTE (SLIGHT ALTERNATIVE): If River is a little too pensive to currently perform the SIT command, replace the SIT command by allowing her to calmly remain next to you while providing you with calm and respectful focus. After one or two seconds, praise her with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and calmly walk away.

11. COUNTER SURFING – Counter surfing occurs when River takes something off the kitchen counter. You don’t want her to do this.

The most important thing you need to understand about counter surfing is that you can only correct her if you are in the immediate vicinity while she is going for the goodies. The reason for this relates to the concept of “ownership”.

In a dog’s world, “ownership” is based on vicinity. You must be near “your stuff” for it to be yours. If you walk away from it, you are giving up ownership and sending a signal that others can take it. To put this in clear terms, if you have a ham sandwich on the kitchen counter, are standing right next to it, and River jumps to get it; you can correct. If you walk out of the room, you have signaled to River that she can have it. You may eventually walk back into the room and the ham sandwich is still on the counter. It is still there because River simply did not want it.

Here is what you do:

We suggest that you begin with two people. One of you will be the “food preparer” and one of you will be the “corrector”. Your goal is to keep her out of the immediate vicinity of the food. It is a boundary control exercise. The rule is that River can’t be in the kitchen when food is out and/or being prepared.

The food preparer is in the kitchen taking food out, putting it on the counter, and engaging in the general actions that are required in preparing a snack or meal. The corrector will be at the edge of the kitchen area directly between the food preparer and River. The corrector will have a squirt bottle and River will be wearing a leash. River must be outside the kitchen at the start of the exercise.

The food preparer goes about their activity as the corrector is at the edge of the kitchen observing River. If she starts to approach the boundary of the kitchen, the corrector will calmly face her, make their correction sound, and give her one or more squirts of water. (Remember that the corrector must repeat their correction sound every time they give River a squirt.) Once she moves back out of the kitchen, the corrector will give her a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” to let her know that she is doing the right thing by staying out of the kitchen while there is food present.

If River is being obstinate and will not leave the kitchen, the corrector will step on the leash, pick it up, and calmly direct her out of the kitchen. The corrector should then have her sit, drop the leash, and slowly back into the kitchen while constantly facing her. At that point, the corrector should give River a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for being out of the kitchen when there is food present.

Continue this exercise for five to ten minutes to assure that River understands that the rule is to stay out of the kitchen when you are there with food.

When River is obeying your rule with two people, you can “ramp up the exercise” by only using one person. In this advanced scenario, the food preparer will wear both hats of food preparer and corrector. This requires multitasking on your part; but helps to emulate a more “real world scenario”.

IN CONCLUSION: Rules are critical. When you establish your rules, you must always correct River when she breaks a rule. Don’t get mad or go nuts when she misbehaves. As the teacher, you must portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain River’s respect and attention.

Our fundamental form of communication is speaking. Conversely, River’s fundamental form of communication is body language. Begin your communication with River through proper body language. That is what she is expecting and will understand.

Practice every day. Both you and River benefit when you implement and actively engage in a daily training regimen with her. You become a better teacher the more you have the opportunity to direct and educate. River becomes a better student the more she has the opportunity to focus and learn.

Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Concentrate on the positive results you are achieving and not the length of time they may take to complete.

Call us as soon as you have any questions. Finally, take a deep breath and just have fun.

Client: Bruce Edwards
Visit Date: 8/2/2016
Visit Number: 02
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

this is just a test to see what will happen

Client: Cynthia Kimball
Visit Date: 8/23/2021
Visit Number: 02
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 400
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

I just wanted to give you some suggestions regarding Tessa’s training for the next few weeks. You are probably already doing many of these things, but I just wanted to go over some of the items we worked on the last few days.

Keep the Easy Walk harness on her as much as possible. Try and keep it tight, like skinny jeans. This makes it more of a reminder that you can control her. I would also suggest having the leash on her as well (as much as possible).

Hook the leash to both the harness and her collar. When you must tug on the leash, this will provide a sensation over a larger part of her body.

Take her for multiple walks just in front of your house. These walks don’t have to be for very long. I suggest that you don’t spend more than five to ten minutes for each walk. Make multiple stops and have her sit. Other times, have her stay and then come to you.

If she starts to lose focus, turn around and walk 180 degrees in the opposite direction for ten to twenty feet and turn around again. This will enforce with Tessa that she needs to pay attention to you.

Continue to practice “Crate” with her. I would have her on a leash, give the command “CRATE”, and then guide her into the crate. Sometimes she went in with no assistance. Once she is in the crate, let her know she did what you wanted by saying (in a high pitch) “GOOD PUPPY”.

Step on the leash as soon as she starts to act up or you see that she is about to act up. This will allow you to take control and keep the situation calm before things get crazy. Once you see that she is calm, reward her by quietly saying “GOOD PUPPY” in a high-pitched voice.

Robin and I also practiced “People coming over” by my ringing the doorbell with Robin and Tessa roaming the house. Robin would make sure that Tessa stayed at a proper distance away from the door by remaining calm, facing her, making her correction and using the squirt bottle (if needed). Tessa always stayed away from the door and actually remained very calm as Robin let me in the front door.

As we discussed, I think that when you are able to get Tessa to a Doggie-Day-Care, you will see excellent improvement with her. I saw that she loved to play at a high level of excitement and that really tired her out. She was far better focused and obedient after her play sessions.

Although she is getting better by the day, she is still a large “work in progress”. This means that she has every ability to succeed and be the great doggie you want. It will just take time, patience, and consistency.

Client: Kendall Greene
Visit Date: 7/5/2021
Visit Number: 02
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Fine with all the dogs. Loved to roam the house.

Client: Michael and Diane Miller
Visit Date: 9/10/2023
Visit Number: 02
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Gretchen was a great house guest. She is welcome any time. Very well behaved. Comes when called in the back yard and willingly goes into crate when commanded. Likes to jump in my lap and give kisses. She and Maggie also get along just fine. When out together, they are just like “old friends”. They are a little “stick crazy”, so I don’t play fetch with them. Besides that, they just like to roam and hang out together.

Client: Rosemary Nalley
Visit Date: 5/7/2023
Visit Number: 02
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Revisit Board and Train for Skeeter. We added the E Collar into the program for a better ability to gain focus. The big things were no jumping, walking on leash, and basic commands. Mostly used the vibration only mode with the E collar.

Client: Carol Smith
Visit Date: 11/25/2023
Visit Number: 02
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Bailey was the perfect house guest. She played quite well with our dogs and loved to run and play in the back yard.

Client: Kevin Van
Visit Date: 11/27/2023
Visit Number: 02
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Nora was well behaved and played well with our doggies. She loved to sleep with us at night next to the bed as well as exploring the back yard.

Client: Kendall Greene
Visit Date: 7/25/2021
Visit Number: 03
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Charlie had a great time, as usual. A great house guest and a favorite for our dogs.

Client: Cynthia Kimball
Visit Date: 3/1/2022
Visit Number: 03
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

She is still a Lab puppy and has a lot of lcurious energy With that said, she can give focus well. We had her on inside commands and walking in the neighborhood, in city environments, and in the Home Depot. People love her and she gets a little excited when they respond to her. Nothing too much that we couldn’t handle. She is better focused with less stimulii. Used the prong collar on her for appropriate results. I am trying to hold off on the shock collar because of the extra work it will require in getting what I would assume are similar results with the prong collar. Don’t aleave a harness on her; she will eat it.

Client: Rosemary Nalley
Visit Date: 5/22/2023
Visit Number: 03
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Skeeter was a very good dog. He played well with Maggie.

Client: Kendall Greene
Visit Date: 10/12/2021
Visit Number: 04
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 150
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

This is for their father and Patton, his black German Shepherd. Patton has hip issues but can get around just fine. He was a little over excited with our other dogs, so I had him outside by himself. He is a very well behaved dog and quite willing to please and just be happy. He was on a hip chew medicine that we gave daily with breakfast.

Client: Cynthia Kimball
Visit Date: 5/3/2022
Visit Number: 04
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Tressa was a good girl. She played well with all our dogs. I tried the shock collar on her, but she couldn’t feel a shock of 40%. She responded to the vibration, so I practiced walking her with the regular collar and the shock collar on vibration. I suggest not using the shock collar in the “shock mode”. If needed, use the prong collar. She responded fine with that when I had her on a prior visit.

Client: Rosemary Nalley
Visit Date: 6/18/2023
Visit Number: 04
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Skeeter was fine, as always. He ate well and played well with all our dogs. He knows his way around the house and fits in perfectly.

Client: Kendall Greene
Visit Date: 11/7/2021
Visit Number: 05
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 100
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Boarding for Patton. He is a great dog, but we keep him separate because of his back leg/hip problems. He has a sweet personality and loves to run and explore all the stuff and critters on the back hill. He is always a joy to have as our guest.

Client: Cynthia Kimball
Visit Date: 6/12/2022
Visit Number: 05
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Tessa was a good little girl, as always. Because of her issues with the other dogs at the door, we kept her outside time different from the others. She loved to run and play in the back yard. She loved to play fetch and run up and down the paths. Her COME was OK but not perfect, but then again, she is a Lab. We walked her with the prong collar and she was just fine. She ate all her food in the slow-feed bowl and had good poopies in the back. She traveled well in the car and slept in the back seat with the seatbelt attachment to her collar.

Client: Rosemary Nalley
Visit Date: 7/5/2023
Visit Number: 05
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Skeeter is fine as always. He kept Maggie’s attention diverted from the fact that Mollie is no longer with us. It is amazing how attached Skeeter and Maggie are when he is at our house. When it comes time for them to go out into the back woods to play, one will look for the other before they rush down the stairs and out the door.

Client: Kendall Greene
Visit Date: 12/4/2021
Visit Number: 06
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 100
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Patton was a great guest, as always.

Client: Cynthia Kimball
Visit Date: 8/23/2022
Visit Number: 06
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Tessa was just fine. She is calmer than she has been in the past. Practiced a little “come”with her and she obeyed most of the time. There was a little pulling on the leash, but not enough to really matter. All in all, a fine visit.

Client: Rosemary Nalley
Visit Date: 9/18/2023
Visit Number: 06
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Skeeter was find, as usual. We took him to the Vet to have his stiches removed and he was a very good doggie. He played well with everyone and slept well at night.

Client: Kendall Greene
Visit Date: 12/16/2021
Visit Number: 07
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Patton was a great guest, as always. I figured out a little trick when getting him out of the car. I get in with him with the door closed and unhook the constraint from the seat and then unclick it from his neck. This resolves the problem of trying to unhook it while he is pulling on it.

Client: Cynthia Kimball
Visit Date: 10/9/2022
Visit Number: 07
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Tessa was very good. She continues to calm down. We played ball in the back yard. She is pretty good, but sometimes looses the ball and I have to go and find it.

Client: Rosemary Nalley
Visit Date: 10/30/2023
Visit Number: 07
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Skeeter was fine, as always. He and Maggie are like two peas in a pod. They run, play, search, and sit together like good doggies. When they aren’t together, Skeeter is looking for Maggie and Maggie is looking for Skeeter.

Client: Kendall Greene
Visit Date: 1/8/2022
Visit Number: 08
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Boarding Charlie and Norman. They are very, very high energy and love to run as fast as they can. They could easily p[lay with all our dogs and even out ran Maggie.

Client: Cynthia Kimball
Visit Date: 5/30/2023
Visit Number: 08
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Tessa was an excellent house guest. We had her out playing with Maggie and they had a great time. They were a little too crazy when I wanted to play fetch with both of them because they both wanted the ball. With that said, I took Maggie inside and played fetch with Tessa. She loved it and had more than enough energy to play fetch forever.

Client: Rosemary Nalley
Visit Date: 11/11/2023
Visit Number: 08
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Skeeter was fine, as always. He loves to play with Maggie, and she loves to play with him.

Client: Kendall Greene
Visit Date: 2/1/2022
Visit Number: 09
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Had Patton for a week. He was a great guest and loved to run and play in the back yard. He was on joing chewies and a Diarrhea pill.

Client: Cynthia Kimball
Visit Date: 8/8/2023
Visit Number: 09
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Tessa was a great guest. We used the slow feeder because she is a fast eater. She loves playing ball with the baseballs we have in the basement. She has become generally calmer, but that is probably because she is maturing. She enjoyes riding in the car. The only thing I need to remember is that she gets in the rear passenger door behind the driver.

Client: Rosemary Nalley
Visit Date: 11/27/2023
Visit Number: 09
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 0
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Skeeter was find, as always. He played well with Maggie and was a well behaved little boy.

Client: Cheryl Schubert
Visit Date: 8/11/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Initial issues: Barking. Toby is a nipper. Want to be able to get up and nopt be nipped. Toby is also anxious. Training: Limit treats. Be firm. Stand tall.

Client: Lilliann Medina
Visit Date: 8/13/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty; Barking. Training: Read potty docs. Practice come on leash. Front door.

Client: Rachel Chackman
Visit Date: 8/13/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Initial Issues: Brother & sister, they are nuts. Fighting. Training: Always your iidea. Come on leash. Front door boundary. No jumping. Potty – limit & manage the water. Leash – keep & maintain focus. Come in from outside (door). Correct outside – come in w/bottle visible.

Client: Jeff Scott
Visit Date: 8/13/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Initial issues: potty & puppy stuff. Training: Lots of love. Read potty docs. Practice come on leash, drop, then outside.

Client: Carlos Granados
Visit Date: 8/13/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial issues: listening skills, pulling, play bites, high energy, rescue, peed on bed. Training: Always your idea. Come on leash. Sit. Front door. No jump. Walk (in house) Mouthing/chewing – remove carpet for now. Play – calm/active. Use of leash. Out of kitchen when cooking.

Client: Jim Meyer
Visit Date: 8/15/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty, Manners, Sep Anx. Lesson: Always your idea. Front door boundary. No jumping. Potty (limit water, watch, document). Use of leash for focus and control. Separation anxiety (use of crate). Coming in from back yard. (go thrpough door slowly as she stays out).

Client: Jennifer Strickman
Visit Date: 8/16/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Initial Issues: puppy training, nipping. Training Notes: Always your idea. Come. Sit. No jumping. Moutning/Chewing. Play (calm/crazy). Leash to control.

Client: Helen Kravatsky
Visit Date: 8/16/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Initial Issues: pulls on leash, needs training. Training Notes: Practice the front door. Correct all the time. Correct the jumping.

Client: Amanda Jairam
Visit Date: 8/20/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Always your idea. Come on leash. Say it only once. Sit (he was a little too nervous with me on first visit). Barking. Stand/Grr/Shake. Determine where it is annoying you and he isn’t giving you focus. Front door. This is a boundary exercise. Always face him. No jumping. Stand/Grr/Shake. Focus on you. Walking inside only first. For the timebeing, balk outsied in the back yard and not in the street. Gentle Walk harness. Use the leash to keep control and focus when the correction isn’t effective that day. Living room manners. Make sure that Pr4ince keeps focus and is calm when people come in outside doors and walk through or sit down in the living room. Dining Table. Keep back from table when eating. (We will work on that next time)

Client: Jonee Polites
Visit Date: 8/20/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

(1) front door (2) Lower voice, correct, praise

Client: Ashley Rivera
Visit Date: 8/23/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Need socialization. Anxious and protective of her. Anxiety, watchful of strangers. Training: Be firm. Correct immediately. Praise.

Client: Paul Buschmann
Visit Date: 8/26/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Initial issues: Puppy, chews on stuff. Training issues: Come. Sit. Manners at Front Door. Practice corrections. On leash distractions.,

Client: Jose Medina
Visit Date: 8/27/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
Still Owe:
Comments:

Initial issues: aggresion towards animals & noises. Kids too. Training exercises: 1. Come 2. Sit 3. No Bark 4. no jump. 5. Whisky follows you thru door. You face and go first. 6. Use leash to keep focus and control Use it as a “plan B” for correction. 7. Lawn mower. a) You &^ Whisky outside b) Lawn mower in middle of garage c) You and Whisky go to doorway d) You step thru 1st. e) Invite Whisky in f) All is calm g) You and Whisky sit down and stay calm h) Walk to middle of garage away from lawn mower i) Loose leash j) Sit back down. k) Repeat and slowly move lwan more closer – slow-slow-slow! 8. Socialize with daughters – slow and non-focused. 9. Correct if goes for food.

Client: Michele Kromer
Visit Date: 8/27/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initisl Issues: aggressive with ogher dogs, but is very sweet. Training Notes: Come on the leash. Sit on leash. Front door exercise (manners). Walk with the leash inside.

Client: Marcina Joshepf
Visit Date: 8/30/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Barking at the door. Training Notes: No barking with redirection and correction. Practice proper manners at the front door. Practice 15 minutes daily. Correct all the time. Review Training Exercises and After Your First Visit docs and online training material.

Client: Bonnie Millard
Visit Date: 9/8/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: Rescue, one “wants to eat” the other. From Abandoned Pet Rescue. Training Notes: Practice front door for barking. Walk inside. Always be correcting. Practice Come, Sit, Stay. Practice where he follows you through the door.

Client: Noel Reis
Visit Date: 9/10/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
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Comments:

Initial Isues: Aggressive towards the little one. Training notes: Practice walk. Correct for no jumping. Practice the manners at the front door. Rememver that YOU are the one in charge of the door. Control the barking. Work separately.

Client: Lauren Giber
Visit Date: 9/19/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
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Comments:

Initial Issues: Dog is nut job. Training Instructions: Come. Sit. Stay. Start from the beginning. On leash – come/sit/stay inside then outside. Finally drop the leash.

Client: Angela Buchsbaum
Visit Date: 9/22/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Notes:Biting, Jumps on people. Training Instructions: (1) Come (2) Walk inside (3) No Jumping (4) Concentrate on your voice. Lower it. (5) Say it like you mean it.

Client: Liz Werner
Visit Date: 9/26/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: jumping, stealing food, bugging them, on couch, makes them play with her, she is in control. Training Instructions: (1) Come on leash. (2) No Jumping – use correction or leash. (3) Use leash to control and direct. (4) Counter Surfing – boundary and consistancy. (5) Off sofa – that is your space. (6) Drop – use leash to control and get focus and then correction (stand/sound(grrr)/squirt) to drop and then leash to move away calmly. ==> keep it simple. Repeat. Your idea. Stand tall…

Client: Kalie McCloskey
Visit Date: 9/30/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Stubborn, snarls and went at baby, jumps, leash issues, bad behavior. Training Instructions: (1) Come on leash (2) Sit on leash (3) Barking – Redirect with leash with foot on leash. Move away until calm and focused on you. (4) Jumping. Stand/Grrr/Squirt or foot on leash to not give opportunity to jump. (5) Use the leash to control from a slight distance. Pick up leash and walk away to create yourself as the calm and resolute focus. Once you have focus and calm, you can let go and return. (6) Maintain control when people come over through use of leash and redirection (7) Kids over – The same thing as with adults, but slower and more managed. (8) Baby – ALWAYS someone between dog and baby. (8) Come in front door. You always do something once you enter, then greet. (9)Walk & front door next time.

Client: Ingrid Tamara
Visit Date: 10/1/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Aggression, snapped at baby. Training Instructions: (1) Walk (2) Manners at front door (3) Follow thru door (4) Walk inside (?) Be concistant. Keep it simple. Always correct when they break your rules. Remember it is not a race, but a process.

Client: Haydee Kozich
Visit Date: 10/12/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Dogs fighting. Training Instructions: (1) Walk: Go slowly and always correct with GRRR if start to move ahead. Check the collar as you nake your sound. Make sure you are in control as you leave the house. Initially only go to end of driveway and then slowly extend farther. (2) Barking: Correct with Stand/Grrr/SDhake Bottle when in crate. If needed, take out of crate on leash and walk until calm. Then back inside. (3) Jumping: Stand/Grrr/Squirt -or- foot on leash. (4) Use of leash: Use the leash to redirect and passively control. (5) Always have on leashes when out of crate. Watch their body language and correct/focus back to you as soon as you see them giving eachother too much focus. Keep distance from crate. (6) Also, think about using the Easy Walk dog harness for walking. Call as soon as you have questions.

Client: Joshua Schlinksy
Visit Date: 10/12/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty, etc. Training Instructions: (1) Come (2) Manners at Front Door (3) Potty (4) Read Documentation (5) Come

Client: Lucretia Rouse
Visit Date: 10/13/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: Needs to listen, come, leash. Training Instructions: (1) Come (2) Manners at Front Door. (3) Potty

Client: Jeri Davis
Visit Date: 10/14/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty, barking, paying attention Training Instructions (1) Come only when she is on the leash. Start at 3 feet and go out from there. (2) Barking. Stand/GRRRR/Squirt. Be proactive if needed. You can also use the leash to redirect. (3) Jumping. This is very similar to the barking. Use your correction (stand/GRRR/Squirt) to correct or leash for redirection. If you see she is about to do it, correct then. (4) Manners at front door. Always face her and set the boundary. If she starts to cross the boundary, correct her. Be sure to praise her once the person is inside and the door is closed. (5) Manage attention seeking behavior. Make sure it is always your idea. (6) Potty. Doing pretty well. Make sure to keep the schedule and manage her water. (7) Tell your friends to ignore her for the first 5 minutes. After thet, they can call her over. They still have to obey your “house rules”.

Client: Alan and Debra Lieberman
Visit Date: 10/17/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: nipping, puppy — Training Notes: (1) Come on the leash. Say once and then give a gentle tug to direct to you. Praise & stand up. (2) Sit on the leash. Say once and correct if doesn’t sit. Say again and give slight pull back on leash while you direct rear to ground. Praise. (3) Walk on the leash next to you on your right side in the house or in back yard. (4) No Jumping. Be proactive and try to catch before jump. It jump, correct with Stand/Grrr/Squirt-Shake or redirection with leash. Always face, never turn your back. (5) Use the leash to redirect to get your respectrul focus while you stay calm. (6) No Nipping. Always stand and calm. Then make sound and use spray or shake can. You can also redirect. (7) Back Yard. “Catch” by not directly approaching but step on end of leash. You can then trach with a Come Command and Walk to the back door.

Client: Daniel Garon
Visit Date: 10/22/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Rescue dog, timid — Training Notes: It takes patience so keep it slow. Put the leash on as much as possible so that you can passively control and she will get accustomed to the leash. In the back yard, be out there for a half hour and just hang with her. Scatter feed and have her slowly approach you. Once or twice, give a slight tug on the leash when you can pick it up. Do not make a big deal if she backs off from the tug. Stop and try the next day. Always stand tall and face her. Do the same in the garage. Scatter feed till she approaches and then put some food in bowl. Then, put food in hand. When entering garage, give slight correction sound to keep her away from door. When trying to walk, click leash on in garage and let her go to back door. Then hold the leash and let it slide out your hand as she goes to back door. Then walk to back door with leash. Others should not engage with her just yet. Always call with questions.

Client: Tiffany Asher
Visit Date: 10/29/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Dexter -puppy, come, potty, frightened, excitement pee. Baby coming in June. — Training Notes: 1) Practice the come on the leash to make sure you are always in control. 2) Sit. Use the leash. Say once and if he doesn’t do it, guide down by bringing leash back and up for neck to follow and use other hand to gently guide rear towards ground. Let gravity do it’s job. 3) Walk in house on one side on short leash. 4) NO jumping 5) Keep away from front door when answering. Set boundary and correct if crosses. Always face to maintain leadership. Praise when guest is inside and door is closed. 6) Always make sure it is your idea. 7) Use the leash to maintain focus anc control. 8) Potty – limit water for excitement pee. When take outside, get excited and then let calm down and potty will happen. 9) Play crazy outside and only be quiet and nice inside. 10) Correct (stand/Grr/Shake-Squirt) if approach food while on sofa. Create boundary and keepo dogs outside boundary when food is there. 11) Baby- a) Get baby doll and dress in baby clothes and baby smell. Carry around. b) Correct if dogs jump or get too interested. c) Keep out of baby’s room d) Mix up your schedule.

Client: Eileen Tannenbaum
Visit Date: 10/29/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: Destroys things. — Training Notes: 1) Sit using the leash. 2) Stay 3) Practice front door. — Be consistant. Say your command once. Always praise verbally. (Good puppy!!)

Client: Tracey Mead
Visit Date: 11/1/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: New dog is causing problems. Aggression and not listening by the pack — Training Notes: 1) Barking. Stand/grrr/shake bottle or redirect with the leash until quiet. 2) Jumping. You can step on leash or use correction (stand/grr/shake). 3) Back door. Do not let them bum rush you. Let them out one at a time with last one on leash. 4) Use of Leash. This is to get you focus and as an addition to the standard correction. 5) Play. Always be around to step in and grr/shake to get their attention and to “break it up”. Always try to be proactive to minimize adrenaline buildup. Bring them back inside by stepping on leash and directing with a walk to the door. 6) Office. Use the bottle and stand/grr/shake while facing them when barking in the office. If you have to, direct them out. If you don’t have the ability to do this because of phone calls, put them in another area.

Client: Ron Womack
Visit Date: 11/4/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty Training and General Training, “She’s wild” — Training Notes: 1) Come on the leash. 2) Walk— Get the Easy Walk Harness to help redirect pulling. Will work on that next time. 3) Barking – Stand and then add your low sound and then physical correction (squirt/shake) to gain focus. 4) Jump – Same as bark. 5) Front Door – Keep back behind boundary you set. Use Stand/Grrr/Squirt to accomplish this. When calm, continue to focus on and face her while you open door. Praise when done. 6) Follow thru door — You always need to go through door first. Do not make it a race. If she goes out first, bring her back, have her sit, you step out first, and then you allow her to join you. 7) Always Your Idea! 8) Use leash as a secondary tool to correct and redirect in order to gain her focus while you are calm and collected. 9) Potty – Check out documentation. Remember to limit water, manage amount of food and meal times, create excitement at start of walk to stimulate potty, and use of powder room as “other place” where she goes to potty when you can’t do anything else about it. 10) Separation Anxiety — a) In crate b) You play with her in crate c) You close door d) You lock crate door e) You move to chair near crate f) You move to far end of room g) You move out of sight h) You make “I am leaving sounds ” with door and door lock i) You leave. Keep it slow & correct slightly as she starts to fail. Don’t rush.

Client: Mariana Echeverry
Visit Date: 11/5/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: Never had dogs, Puppy — Training Notes: 1) Be sure to follow potty instructions we discussed. Your first email will have link to online training center where you can find complete potty training class with hard copy documentation. Best used on cell phone, but fine on your regular computer. 2) Give lots of love. 3) Again, potty is about schedules and observations 3) Be consistant.

Client: Ivy Shapiro
Visit Date: 11/17/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: bites, jumps, bad walking — Training Notes: 1) Practice COME. 2) Use leash to control. 3) Work on Potty. You can review our online documents and instructions as a refresher from today’s guidelines. 4) Be consistant. 5) Say your commands once. Do not repeat over and over.

Client: Kathi Resnick
Visit Date: 11/22/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: barking — Training Notes: 1) Correct jumping 2) Practice front door. Keep out of “don’t be here zone” Start small and initially practice where you are on the front door landing to keep back. Then, move to kitchen where you keep him behind you aw you walk to door and keep him back. Finally, repeat this from the bedroom. Correct every time he growls.

Client: Connie Hinton
Visit Date: 11/28/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Alpha dog and hard to control — Training Notes: 1) Come on the leash. Go down low and call once. Then tug if necessary. Praise and stand when reaches you. Inside then out. 2) Sit on the leash. Say once and correct if doesn’t sit. Then say again and direct down by pulling back and up slightly on leash and direct rear down and back. Never push on back. 3) Walk in house. On leash, walk, turn, walk, stop, sit. 4) Jumping. If jump, correct with stand/grrr/squirt. You can also redirect withy leash. 5) Front Door: Make boundary where she can not cross when you are at front door. Always face her and correct if she approaches. Once she is stable, slowly open door while you are continuing to face her. Once door is closed, praise her. 6) Digging: Get chicken wire, poop, and sharp gravel. Fill hole until about three or four inches deep. Put down chicken wire, poop, and gravel for several inches. Cover top with soil so it “looks like everything else”. If she starts to dig, redirect with leash towards digging pit. Build a digging pit just like a child’s sand box and put doggie goodies (some buried) in pit. 6) Leash. Have leash on at different times of day. This is your “Plan B” to correct and calmly redirect for your focus and obedience.

Client: Chad and Jason Scott
Visit Date: 12/2/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Jumps, nips, barks, some separation anxiety, pulls on leash, food dominance, eats plants, toy dominance, sibling rivalry — Training Notes: 1) Come on the leash. 2) Sit on the leash. Help and guide down if needed. 3) No barking. Use the water bottle or chain bottle for that. You can also use the redirection with the leash. 4) No jumping. You can use the same techniques as with the No Bark. Be sure that it they jump on you in the chair, you MUST stand up. 5) Door Manners. This is for both the front door and the balcony door. Always face to maintain dominance and focus. Set a boundary and correct if they cross. When you have finished your activity at the door, be sure to praise. 6) Always make sure it is your idea. If you don’t, you will undermine your ability to gain and maintain their focus and respect. 7) Use the leash as your Plan B. Step on it and redirect back to you, if needed. 8) Food Aggression. Feed separately for only a 30 minute period. Use leash to help control and guide back. You might have to physically separate out of the bedroom, if needed. 9) Separation Anxiety. Our first step is to break the front door bark/wine. You need to correct as you leave the front door while facing them. Quietly wait on other side and correct again if you hear barking. We can ramp this up, if needed.

Client: Rick Zalecki
Visit Date: 12/2/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: Pulls, jumps, just excited — Training Notes: Practice fronbt door. Practice 15 minutes a day. Practice walk with Easy Walk Harness. Make sure they do not jump.

Client: Mimi Roy
Visit Date: 12/3/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 200
Comments:

Initial Issues: Puppy Training — Training Notes: Practice (1) Come on leash. (2) Sit on leash. Say once and then help guide down with leash and directional touch on back. (3) No jumping. Correct and praise when stops jumping. (4) Stay. After you get to sit, say “stay” and pause for a minute. Then praise. Repeat and next time, step back slightly. Praise after waiting a moment and Rosie doesn’t move. (5) Potty. Remember the use of the crate, management of food and water, and schedule of taking out. Review our documentation and see our potty training program you can use from your smart phone. (6) Consistency and repetition are key to success. Keep it simple and always correct when your rules are broken.

Client: Catherine and Matthew Smith
Visit Date: 12/3/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty Training — Training Notes: Practice Potty Instructions we discussed and provided

Client: Vickie Hillier
Visit Date: 12/4/2016
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today:
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Comments:

Initial Issues: Cookie becomes aggressive with other dogs, Riley pulls on the leash. General training. — Training Notes: 1) Practice walking with Easy Walker. Walk just up one house and then back and down one house. Keep by your side and give slight tug when starts to get too far ahead. Stop and change directions to make sure it is your idea and you “are driving”. Extend length of walk when things are going well. Try and minimize external distractions at first. Never push too far. 2) Barking. Use the Stand/Grrr/Squirt or Shake to get focus and stop barking. 3) Jumping. Remember that No Jumping means No Jumping All The Time. Use correction to stop. Be consistent and always praise when they stop. They need to know what is right and wrong. 4) Manage attention seeking behavior. Always make sure it is your idea. You are the boss. 5) Use of the leash. You can step on the leash and direct back to you to direct their attention to you in a calm and focused manner. 6) Other Dogs. As we talked, this is probably more protection then true aggression. Make sure that you use the leash and always focus back to you when another dog approaches. Always be aware of your surroundings.

Client: Micky Mouse
Visit Date: 11/16/2017
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 300
Comments:

Initial Issues: puppy things — Training Notes: 1) Practice COME on the leash. Say it once and then direct with the leash to go to you. 2) Practice SIT with the leash. You can use the leash to help direct back and downward if needed. 3) POTTY. Make sure you follow what we talked about today. You can find the entire set of documentation and procedures on your personal dog training web site. ===> Say your commands once. Be consistant. Always make sure it is your idea.

Client: Tricia Estave
Visit Date: 2/18/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce & Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Fearful aggression to anyone that comes into our home — Training Notes: 1) COME – Have the leash on. Go down low and say the command once. If needed, give the leash a slight tug to guide to you. Stand up as soon as he gets to you. Praise with a high voice Good Puppy. 2) SIT – Have on a leash next to you. Say SIT. If he sits, praise. If he doesn’t sit, repeat the command and guide him down by lightly (and I mean lightly) guiding his rear back towards the ground. Do not shove. Praise when he is sitting. 3) STAY. First you need to put him in a SIT. Once he is sitting, hold your hand out and command STAY. Move back and around slightly keeping you hand out and facing him. Step back and praise him. As he continues not to move, extend the time and the distance away from him. When you are too far away, drop the leash so you do not accidentally pull the leash. Always praise when you return to him. 4) WALK – Pick one side to walk him with a six foot leash. Keep him by your side and correct/slightly tug the leash to guide him back on to position. Stop and make sure he stops. Turn and make sure he turns with you. Start inside in one room and extend the walk to around the house. Finally, go outside. Take it slow. 5) JUMPING – Right now we don’t want him to jump. Stand tall and correct every time he jumps. If you think he is about to jump, you can be proactive and correct. 6) FRONT DOOR – Create a “Chip can’t be here” zone when you open the door. When the doorbell rings, go to the door and get him out of the zone through correction and redirection (leash). Always face him and make sure he is out of the zone. Open the door and let the person in while you are facing Chip. Close the door and then praise Chip for being a good and respectful little boy. 7) FOLLOW THRU THE DOOR – You must always go through the door first because you are the leader. Have him sit by the door. Open and step through the door. Now, invite him through the door. Have him sit one more time. Praise him. Now you can walk or do what ever you want. 8) MAKE SURE IT IS YOUR IDEA – Never let Chip tell YOU want to do. It must always be on your terms so he clearly understands you are the leader and you will be the one he look towards for guidance and safety. 9) USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is always your “Plan B” to provide redirective guidance to get his respectful focus. Step on the leash and guide him until he is calm and focused on you. >>> Keep it slow and work as a consistent team. You will succeed. It may take small baby steps, but those steps are all going in the right direction.

Client: Ireland Gorecki
Visit Date: 3/9/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce & Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training, it’s daughters dog but mom is home on business calls all day. Mother Amanda Gorecki — Training Notes: 1) COME – Say it once and use the leash to direct to you. Don’t let the leash get tangled. 2) SIT – Say the command once and then guide down. Praise when done. 3) JUMPING – Correct every time he jumps. This is against your rules and will go on to nipping 4) FRONT DOOR – Create boundary from front door to keep back. Always face and correct to stay on other side of boundary. Praise when person is inside. 5) FOLLOW THRU DOOR – Always make sure you step thru door first. You must be all the way on the other side of the door before Leo can go thru the door behind you. 6) YOUR IDEA – Always make sure you tell Leo what to do. It must always be your idea. You are the boss. You need the focus. 7) USE OF LEASH – You can use the leash in all training exercises and have on him when you think you will need to direct his attention to get him to obey. It is your “redirection tool”. 8) POTTY TRAINING – Remember what we discussed. Put the food down and pick up. Always be watching him. Use the crate to manage. Take out on the schedule you create and review your progress every day to see what is working and what needs to be changed. Always call us with any question you may have.

Client: Mary Mackey
Visit Date: 3/11/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Dogs don’t pay attention. Has had dogs before and the dogs are normally pretty good, but will chase and escape when they aren’t around. Goes after chickens, barks at cars on lane next to them. Has had trainers in the past, but they don’t like the e-collar. That is why she called us. Found us on E-collar site. She said she travels often for work. Husband and son will be there. Will get dogs used to collars before we arrive. They will be getting the dogs acclimated to the collars before we come.

Training Notes:
1) FRONT DOOR – Correct with the squirt bottle t6o stay behind your boundary. Always face as you open the door and let the person in. Praise when they are in and you are ready to finish the exercise. They have obeyed and followed your direction.

2) FOLLOW THRU THE DOOR – You are the leader, and you need to go through the door first. Have them sit and stay on one side as you go through the door. Once thru, you can invite them through. Have them stop and sit once more as you praise their good job.

3) YOUR IDEA – You are the boss and it must always be your idea so that they will always focus on you.

4) USE OF LEASH – The leash allows you to always direct them away from the wrong thing and to calmly direct them to the right thing. Once they are calm and focused on you, praise them. You also use the leash for many of the other exercises we discussed and performed.

5) BACK FENCE – Use the 30 FT training lead as you have them outside near the back fence. If they start to become adrenalized and approach the fence, correct (GRRR) & Shock Collar as you give a tug on the lead to have them focus on you and move back to your direction. Use different distractions go entice them towards the back fence. As things go well, use more and more of the training lead so you are farther away. Finally, drop the lead (still stay near) and correct them and direct them to you without the leash.

6) THE CHICKENS – Use the training lead or leash with the Shock Collar to direct them away from the chickens if they start to become adrenalized or approach them too closely. Start out where you walk near and then back off. Slowly increase the length between you and them with the training lead. Eventually you can drop the lead, but stay close enough to step on it, if needed.

7) DELIVERY PEOPLE – Let the dogs bark a little and then correct to have them stop. You can use the Shock Collar, if needed.

8) DIGGING – Try and find something else for them to focus on while in the back yard. Digging is caused by boredom, and you need to find something to keep them alternatively focused.

9) WALKING – Get the Easy Walk Harness for the walking. As they start to pull, it will naturally direct them back to you. If you tug on the leash, it will pull from their chest and have them look back to you. Stay calm as you are doing this so you maintain your appropriate body language.

Client: Sarah Tierney
Visit Date: 3/18/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce and Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Pottyiing, crazy, off furniture — Training Notes: 1) COME – Use the leash and direct towards you. Say once and praise when comes to you. 2) SIT – Use the leash to control and have near you. Say the command once and, if needed, pull back on the leash to direct head up and back as you guide (and not push) the rear quarters down to the ground. Praise. 3) JUMPING – Use your correction command or step on the leash to keep from jumping. 4) MANNERS AT FRONT DOOR – Set up a boundary where you don’t want Stella to cross. Keep her behind that as someone knocks at door. Use your correction or squirt bottle/shake bottle.. Always face Stella and keep her back as you let person in. Praise when door is closed. 5) MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure it is your idea. This is very important to continue your role as The Boss. 6) USE OF LEASH – Use the leash for all of Stella’s obedience commands. This makes it a tool to direct her to the right outcome. Also, use the leash as an alternative to the correction process. Use it as a redirection to direct her away from the wrong activity and show her the right activity, 7) POTTY – Remember what we discussed today. Create your schedule and then act on it. Don’t leave down the water and always watch what Stella is doing. Follow the Potty Flow Chart to help keep you on track. 8) OFF FURNITURE – Use the leash and your correction to get Stella’s focus and then guide her off the sofa and back onto the floor. Praise her when she is calmly on the floor looking at you. 9) KITCHEN – This is a boundary exercise. You want to keep Stella out of the kitchen when you are cooking. Always have your chain bottle and water bottle with you when in the kitchen and wanting to keep her out. As she approaches the boundary of the kitchen, correct her and make sure she stays back. Always be consistent so she clearly understands the rule you have created.

Client: Matthew Stone
Visit Date: 5/2/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Sweet but exuberant. Likes to jump. Pulls on leash. Destructive Chewing in House. Crazy with other dogs — Training Notes: The most important thing to remember is to stay calm and always get Emma’s focus. That can be done with the correction (Stand/GRRR/Squirt -or- Shake Chain Bottle) or redirection of standing on the leash and guiding her back to you. I would suggest having the leash on at times during the day in the house so she gets used to it and you always have a “Plan B” for correction. Probably always have it on for now when friends come over. Don’t let her lead you and always make sure you are the one telling her what to do. This keeps her respectful focus on you. This all follows out into the walk. Keep it close and often stop and guide her back to you. Think of this as “practicing come”. When things are calm, give her as much leash as you want unless she is pulling. As you approach “issues” give the leash a tug and get her focus while she is still calm and has the ability to provide focus. If needed, move away (up a yard) and have her stop and look at you as the dog goes by. The Stand/GRRR/Squirt seemed to work pretty well with the jumping. Continue that and use the leash, if needed. The leash is great for a direction off the tables. Always call immediately with questions.

Client: Connie Moore
Visit Date: 5/3/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 700
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty and Basic Commands — Training Notes: Continue with everything that we talked about today with Charlie. Remember about getting the deer antlers for the chewing. Charlie really “turns off” from the chewing as soon as you use the Bitter Apple. This will be important as he gets more into the teething period of being a puppy. We transported Charlie in the Sleepy Pod and that worked great for traveling. You may want to check out the food that we always feed our dogs. You can find the information at http://www.reallygooddogfood.com. Call if you have any questions. Charlie was great and it is now just a matter of enforcing what he already knows.

Client: Cori Koleszar
Visit Date: 6/1/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce & Robin
Paid Today: 1,000
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Runs out door, walking, food guarding, general obedience, counter surfing, jumping (Boy friend: David O’Keef) — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: Jackie Carrillo
Visit Date: 6/10/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: walking on leash, jumps, pulls — Training Notes: (1) Walk – Use the Easy Walk Harness from Petsafe Size M/L. Let Legend around you but not pulling. Tug back and give a little grrr sound to get his focus back to you. Always walk at your pace. Stop every once in a while or turn around to make sure he still understands “you are driving”. Move away from “crazy inciting” distractions so you are always in charge. Always look ahead and around you on the walk to make sure you can plan for any problems. (2) Back Leash – If he is pulling on the leash and not paying attention, let him walk out ahead of you until he reaches the extent of the leash. At that moment, give it a tug and direct him back to you. (3) Jumping – The best way to stop jumping is to use the leash and step on it so he physically can’t get his front paws more that a few inches off the ground. This passively tells him you are the boss and in control. It is amazing at how this works. You can also use your stand/grrr/squirt. (4) Stairs – Put him on the leash and walk up the stairs one step at a time. Keep him by your side and tug him, if needed, to remain there. Take it slow.Only practice going down the stairs using the outside stairway. Put one hand on the rail and loosly hold the leash on the other hand. Take one step at a time. If he gets too far ahead, let the leash go. It is easier to catch him at the bottom than to fall down the stairs. (5) Always make sure it is your idea. (6) Use the leash as we demonstrated to always be in control. Step on the leash and direct him to a calm spot where he can submit his respectful focus to you. >>> Use BITTER APPLE to stop chewing and nipping. The harness you need is an EASY WALK HARNESS, SIZE M/L. The Spay/Neutering discount web site can be found on our web site under the RESOURCES Section found at the top of the Home Page.

Client: Angela Graff
Visit Date: 6/10/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 1,580
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty Outside Training, Come, Walk, No Barking, No Nipping, Not Listening, Socialization, Some pee concerns. Sometimes poops in house. Does not listen then runs away. Will not come on command. Barks whenever anyone tries to take food out of her mouth. Barks too much. Dominates Wilson (the other dog that is a Terrier mix and weighs about 20 lbs.) Leads on the leash. — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: Cathy Knight
Visit Date: 6/23/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 300
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty, Barking, Jumping — Training Notes: The most important things to remember are to have simple & consistant rules, always make it your idea, correct in the moment to gain focus, and communicate in a way Charlie understands. Barking is mostly corrected by redirection and your assertion of dominance. The jumping can normally the curtailed by the correction method or use of the leash. Remember to keep him back from the front door by setting a border he can’t cross, face him as you are performing the opening of the door, and correct/warn if he approaches. The leash should be used for your “Plan B” correction and as a socialization tool to prepare for future exercises. As you leave, keep him away from the front door through an establishment of a “no cross border” and appropriate body language. The nipping, as we saw, can probably be eliminated through the use of Bitter Apple. Please follow the instructions from our discussion and the documentation to progress in the potty training. Remember to limit the water and always keep him in your sight. Remember the accident he had when we weren’t watching.

Client: James Roach
Visit Date: 6/24/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 800
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty Outside Training, Come, Sit, Walk, Stay, No Jump, No Nipping, Runs out door, Potty and general obedience. Going to Cancun. Mocha has a bad habit of eating her poop. We’re hoping this can either be addressed or will correct itself as she is potty trained. She chews on shoes and pulls things from the trash. — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: Matthew Mayer
Visit Date: 7/3/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 1,800
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty Outside Training, Come, Sit, Walk, Stay, No Nipping, Not Listening, Leave it, off leash, aggressive puppy — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: Denise Karpinski
Visit Date: 7/7/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: train in German, Canine Good Citizen Certificate, nipping, not listening, counter surfing, some potty issues — Training Notes: Get the Easy Walk Harness (probably a Medium) to start the walking process without pulling. It will probably take a few days for her to get used to the constriction of a harness. Then, start by walking just a few steps with her calm focus. Extend this farther and farther (inside) and then start going outside. It is OK to have her walk “around you” while not pulling and still giving you focus the moment you ask for it (tug on leash with her looking at you). The jumping can be corrected with a correction (stand/grrr/squirt) or putting your foot on the leash. The front door should be a place where you are in control. Always face her as you are opening or closing the door and have her stay back “behind a perimeter line” you establish. When coming into the house, open the door slowly to see where she is. Correct her to step back, if needed. then step in and fact her. Stand still momentarily to make sure she will not adrenalize and jump. Always have her sit when you are exiting the door and have her sit when you close the door on the other side. Repeat this when you return. You must be the leader so it must always be the one telling her what to do. The boss commands and the employees follow. That must be true for her. Use the leash as your “Plan B” if the correction (stand/grrr/squirt-shake-clap) are ineffective. Have the leash on her during different times of the day. When she gets out of control and is breaking your rules, calmly step on the handle part of the leash. Stand tall and calm and face her. If needed, pick up the leash and walk her away until she is focused on you and not going nuts. Praise her and drop the leash. You can find the potty document on-line on your Personal Training Site. Remember the big secrets of success are (1) Watch her and always keep her in your sight and (2) Limit the water so she is hydrated and not bloated. The counter surfing is a form of stealing food and disrespect. As you make her food, never leave the room with it left unattended. If you are there and she starts to approach, correct and/or use the leash to direct away. When you are ready to feed, slowly lower it while you keep her back. DO NOT put the food bowl on the ground until she is calm and staying back. Once the bowl is on the ground, you can give her a command like “EAT”, “DINNER”, “FOOD”, etc. to allow her to eat the food you have provided to her. The nipping can be resolved by correction, being proactive to correct as she is about to nip, and/or the use of Bitter Apple (what we used today) or Bitter Yuck (a little more potent than Bitter Apple, but harder to find.) Remember to always stay calm and focused on your singular, simple rules.

Client: Kelly Day
Visit Date: 7/11/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 1,250
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training needed to go outside, Come, Walk on Leash, Stay, no pulling on leash, Jumping, Barking, Nipping, Runs out the door (Door Manners), He doesn’t have very bad behavior problems yet but our main concerns are potty training, no jumping up on people, no jumping on furniture (other than the bed), good leash behavior (no pulling and would like for him to stay on left side), and always coming when called. — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: Teresa Dorsey
Visit Date: 7/17/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training needed to go outside, Come, Sit, Walk on Leash, Stay, Jumping, Barking, Nipping, biting and pulling on clothes , Regular training needs for puppy this age — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: Debra Hallmark
Visit Date: 7/24/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 1,350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training needed to go outside, Come, Sit, Walk on Leash, Stay, Jumping, Nipping, Runs out the door (Door Manners), Whenever anyone new comes in they jump and jump and sometime will nip at ur clothes — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: John Shelnutt
Visit Date: 7/29/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 650
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training needed to go outside, Come, Sit, Walk on Leash, Stay, General Basic Commands, Potty trained, but wants to go more, especially when he first goes outside. — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: Sue Nielsen
Visit Date: 8/3/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Sisters, bonded and not paying attention to humans. Not listening, barking, jumping, not respecting, etc. — Training Notes: Always remember that it is your idea. Always tell Lilly and Cricket what to do. This will help to establish proper focus. If they are destroying things while you are gone, put them in crates. Make the crates happy places for them. Put them in the crates at different times so they don’t simply represent “We are gone”. Go out with them when they “ring the bell” to see when they are pottying ane when they are just “goofing with you”. Once you establish the potty excursions and when they are just wanting you to open the door so they can play, start to ignore them at the times they simply want to play. Correct them with the Stand/Grrr/ Squirt if they become annoying when trying to get you to open the door for them. Remove the bells after several more days. Limit the water by managing how much you give and the times you give them water. Practice COME on the leash first inside and then outside. Start with 6 foot leash and extend the distance and finally disconnect the leash. This can take appx. 30-40 days of daily practice for them to master the command. Continue practicing SIT with the leash. Once they can sit all the time, start STAY. First only step in front and say STAY and hold your hand up. Praise when they comply. Next, step back to the end of the leash while facing them. Praise them when they comply. If that is going well, walk to their right side and then left side while they are not moving. This changes their perspective. Finally go completely around them. All of these steps may take come time but can be accomplished through consistency and repetition. Use the STAND/GRRR/SQUIRT for the jumping. When people come home, keep the arrival calm and have the water bottle ready. Correct loud barking and adrenalized actions such as jumping. When things are calm, you can call them over and appropriately greet them. If they are bugging you at the table, establish a boundary that you will direct them to and have them remain behind. You must stand, GRRR and then, if needed, squirt to direct them back. Always face them. We talked about using the chair mats that you would normally put on carpet at the front door to keep them away and not scratching up your front door. You need a chair mat with “pointy and sharper spikes on the bottom. Put the chair mat upside down so that if they step on the mat, it will be uncomfortable. This will be annoying and should teach them “I don’t want to be here”. Walking appears to be best accomplished one at a time. Try using the regular collars. Direct them to focus on you and stay near your side. As long as they are not pulling, that should be fine. If needed, you can ramp it up with the check collar or “vampire” collar. If these appear necessary, please call us so we can discuss.

Client: Robert Simpson
Visit Date: 8/15/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training needed to go outside, Come, Sit, Walk on Leash, Stay, Jumping, — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: Douglas Philip
Visit Date: 9/20/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce and Robin
Paid Today: 900
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training needed to go outside, General Puppy, General puppy, Bites and nips. Sometimes cries in the cage, knocked their daughter over in the yard the other day when the daughter was running around — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: Teanna Phillips
Visit Date: 9/22/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Pulls on leash, jumps on people, shows aggressive tendencies — Training Notes: The biggest take-away from today is the proper use of the leash. Have it on Wrigley as often as possible. Step on the leash to gain control and then direct to a point where he is obeying you and all is safe. You can use this with your daughter to be proactive if you feel things are about to get out of hand. Counter Surfing – Set a boundary where Wrigley can’t cross when you are eating or working in the kitchen. Use the bottle or shake to keep him behind that boundary. Always face him and praise when he is obeying. Make sure he has something to do as well. Robin will send you the information about the antlers. Calm – Make sure your daughter remains somewhat calm around Wrigley so he doesn’t believe it is crazy play time. No face-to-face or crawling around the ground with him. Use your common sense. Your Daughter’s toys – Always watch and direct Wrigley away with the leash. Make sure he has something to do also. You can also try the Bitter Apple on a “decoy doll” to have Wrigley believe that all dolls taste really bad and he doesn’t want them. Back Yard Stairs – Use the leash to calmly walk Wrigley down the stairs to go to the bathroom in the back yard. Use a “back yard leash” so you don’t mind if it gets dirty. You can also use the leash to “easily and calmly catch him”, if needed. Come – Only perform this when you have the leash in your hand. Say “Come” once and if he doesn’t immediately go to you, slightly tug the leash so he will come to you. Sit – This is also only used with the leash. Say “Sit” once. If he doesn’t sit, say it again, pull the leash back and over his head so he starts to tilt back and naturally go down. Never force anything. You can use hand signals for this too. Barking & Jumping – These can be corrected with the leash redirection or the shake “focus on me” bottle. Remember to always be calm through all these exercises. Front Door – He seemed to be pretty good with this. The point here is to make sure you are in charge of opening the door. As in earlier commands, you need to set a boundary he can’t cross. If he starts to cross, correct him with the bottle or shake and direct him back over the boundary. Always face him and open the door only when he is calm and behind the boundary. Praise him when you are done. Attention Seeking Behavior – Always make sure it is your idea. As with Paris Hilton, the person saying “I Want & You Do” is the boss and the one that all others must always provide focus. When it comes to you and Wrigley, that person must be you. The Crate – When needed, it is always fine to put Wrigley in the crate. This allows everyone to have a “take a break” moment to get things back on track. Walking – Use the Easy Walk Harness. If needed, start with shorter walks to build Wrigley’s confidence in you and for you to establish a familiarity with all issues that could pop up along the walk. As I mentioned earlier, there is never a stupid question, it is only stupid if you don’t ask your question.

Client: Kate Hall
Visit Date: 9/30/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training needed to go outside, No biting, no counter surfing, general puppy, The crate should be a happy place. — Training Notes: Follow the instructions we provided at our training session when we returned Freckles. This includes the general obedience and pottying.

Client: Pamela Lyman
Visit Date: 10/18/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce and Robin
Paid Today: 1,000
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Currently taking him out every two hours and he is going most of the time., Come, Sit, Walk on Leash, Stay, List from client: not on furniture, potty outside, no biting, no jumping, minimize barking at door at strangers, sit/stay/lay down, walk on a leash, crate training so OK in crate during the day and at night. — Training Notes: Board and Train Program

Client: Elliot Gabriel
Visit Date: 10/22/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Food Aggression — Training Notes: (1) COME on leash – Say the command once and then gently guide him through slight tugs on the leash to you. Praise when he gets there. (2) WALK with Easy Walk Dog Harness. This should help with the pulling and excitement. (3) BARKING can be curtailed through the Stand/Grrr/Squirt or redirection with the leash. Get him to focus back to you as you stay calm. Praise when he stops barking and direct him to something else. (4) JUMPING is usually most effective with the Stand/Grrr/Squirt water bottle. The leash can also be used. Always keep calm and consistent. (5) MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR is based on keeping him behind a boundary [top of stairs] as you open the door for someone. Always face him and use the squirt bottle with your correction sound to keep him behind the line. Open the door while you are facing him and praise him when the door is closed. (6) MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR is always making sure it is your idea. You are the boss and he always needs to focus on you to receive guidance on what to do next. If he isn’t focused on you because you are not the boss, this will not work. (7) USE OF LEASH is when you have the leash on him as he wanders around the house. Most of the time, this will not come into play. It is your “Plan B” if he is breaking your rules and your Stand/Grrr/Squirt [Standard Correction or Plan A] isn’t working. Step on the leash and guide him away until he is calm. Then have him do anything that will show he is focused and obeying you. (8) COUNTER SURFING is where he is stealing or demanding your food from the kitchen counter or dinner table. Create a boundary and keep him behind that boundary using the same methods discussed in the FRONT DOOR MANNERS exercise. (9) COME INSIDE THE HOUSE is when you are coming home through the garage door and he is the only one inside the house. GRRR on the outside of the door as you open is slowly. Stick the squirt bottle through the slightly opened door as you continue to slowly open it until you can get your body through. Correct him as needed if he is too close or going nuts. (10) FOOD BOWL AGGRESSION regards his frightful and possibly aggressive protection of his food during eating times. Today’s observations showed that he is strongly possessive of the food bowl when it contains food or for a period after the food is gone. No longer use the food bowl for the next few weeks. Scatter feed his food 1/3 at a time. Slowly step up to him when eating never getting to the point of aggravation with him. Slowly do this until your presence directly in his “food area” is no issue. Give just a little water multiple times. Since he is also “water bowl aggressive”, we can’t remove the water bowl but can minimize the water at any time. Add water when he has finished the water in the bowl, but wait a little bit between fillings. This will allow you to passively engage in the “drinking process”. (11) NIPPING can be resolved with the Stand/Grrr/Squirt or putting some hot sauce on your hand or “nipped body part”. Never become agitated or adrenalized. Don’t do anything that may be construed as “play”. (12) CHEWING furniture and other things can be fixed with the hot sauces such as tabasco, jalapeno, and habanero peppers. A good, hot Chinese sauce has also been known to work wonders. Always make sure he has other things to chew that you approve. We like the KONG toys with peanut butter or deer antlers. You can spray a little bit of chicken broth on the deer antler to make it more interesting. Call as soon as you have any questions.

Client: Devonna Seabolt
Visit Date: 10/27/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Goes after the cat, doesn’t listen — Training Notes: Always make sure it is your idea and you are always in control. Keep calm and do not adrenalize. (1) JEDI & THE CATS: Keep on the long lead so you always are in control. Let Jedi move around. He can look at the cat but not rush towards the cat. Call him back with a tug on the leash and GRRR to have him focus to you and your commands. Once back, have him calmly sit and focus on you. Always praise for doing the right thing. As he is moving around the yard, step on the leash so that he gets a tug and looks back to you. This reminds him “mommy is watching and in charge”. Practice inside the underground fence and outside. You can walk both dogs as long as you are in control and they are not pulling and not paying attention. Encourage the cats to join in. Always watch Jedi to make sure he is more focused on the walking than going after the cats. He can look, but he can’t lunge. If you feel he is looking too intently, GRRR and tug him to return to you. Sit and praise. It is a slow process of letting him nearer and nearer to the cats. Do not rush it. Slower is better because it builds a consistent environment of more calm successes. You can also have him on the tether in the yard and step out of sight to see what he will do. Correct if he starts to become too adrenalized. Correct from the porch and, if needed, go to the tether and have him come to you, focus, and calmly sit. (2) YOUR IDEA: Always make sure it is your idea. This strengthens your role as the leader and naturally encourages him to focus on you more often. (3) JUMPING: It looks like the simple STAND/GRRR will cure the jumping. If needed, you can add the chain can to make it STAND/GRRR/SHAKE. (4) WALK: This can be accomplished as part of the Jedi and Cats scenario. Just make sure that they are walking near you. Call them back from time to time to make sure they are focused on you and understanding that You are walking them. (5) COME: Only practice this with the leash. Go down low, say COME, and give the leash a slight tug to direct to you (if needed). Once he gets to your side, praise him for a successful task and then stand up. (6) SIT: This is an exercise that you can use whenever you just need him to submit and obey. Always execute it on a leash. Say Sit and slightly tug the leash upwards and over his back with your leash hand. Use the other hand to gently guide his rear down. Praise him when he finishes. Never push his rear down. (7) STAY: You can only do this when he is sitting well. Put him in a Sit and then hold your hand out and say stay. Facing him, slowly step back, letting out the leash. Only take one or two steps back and then pause. After a two or three count, praise him for doing well. Slowly increase the number of steps (distance from him) as he improves. Don’t push this. A link I found to a 30 foot leash is https://www.leashboss.com/collections/30-foot-dog-leashes/products/leashboss-long-trainer-30-foot-1-inch-nylon-long-dog-training-leash-with-hook-and-loop-coiling-system?variant=16405929476 . Please call as soon as you have any questions. Remember to keep it slow, the correction is STAND/GRRR/Action (Shake can, squirt bottle, tug leash), always be in control, and stay calm.

Client: Andrea Fontanetta
Visit Date: 10/28/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 600
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty on Wee-Wee pads, sit, stay, come, down, heel (loose leash walking), leave it, give, no barking,no jumping, no biting,being OK in travel bag, potty on wee-wee pads, separation anxiety, Understands words like No Maam (no), sit, down (sort of), go potty (bathroom) — Training Notes: Follow the instructions we provided at our training session when we returned Freckles. This includes the general obedience and pottying.

Client: Kate Everhart
Visit Date: 11/5/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Crazy, does not pay attention, not walking well, moving backi with parents in 3 months. — Training Notes: The most important thing you need to do is to get Manny out for high-energy exercise. He needs to drain his adrenaline and get out all that nervous energy. Dahlonega doesn’t have fenced-in public places that I know of, so a 30 foot leash (I will send you a link) to let him run and play will work. (1) USE OF LEASH – Have the leash on him when you are around. This will let you to easily gain control and manage him without becoming physical or scare him. Always stand up and step on the leash. When you tug on the leash, do it in a downward motion (not up) so he is not encouraged to jump. Walk him until he is calm and then ask him to sit. There is no magic in the sit; I just want him to acknowledge you are the boss. (2) Remember our corrections of the STAND/GRR (YOUR SOUND) AND SHAKE OF THE BOTTLE. The most important take away here is that you MUST STAND whenever you are correctively addressing him. (3) WALK him in a manner that is comfortable for you. You can walk him by your side or give him a little more leash. As long as he is being a good boy in your eyes and you are happy, all is well. As you are walking, stop or turn around from time to time. This reaffirms that you are the boss and you are the driver. (4) BACK LEASH – If he is pulling on the walk too much, let him walk to the end of the leash ahead of you and give a tug just as he reaches the end of the leash’s length. This will twirl him around to you and he will see you have corrected him and you are passively in charge. (5) HARNESS – The Easy Walk Harness is another option for walking. It connects to his chest and not his neck. This means that when you give him a tug, it is naturally turning him around back towards you. I can help more with this if you need. (6) FOLLOW THRU THE DOOR – Always make sure you go through the door first. You are the leader and you lead. This also makes sure you start and end the walk calmly and on your terms. (7) YOUR IDEA – You are the boss and all your interactions with Manny (unless he needs to go potty) are on your terms and instigated by you. This helps build a natural focus from Manny back to you. (8) BARKING/JUMPING – These actions are breaking your rules (I assume) and you must correct. Always stand as you are correcting. You can use your voice and the shake bottle or you can redirect with the leash. The required end result is his calm and respectful focus towards you. (9) COME – Always perform this with the leash in hand. Go down low and say come. If he does not progress towards you, give the leash a slight tug to guide him towards you. Praise him (high voice) when he arrives. (10) SIT – He is still a puppy, so the sit is not 100 percent, but it is progressing. (11) STAY – When he is calmly sitting and there are no distractions, you can work on the stay as we demonstrated. Hold out your hand, say STAY and move back a step or two while facing him. Wait a few seconds and then step back and praise him. If he moves during this time, direct him back with the leash and repeat. This exercise will work best after you have had the opportunity to find a place for daily exercise to get some of his puppy adrenaline properly directed towards outside play and not inside stuff. (12) CRATE – I suggest since you are thinking about a new crate, get a big one (48 inches) to give him room to grow and a nice big man cave to relax. Call us as soon as you have questions and need more help. Being engaged is the path to success and we are here to help.

Client: Monique Marques
Visit Date: 11/9/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 600
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty , Come, Sit, Stay, General puppy training — Training Notes: POTTY TRAINING: We normally took them out when they got up at about 7AM. They normally went pretty quickly and be brought them back inside. They had about 20 minutes observed play time and then were fed in their crates individually. They would be allowed to eat for 20 minutes and taken out again. They would potty and we would bring them in and we would let them be free with observed supervision for about 1 to 2 hours. We would put them in their crates if we could not watch. They could currently hold their potty for about 3 to 4 hours. If we didn’t take them outside, we placed them and encouraged them to potty on the wee-wee pads. We suggest that taking them outside is more successful. When they are outside, they are outside to go potty and not play around. Keep the distractions to a minimum. If you can’t be at home, place them in your bathroom with all the items like toilet paper, shower curtain, etc., removed from their reach. Put some potty pads down with some toys. You may have to tape the pads down so they can’t play with them. They are only kept in the bathroom when you are not home and off limits at all other times. COME/SIT/STAY: Their Come and Sit are pretty good, but the Stay is still a challenge. This is normal at their current age. WALK: Their necks are too small to safely walk them with a regular collar. We suggest a harness if you want to walk and strongly suggest the EASY WALK Harness. We can explain it’s proper use when needed. BODY LANGUAGE: Always stand tall when you want to tell them what to do. This sends a message to them that you really mean it. CORRECT: Do not say “No” to them to tell them something is wrong. You must use a unique tone to send a unique and clear signal to them. We find that making a low and meaningful tone like a “grrr” works with them. SOCIALIZE: We allowed them to play with our dogs under supervision. They are very good with other animals. Let them have as much together time as possible so they can just play and adrenalize with each other. YOU ARE THE BOSS: Do not let them tell you what they want to do (unless they want to go potty). You are the boss and you need to tell them what you want them to do. If they come over and nuzzle your hand because they want to be petted, ignore them. Wait a few moments and then call them to you and you can pet them. This is because you took charge of the situation and made the action of petting them your idea. CALL US: Please call us as soon as you have any questions.

Client: Erin Hurst
Visit Date: 11/17/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Calm dog so that 5YO is fine with her. General behavior; jumps, nips, humps, agraid of men, digging — Training Notes: Some of the things we worked on today were: (1) COME – Always have the leash on. Start with the 6 foot leash, stoop down and say come only once. Give a tug on the leash if she doesn’t move towards you. Praise and stand up when she arrives. (2) SIT – Have the leash and give the command once. If she doesn’t sit, pull the leash back slightly over her head and guide her down. Praise. (3) STAY – This is “sit a long time”. Say stay and hold your hand out. Wait a few seconds and praise. Next, do the previous and step back a few steps. Wait a few seconds and then praise. Next do the previous and then move to your left and right. Praise. Next do the previous and move around more. You can now drop the leash. (4) WALK – You need to wait another few weeks to get the Invisible Fence training done. Get the Easy Walk Harness (Medium-Large). BARKING/JUMPING – You can use your correction (Stand/Sound/ Shake Bottle) to get her focus and stop the jumping or barking. Stepping on the leash is also really great to stop the jumping. You can also redirect with the leash to stop the barking. (5) FRONT DOOR – She never seemed to rush the front door during our exercises. If she does, guide her away from the front door while always facing her. Open the door slowly while facing her and let your guest in. Always make sure she is behind a perimeter line you have established that divides the area near the door and the area you have allowed her to remain. (6) YOUR IDEA – Always be the boss by always making sure that anything you do with Olive is your idea. (7) USE OF LEASH – The leash is your Plan B. You can use it as a redirection to win her focus and direct her to your wishes. (8) SOCIALIZATION – You can practice with the boys being a little crazy while you have Olive on the leash. If Olive starts to get out of hand, direct her away to a place where you can maintain her focus and have her obey you. (9) KIDS EATING – Practice having the boys eating and making sure that Olive stays back. As one of you is serving the boys, the other is waiting to see if Olive is going to get too close and jump or beg. That person will correct with the Stand/Sound/Shake or Squirt or redirect with the leash. (10) CAR – First have Olive at the back of the (outside of car) car with you playing and having snacks. Next, have her with you in the back of the car with the door open. You may get in and out. Next, be in the back of the car and close the door. Next, start the engine. Next, back the car to the end of the driveway. Next, drive around the cul-de-sac. Next drive around the neighborhood and stop and let her out and then get back in and continue. Next, extend the drive and places you might stop. Each of these activities are additive based on the successful completion of the prior. Never rush. (11) FOOD AGGRESSION – If is probably best if you only give Olive food items that have caused aggressive actions when when is not with the boys. If she shows aggression and you need to get the item, I suggest that she has been on the leash. Tug the leash to move her away from the item and/or use the Stand/Soung/Shake or Squirt to have her drop the item. If the item has been dropped, quickly use the leash to guide her away from it. (12) YOU COMING HOME – When you come in the back door, put your stuff down. Stand behind the gate and give her the Stand/Sound/Shake. Once she is focused and calm, come through the gate while you remain calm and focused on her. If she starts to act up, correct again. Once she is calm, you can call her to you. ==> BACH FLOWERS RESCUE REMEDY can sometimes calm her down.

Client: Livvy Scheimann
Visit Date: 11/17/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: — Training Notes: Practice the items we worked on today that included Come, Sit, Stay, Walk on the leash, and Front Door. If you go onto your personal web site, you can find all the notes that we use for each of these exercises and many others. It is important to keep your dog’s focus on you. That is the point where you have removed that adrenaline and are in a place to show, guide, and teach towards success. Don’t forget the correction process of Stand/Grr or use of the leash for redirection. Everything is practiced inside first until everything is going well. Then, and only then, can you take the activities outside.

Client: Debbie White
Visit Date: 11/19/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: doesn’t listen, jumps and nips, needs to come, sit and stay — Training Notes: The most important things to remember are to stay calm, keep it simple, and always make sure it is your idea. Focus is key. Now, to some of the activities of today. JUMPING. This is caused by Cooper’s wanting your attention. Stay calm. Face him, stand up, and GRR (what ever sound you desire) to get his focused attention. Praise when he complies. WALKING. Use the Easy Walk Harness (Medium) so he can’t pull. Use both hands and walk him at a pace and distance that is comfortable for you. Stop and turn at times so he remembers who is walking who. Make sure it is at your pace and not his. Take shorter walks, if needed. This is to assure your ability to consistently lead and correct. USE OF LEASH. Have the leash on him when you are around so you can instantly take control by stepping on the leash and guiding him (if needed) until he is calm and focuses on you. You can also use the leash as a way to stop jumping by stepping on it close to his collar so he doesn’t have the physical ability to jump up. MAKE SURE IT IS YOUR IDEA. You are the boss so everything must be on your terms and direction. If you allow Cooper to tell you what to do, he will not give you focus and destroy your ability to teach and guide him to the correct outcome. FOLLOW THRU DOOR. Make sure you have Cooper sit on the outside of the door as you return from a walk. You need to step through the doorway first while he remains in one place. Then, and only then, can you invite him in. You should also perform this process when leaving for the walk. KITCHEN MANNERS. Decide what is acceptable for Cooper to do when you are working in the kitchen. This is normally things that don’t involve jumping on you. Have the shake bottle at hand but out of his sight. If you see Cooper approaching to jump or he has jumped, turn and fact him calmly. Make your correction sound (I use the GRRR) and shake the chain bottle, if needed. When he has calmed down, praise him. If he continues, step on the leash and guide him out of the kitchen. FIREPLACE/CHRISTMAS TREE. I suggest that you place a barrier around the fireplace and watch him whenever he is near the Christmas Tree. You can try the Deer Antlers as a distraction to give him something better to so than go into the fireplace for the rocks or play under the tree. Always have the leash on him and have an eye on him at all times. COME. Always practice this with the leash. Say “come” and then give a slight tug to guide him to you. Always praise once he arrives. As he masters a specific distance from you, get a longer leash or rope and repeat the process at a greater distance. SIT. He seems pretty good with the sit, but he still needs some work for 100%. Always practice with the leash. Say “sit” and then guide him down with the leash and your hand. Praise him when his rear is on the ground. NIPPING. Correct with the Stand/Sound/Shake as needed. If the nipping is more of a chewing on things, you can use the Bitter Apple on the item. You can “prep” him for the bad taste by giving him a little squirt of it in his mouth so that it will hit his taste buds. When he smells the Bitter Apple, he will associate that with the bad taste he has already experienced. If needed, ramp up to tabasco sauce, jalapeno sauce, and then habanero sauce. I have never needed to go beyond habanero sauce to stop chewing. ==> Call as soon as you have any questions. We welcome the interaction and the ability to immediately help direct you to the proper outcome.

Client: Bonnie Clark
Visit Date: 11/30/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Leash walking, problems with invisible fence, jumping, barking — Training Notes: The most important points to remember are to always stay calm with your actions with Max and to understand your goal is to obtain his focus. (1) Start having the leash on him while you are around the house. This should start to take away some of his leash issues and will allow you to quickly correct and gain his attention when needed. (2) Everything is through association, so have the invisible fence collar off when you are in the house. There is no need for him to wear it at this time. Have it on when you go outside. This will probably take away some of the invisible fence jitters. (2) Use the leash as a redirection to gain his focus. This can be very effective with the turkeys. You can simply step on the leash and direct him away from the distraction. Then, when he is calm and focused on you, have him do anything (sit) so that both you and he will understand that he is submitting to you as his boss. (3) Get deer antlers and spray on some low sodium chicken broth for his chewing. To discourage chewing on specific things, you can correct (Stand/Grrr/Shake) or redirect (use the leash) if you see he is going after something. You can also use Bitter Apple, tabasco sauce, jalapeno sauce, or habanero sauce to let him know the thing he wants is nasty. Always have something good to direct in towards to build up a ?this is bad and that is good? relationship with the objects. (4) Practice SIT with the leash. (5) Practice STAY. This is really a SIT A LONG TIME. Have h8im sit, wait a few seconds, then hold out your hand like a traffic cop and say stay. Wait a few seconds and then praise. Repeat and this time, step back a few steps. Wait a few seconds and praise him. Continue by moving farther away while holding your hand up. If he moves before you praise, go back to the sit and start again. (6) BARKING & JUMPING can probably be resolved with being calmer when correcting (Stand/Grrr/Shake) and using the leash to direct away from the issue back to you. The most important thing is to stay calm and always maintain confidence. (7) Never let Max tell you what to do. It must always be your idea. This solidifies your leadership role and Max?s continued focus. (8) Again, use the leash as your ?Plan B? when the correction (stand/Grrr/shake) is not being effective. ? Keep things slow and focused so you can always progress towards your goal of a good puppy. It is not a race, but a process. Call us as soon as you have any questions.

Client: Marcia Cook
Visit Date: 12/6/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: mouthing/walk — Training Notes: Practice Come and Sit as we discussed. Start inside where there are far fewer distractions and then move outside. Make sure that Luke has focus on you as you are performing the obedience commands. You are the teacher he is the student. For the student to learn, he must focus on the teacher. As the teacher, you must give simple and consistent commands so that he will clearly understand what you expect and he will be able to constantly deliver the correct action. We suggest the EZWALK Harness for walking and for you to effectively maintain control. Use Granick’s Bitter Apple on things you don’t want Luke to mouth. If you use this on your hands, be sure to wash them thoroughly once the problem has subsided. Bitter Apple will evaporate, so you may need to reapply it to the area as needed. Call us the moment you have any questions or anything seems unclear.

Client: Avery Neville
Visit Date: 12/9/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty, he is going on pads and want to go outside. Jumps and nips at kids — Training Notes: The most important thing to remember is to stay calm, use your body language, and get Huck?s focus. The correction requires your body language, your voice, and then a passive physical action such as the squirt bottle or shake bottle. Use the leash to redirect to you to capture and maintain his focus, when needed. Some of the items we worked on today were (1) JUMPING. If this is because of the kids, I suggest using the leash to direct Huck away calmly by stepping on the leash and then walking him to a quieter spot where he can calmly focus on you. You can also use the correction when appropriate. (2) NIPPING. The bitter apple will normally take care of this. You may also need to spray a small amount into his mouth beforehand, so he will associate the bad taste as he prepares to nip and smells the Bitter Apple on your hand. This works on other things too when it comes to chewing. You can escalate the bad taste to Tabasco, Jalapeno, and Habanero sauces as needed. You can also redirect him to chew something that does not break your rules. We suggest the Deer Antlers that are available in most pet stores. (3) COME. Use the leash, go down low, and then say come. If he doesn?t start moving towards you, give the leash a slight tug in your direction. When he gets to you, stand up, and praise him with a high pitched ?Good Puppy?. (4) SIT. Use the leash. Say ?Sit? and if he doesn?t sit; pull the leash slightly behind his head so he becomes off balance to the rear. Then, slightly guide his rear back and downward. He should now go into a sit. Praise him when done. Continue to work on this command until you don?t have to guide him down. (5) STAY. Only work on this when you have successfully completed the sit command. Put him in a sit and then hold out your hand like a traffic cop and say ?Stay?. Take one step back, wait five seconds, and then step back to him and praise him. Continue this by moving farther and farther away. Always face him and hold your hand out. (6) WALK. Use a collar and leash and walk him on your left side in the house. If he starts to pull away, give the leash a slight tug with your wrist as you verbally correct him. Walk is a path where you walk forward and then make turns. Stop and make sure he stops with you. Have him sit and praise him. Once he is walking well, you can proceed to the back porch and then the back yard. If needed, use the Easy Walk Harness to minimize pulling. (7) COMING IN BACK DOOR. You always have to make sure you are in charge from the start. As you are at the back door, make your correction sound from the garage. Open the door slowly with the water bottle in your hand. Slowly protrude the water bottle through the door as you open it for you to come in. If Huck gets crazy, correct with your sound and squirt. Come inside for a moment and put your stuff down. You can now call him over to you. If he gets crazy, stand tall and correct. (8) USE OF LEASH. The leash is your ?Plan B? and can be used in many of the exercises and to maintain your ongoing rules. Have it on him when at home and you are present. (9) MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR. Always make sure it is your idea. You are the boss and the one who should receive focus, so you can provide safe direction. (10) POTTY. Follow the instructions we discussed. Switching from potty pads to going outside may cause some confusion on Huck?s part. Remember the schedule and to watch him like a hawk. Get a crate and establish a ?when I am gone too long room?. (11) STAIRS. Have the water bottle with you as you approach the stairs. As you get close, face Huck and proactively correct him. Slowly walk up the stairs as you are facing him with the water bottle and correct as needed. Stay calm and focused. (12) COUNTER SURFING. Someone must be there when the kids are eating. If Huck starts to go for the food, that person must act like the ?Shotgun rider on the stage coach?. That person will stand and correct Huck (the stand/grrr/squirt is normally very effective) until Huck backs off. Always have something else for him to do. => Call us as soon as you have any questions.

Client: Kathy Harris
Visit Date: 12/12/2018
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty, puppy, initial obedience commands — Training Notes: Please follow the potty training and puppy training items we demonstrated today. Call us as soon as you have any questions and to let us know when you would like us to return.

Client: Aimee Tomlinson
Visit Date: 1/4/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 400
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Crazy when guests come in — Training Notes: Always make sure that you are in charge by making all your actions with your dog your idea. Stay calm and resolute. Plan and clearly determine your success before you engage. Practice the front door exercise every day. The goal is to keep them away from the door as you meet your guests to minimize the adrenalized interaction. Always face them so that you are showing them “your mommy look”. Do not let your guests in or open the door until they are away and not approaching. Once in, they should now be calm. If not, correct or redirect. Also, make sure they are always listening. This all if paramount to gaining their focus so that you can give them guidance. Additionally, practice the COME command daily. Use the leash so that you can guide them to you if they don?t properly act on your command. Give the leash a slight tug, if needed. You want to guide them and not drag them. Remember that teaching is about respectful focus and calm attention. Call us as soon as you have any questions or other issues arise. A simple phone call can almost always solve the problem.

Client: Janice Seiferling
Visit Date: 1/5/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Doesn’t listen, jumps, needs to obey — Training Notes: The biggest take-away from this afternoon?s session are to stay calm and resolute when interacting with Ginger and to use the leash as a redirective correction tool. The Shake Bottle is also useful, and Ginger responded with clear focus when that was used as well. Some of the issues we discussed today were (1) The kids: Always have the leash on Ginger when the kids are there. Have an adult in the room when Ginger and the kids are together. Always keep the kids calm and have them pet her with slow motions. Do not put their hands or face near her head or mouth. Have the leash on Ginger and have the adult in charge of the leash. Always direct Ginger away if things start to heat up. Even if nothing is Ginger?s fault, it is safer to move her away, get control of the kids, and then continue the interaction. (2) Socialization with dogs: You should first get Ginger used to the Baskerville Muzzle. Put peanut butter inside the muzzle at the nose tip so she will want to put it on to get the treat. Have the muzzle on only for 2 to 3 minutes at the start and slowly extend the timeframe. When she is comfortable with the muzzle, have her outside on the front porch with the leash as dogs walk by. Correct her and redirect her if she becomes to barky and you can?t easily get her focus. Next, walk her in the street but pass to the other side when dogs approach. As she continues to remain calm, ramp it up by walking and passing other dogs. Figure which dogs she likes and then start to introduce them on the street. You can remove the muzzle when you feel she is calm. Finally, you can have a play date in the back yard. (3) Walking: Use the Easy Walk harness to easily direct her to you. You can let her walk any way you feel comfortable as long as you can always get her focus and she is not pulling. Give the leash a slight tug and uses your correction sound to keep her on track. You can always stop or change directions to reinforce focus and your leadership. Start out on short walks and slowly lengthen. (4) Barking and Jumping: Use the leash for redirection away from the distraction causing the issue or and/or the shake bottle to gain her focus to you for education. Always stay calm in the process. Always stay calm. (5) Front Door Manners: Getting control at the front door helps you maintain focus and control for the entire visit. Always face her and use your shake bottle to keep her away from the front door. Open the door while you are still facing her to allow your guests in. Slow it down so they are calm too. (6) Manage Attention Seeking Behavior: Always make sure that it is your idea. You are the boss and she should always do what you require and demand. (7) Use of Leash: This is all about redirection to gain focus and obedience. Have the leash on her whenever you are home so that you can easily step on it when she is breaking your rules. Do not run after the leash or be crazy. Slowly step on the leash and direct her to a place where she is now calm and focused on you. Tell her to sit so that she has unequivocally demonstrated that you are the boss. Call us as soon as you have questions, or something is not working. There is always another path to the correct answer and we are here to get you to a point where Ginger is always a great part of the family and everything you do.

Client: Laura Reagan
Visit Date: 1/11/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 150
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: potty pads, biting — Training Notes: We border Ozzie for three days. Great guest. Played very well with the other dogs. Somewhat of a friendly alfa.

Client: Arun Kaul
Visit Date: 1/12/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: biting, nipping, bad behavior, potty — Training Notes: We covered a lot with Snowy this afternoon. We worked on Socialization, Behavior, Obedience, and Potty Training.

Let’s start with SOCIALIZATION. Snowy is a very fearful dog. This comes across when he meets people in the house or on a walk. We need to address this. I suggest you have Snowy on a leash in the hallway at the kitchen. Open the front door and let people and dogs pass by. If he is calm, slowly move him down the hallway until he is outside and observing up and down the street. If he becomes agitated at any time, take him on the leash back towards the house or down the hallway towards the kitchen until he becomes calm and focuses once more. This entire process will be on his time and can not be rushed. The goal is to have him comfortable with people and dogs outside. You can slowly introduce him to people inside by allowing them to give him a little treat. If he is nervous about taking the treat from their hand, have them back up about 10 feet and to toss the treat to his feet. If he takes it, great. Repeat with the person tossing the treats a little farther from Snowy and closer to them. If he moves and takes the treat, great. Take this process as slow as needed. Do not push. It is meant to get Snowy comfortable with people in the house. This is simply the first step. I might also suggest a Doggy Day Care for additional canine socialization and adrenaline draining interactions. Next, BEHAVIOR. It is important that you are the boss. Everything must be your idea. You must get him accustomed to the leash for redirective correction. Allow him to have the 6-foot leash on when you are home. When he breaks your rules, step on the leash and direct him away until he is calm and focused on you. You can also use your correction sound in this process. The barking and jumping are both inappropriate behaviors that can be redirected with the use of the leash. The nipping on your hands or the leash can be corrected with either the correction sound or a more physical approach of applying Bitter Apple or something more potent to what you don?t want chewed. Correct him proactively if you know he is about to chew or nip. You can also use Deer Antlers as a ?I would rather have this to chew? distraction to stop shewing on inappropriate things. If needed, put a little low sodium chicken broth on the antlers for a little more taste. Remember that when you use the shake bottle, you must be standing and are verbalizing your correction sound. I suggested the GRRR. Now we will turn to OBEDIENCE. Use the leash as part of all these training exercises. When you want him to sit, you must be by his side with the leash. Say SIT once. If he sits, praise; if not, correct very quietly. Now, say SIT again while you pull the leash back over his head and back behind him. Use your other hand to gently guide his rear quarters down. Never push or force him down. Once his rear is on the ground, praise. COME is simply getting from where he is to where you are. Use the leash. Say COME and, if needed, gently tug the leash towards you. You are down low or stooping as you say this. As he approaches, bring the leash in taking care not to continually tug. Once he is by you, praise him and stand up. I suggest getting an EASY WALK Harness for the walking. You should not take up walking in earnest until he is OK with people outside and comfortable with the leash. The Easy Walk Harness will allow you to direct him back to you if he starts to pull. We can talk more about this once you reach this point. Finally, but not least; POTTY TRAINING. The big take-aways are to manage his food and water and to always watch him. Preparing the scene and managing his schedule are important, but too much water accompanied with not watching him will negate the entire procedure. Food is also important because good nutrition will equate to better health and less potty. We talked about Life?s Abundance and any top-quality food without by-products and fillers will go a long way in providing a successful potty training process. We strongly encourage you to contact us with any questions that may arise.

Client: Catherine Sutherland
Visit Date: 1/18/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Signal to go outside, jumping, biting hands, walk and run on heal on leash. Commands include Sit, Stay, Come, Down, Speak, Kennel, Drop it, leave it, Lets run, Paw. Stay out of kitchen when cooking. — Training Notes: Daisy is a great puppy and can be very focused on the dominant one in the room. This is great for effective training. She can also be fearful and exhibit ?excitement urination? in moments of self-aware fearful assertion. The best thing to do here is to limit her water intake to meals with a minimal, managed amount during the rest of the day. Keep her in her crate when you can?t watch. She seems to be fine in the crate. There are some times of slight barking and whining. This can be corrected by using your correction sound and assertive stance. Your correction of Stand/GRRR/Water Bottle is very effective when she tries to jump on people. It has also has very positive results when she gets on the sofa without an invitation. Keeping her out of the kitchen, away from the front door, or away from the dining room table when eating are all simple boundary exercises. You must set a boundary where she can not cross and be consistent in your correction (Stand/GRRR/Water Bottle) when she approaches that boundary. If needed, you can direct her away with the leash. The leash is a great tool to always allow you to be in charge. She was more focused on us when we had the Easy Walk Harness and leash attached to her inside or outside. This became a reminder of ?I am in training?. Always remove the Easy Walk Harness when you are not with her. You can always step on the leash to control her. If needed, you can pick up the leash and walk her to a position where she is obeying your rules. You can then praise her for successfully correcting her issue. She has exhibited very good progress with the COME exercise. This is done with a 50 foot training lead. After you say COME (I always said DAISY COME), she should quickly step off in your direction. If not, give the lead a slight tug to direct her. Once she has reached you, praise her so she knows that she did the right thing. Now, practice the SIT by still holding the lead in a slightly loose manner and then giving her the SIT command. If she does not sit, correct with a low volume GRRR and then guide her down by pulling the leash gently over her head to get her off balance to her rear. With your other hand (the one not holding the leash), slightly guide her rear downward. Once she has placed her rear on the ground, praise her. She needs to feel completely safe and calm to place herself in the submissive position of sit. If she does not feel safe and calm, she may not want to finish the command. If you feel this is the case, hold off on this command until a later time. STAY is normally done from the sit position but can also be performed from the standing position. It is best done in a very quiet place. I use the 50 foot training lead again. Stand right next to her, hold your hand out like a policeman directing traffic to stop, and say STAY. Make sure she is calm and focused on you. Now, step away from her while you are always facing her. This means that you will be walking backwards. Be careful not to trip over anything. Once you are about 10 feet away, stop and wait a moment. She should not move. If she does, give her a GRRR to see if you regain her respectful focus and she halts. Once you have been able to step back to your desired distance and she remains still, go down low and perform a COME command followed by a SIT command. Continually move farther and farther away as she improves. Now for the walking and running. Use the Easy Walk Harness. I also used the 50 foot training lead wrapped up like a lasso with about six feet between use. The goal is to comfortably walk or run with her without her pulling. Start off with a command such as WALK or LETS GO. Give her a little tug on the leash to get her going. Walk at your pace. You need to keep her comfortably near you although it doesn?t need to be right on heel. If she is starting to get out of the zone you are allowing, give her a low volume GRRR and slightly tug on the leash. Repeat until she is looking back to you and has returned to your zone. You can now change speeds from walk to run to make sure she is keeping her focus, no matter the speed or direction. We have started to work on Kennel (I say CRATE) by having her on the leash in the house. It is really a walk with a specific destination. I say CRATE and then walk her into the crate from any part of the house. She is still in the early stages of this. She did not exhibit any indication of hand biting. This normally is caused because she wants your attention. You can normally tell when she is about to do this. Give her the correction (STAND/GRRR/SQUIRT BOTTLE) to abate this action. Bitter Apple is also a great physical deterrent. Always give her an alternative for her chewing. We suggest the DEER ANTLER. After five days of exercise, she is on her way. It is now time just to refine though consistent repetition. Please give us a call with any questions or needs.

Client: Rebecca Engles
Visit Date: 1/19/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: 36 lbs of fun. Jumping, craziness, goes for trash, chews, pooping in house — Training Notes: Please remember some of the things we discussed today. It is critical that you are always in control and do not let Reiley think he is boss. You are the boss and he needs to provide you respectful focus as the boss. Correct by standing tall, using your deep voice, and, if needed, a clap, shake bottle, or spray bottle. Practice the front door. Always face him and keep him behind a boundary line of your choice. Praise him when obeys so he knows that he is doing the right thing. Correct any nuisance barking. Remember that all dogs need to bark as part of their natural communication. Too much barking shows disrespect and is unnecessary. Correct that. Practice COME daily. Make sure he is on a leash so that you can guide him if he does not move towards you when you give your COME command. Give the command from a low position. When he reaches you, praise him (that is right!) and then quickly stand up. Consistency and repetition are key. Don?t get mad and just have fun with it. Please call us as soon as you have any questions.

Client: Bethany Zeppetelle
Visit Date: 2/2/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Sniffing, was sick when they were taking to group class and stopped going because of that. Spoiled. Needs to get back on track. — Training Notes: The most important things to remember from today?s session are to keep your rules simple, always make sure it is your idea, always gain Shadow?s respectful focus, and to communicate with your body language first (stand), then your verbal (i.e. GRRR) and then your passive physical (shake bottle with chains inside). You need to be the dominant teacher in front of the classroom. Some of the exercises we practiced today were (1) FRONT DOOR: You must establish a boundary that Shadow is not allowed to cross when you are answering the door. Always face him when you are answering the door. If he starts to cross the boundary, correct him and guide him back. When he is stable on the other side of the boundary, you can then open the door and let the person inside. Always face Shadow during this time. When done, praise him for obeying you and respecting you as the boss. (2) COMING IN THE DOOR: When coming in from the garage, open the door slowly and correct if he is ?crowding the door?. Once he is back, continue opening the door slowly and then step in. Correct if he begins to crowd you. When all is calm and the door is closed, praise. (3) USE OF LEASH: The leash is your way of controlling him without approaching him or being overtly physical. Have it on him at different times when you feel he may get a little out of hand. If he starts adrenalizing and breaking your rules, step on the leash, pick up the handle, and calmly walk him away until he is calmly focusing on you. He is now respectful and not breaking your rules. Praise him for a good job. (4) YOU ARE THE BOSS: Do not let him tell you what to do. You are the boss and you are the one giving the orders. If he tries to get your attention, ignore him. If he is become annoying, correct him. Once the situation has stabilized, have him do something like coming to you for petting. This makes sure that it is always your idea. (5) LOW KEY: Shadow can be a little skittish. Make sure that your corrections do not scare or frighten him. Keep your voice low and ramp up as needed. Don?t go overboard with the shaky bottle. You can always ramp it up if you see you are not getting the focus you require. (6) COME: Practice the COME with the leash attached to Shadow. Say ?Come? once. If Shadow goes to you, praise him. If he doesn?t go to you, tug the leash slightly and direct him in your direction. Praise him when he arrives. (7) SIT/STAY: Have Shadow sit. he seems to be able to perform that command pretty consistently. Now, say STAY as you hold your hand out like a policeman directing traffic. You should be right next to him. Wait a few seconds and then praise. Repeat this until he is consistently staying still and giving you focus. Now, have him sit, put him in a stay, and step back several steps. You should always be facing him, and your hand should always be up like a traffic cop. Wait a few seconds and then praise him. As he continues to stay put and give you focus, repeat this process while moving farther and farther away from him. Call us as soon as you have any questions.

Client: Julie McCarty
Visit Date: 2/2/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training OK but doesn’t giva any warning, Drop it, not listening, nipping, jumping, general good boy stuff, Currently stays in crate in bedroom but would like in crate in basement — Training Notes: Follow the instructions at our training session when we returned Paisley.

Client: Lauren Goulding
Visit Date: 2/16/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Coming, nipping, listening, jumping, leash pulling, barking. Abby gets excited around new dogs/people. Abby a little aggressive to Cooper — Training Notes: Abby and Cooper are both good dogs. The important thing that you must remember is to show them you are their leaders and the ones they need to respect and provide focus. Cooper seems to be a little pensive. Go slow with socializing him and let everything be at his pace. When he has all his shots, you can start to walk him off the property. As you come in the vicinity of other dogs, always walk on the other side of the street and keep the leash a little tighter. If needed, turn around; tomorrow is always a good time to pick it up again. You can also check out Doggy Day Cares to help with socialization. Abby, on the other hand, can be a little wild. Keep her on the leash so that you can always go to your ?Plan B? of stepping on the leash and redirecting her. Always watch and be proactive in correcting and redirecting her if she starts to ramp it up on Cooper. As I mentioned today, you need to give them a little room to ?feel each other out?, but not too much room when inappropriate escalation will occur. Some of the exercises we worked through included: (1) COME ? Only give the Come command when you have the leash attached. Get down low and say ?come? once. If they don?t move towards you, give the leash a slight tug to direct them to you. When they arrive, praise them and then stand up quickly. (2) SIT ? They seem to have this one down rather well. Just use this as an ?affirmation exercise? when you need their attention. (3) WALK ? First of all, you need to get the EASY WALK HARNESSES. Abby needs a medium/large size and Cody needs a medium/small size. Make sure the harnesses fit snuggly but don?t constrain their movements. Take them off when you are not practicing walking. Walk to the door, open it, walk them outside, and then have them sit on the outside stoop. Wait a moment until they are calm and then continue to walk. They do not have to walk right next to you, just near you and not pulling. If you need to get their attention or direct them back to you, give a slight tug on the leash. The harness will direct them back to you. Allow them to smell and mark; they are dogs. If they start to pull too much, change direction 180 degrees and continue walking for about ten feet, turn around again, and continue walking. This just tells them that you are not on ?cruise control? and they need to pay attention. (4) BARKING ? All dogs need to bark. That is part of their communication process. Too much barking is not necessary and disrespectful to you, as their leaders. When they start to bark beyond your acceptance level, use the leash to redirect them towards you and direct them to a quiet place. You should have them focus on you and you should be very calm. Once they are calm (and quiet), have them sit. This will reinforce their acceptance of you as their leader. (5) JUMPING ? As you saw today, the Stand/GRRR/Squirt worked pretty well in getting their calm and respectful focus. They also stopped jumping. (6) FRONT DOOR ? This is a boundary exercise. You are at the front door facing them. The door bell rings. If they start to approach you, there is a boundary you have established as their ?stop now zone?. As the approach that boundary, correct them with your Stand/GRRR/Squirt to keep them behind that line. Next, open the door while you are still facing them. Close the door and then praise them for obeying and respecting you. (7) MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – You are the boss and everything must be your idea. Do not let them put their nose on your hand and want you to pet them. You can wait and pet them later. If you allow them to tell you what to do, you are programming them not to pay attention to your commands. (8) USE OF LEASH ? This is your ?Plan B? in the behavioral process. If the simple correction (Stand/GRRR/Squirt) are not being effective at the moment, switch to the leash. Step on the leash and then direct them to focus on you. You remain calm and resolute to show them you are the boss. Since they are focused on you, you are ?the only game in town?. You are telling them that you are the boss and have gained their respectful and calm focus. (9) SOCIALIZATION ? Start to walk past other dogs on your neighborhood walks. Keep a distance at first and slowly close the gap. Let this be at their pace. Allow them to play together under your watchful eyes. You can have the leashes on them so it is easier to separate them, if needed. Normally the simple correction of Stand/GRRR/Squirt should be all that is needed to separate them. Also think about a Doggy Day Care for more canine socialization. (10) IN AND OUT THE BACK DOOR ? Always face them as you are going out the back door. Correct if they start to give you ?the bum rush?. Use the GRRR/Squirt to get them away from the door as you are coming inside. (11) OUTSIDE YARD CONTROL ? With dogs on both sides of you, there will always be some barking. Dogs are dogs and that is what they do. Have the outside leashes on them so that you can catch them if they are becoming too annoying. (13) CARPET CLEANER ? We use Woolite Advanced Pet Stain & Odor Remover + Sanitize when our dogs make an accident on the carpet. I have found that it works really well.

Client: Sarah Leaf
Visit Date: 2/21/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Bark at everything. Growling at people coming in house. Harley hard to train. — Training Notes: Please remember what we talked about today regarding establishing a leadership role over Jack, Oscar, and Harley. You must always be able to gain their focus in a way that does not scare, frighten, or hurt them. That is the first step towards a great relationship on your terms. Exercises we discussed included (1) COME ? Always use the leash so that you can guide if they do not move towards you immediately. (2) SIT ? Say the command only once. The command isn?t ?sit sit sit?. If they don?t put their rear on the ground, gently direct them down. Never push then down. (3) STAY ? You can only implement this command when they will always sit on command. Hold your hand out like a traffic cop while you are facing them and then command STAY. Wait for a moment and then praise. Slowly move farther away while having them in the stay. (4) FRONT DOOR MANNERS ? This is a command where you simply don?t want them at the front door while you are letting people in. Create a boundary where you don?t want them to cross when you are welcoming someone at the door. If they approach or cross that boundary, correct them and direct them back to the other side. Always face them while you are performing this command. Once the person is inside and the door is closed, praise them to enforce that they have done the right thing.

Client: Audra Orzech
Visit Date: 3/4/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Recent rescue. Doesn’t listen, runs out the door, counter surfs, goes nuts at night
Training Notes:
Lucy is a very good dog but is still a little passive. Because of this, I would not train her for longer than 5 to 10 minutes at any time. If, for any reason, she is “just not getting it”, hold off for a while and pick it up later.

The general thing that you need to understand is that everything must be on your terms and you must do whatever is necessary to get her respectful focus in order to teach and guide her to the correct decision. Some of the things we discussed and practiced today were:

1. COME – Only practice this on the leash. Say “Come” and then tug the leash slightly to guide her to you. It is great if she will come to you without the need of a tug of the leash. Slowly lengthen the length of the leash from six to thirty feet. Practice inside and outside. When she no longer needs a “tug reminder”, take the leash off.
2. WALK – The important thing here is to get the EASY WALK HARNESS (Size Medium/Large). This will allow you to guide Lucy back to you when she starts to pull. This will break the forward focus that is causing the pulling. It will also eliminate the “tug-of-war” feeling she gets when you are “tugging on the leash attached to her collar”.
3. BARKING / JUMPING – These are both dominance/adrenaline problems. The straight correction of standing tall, using your correction sound (GRRR), and using your passive physical tool (Shake Bottle) should get Lucy’s attention away from her actions and focus on you. If needed, use the Leash as a redirection alternative.
4. USE OF LEASH – This is your “Plan B” for correction. It is used as a redirection on your part away from the situation that is causing her to break your rule and misbehave. Step on the leash and guide her away calmly and directly. When she is calm, focused on you, and no longer misbehaving; praise her and drop the leash.
5. POTTY – The big thing is to manage the food and water by measuring the food and picking up the food and water after the meal. You can leave a little water down, but just enough to maintain proper hydration. Dogs often drink out of boredom and that will lead to extra potty accidents. Also, let her calm down after being outside and pottying. Bring her in after she has been calm and sitting for a few minutes on the back porch.
6. FRONT DOOR – Set a boundary (i.e. the doggie gate) where she must remain behind when you are opening the front door. If she starts to cross the boundary, correct her to stay back. Always face her to show your continued dominance and to simply see what she is doing.
7. KITCHEN COUNTER SURFING – First of all, never leave food unattended. When you walk away from food, you have given up ownership and have told her that she can have the food. With this said, she is not allowed to take food next to you. This is referred to counter surfing. Set up a boundary either in the kitchen or a perimeter around the kitchen. If she crosses the boundary, correct her. If the “boundary” is in the kitchen, correct her when you see her focus too strongly on the food or her body movement indicates that she is getting ready to jump for the food on the counter.
8. SITTING ON THE SOFA – The best thing is to make a rule that she is not allowed on the sofa or furniture. Correct her if she starts to get up. Use the leash to direct her off the sofa. Always remember to stand up during any of your correction or redirection actions. You can sit back down while stepping on the leash to keep her on the ground. Once she is constantly obeying you, you can only then consider the possibility of inviting her back up on the furniture again. Hint: This won’t be for a while.
9. RIDING IN THE CAR – You have to take this very slowly. First have her in the back seat. Sit with her. Bring some toys and treats. After she shows no indication of anxiety, leave her in the back seat alone and sit in the driver’s spot. Next, start the engine but don’t move. Next, slowly pull to the end of the driveway, stop the car and let her out. Next, pull out of the driveway into the street and slowly go around the block. Extend the length of the driving after that. In all these instances, take the steps slowly and only move to the next step when she has consistently shown no indication of stressful anxiety.
10: CRATE/SEPARATION ANXIETY – Many rescue dogs initially show sighs of separation anxiety. The crate is a tool to help combat this and must be used properly. When possible, have her with you when you are home. Don’t overly interact with her. You must establish the crate as a safe place she can remain when you are either at home or gone. Feed her in her crate. Have toys for her in her crate. Sit with her while she is in the crate. Close the crate door and be in complete eye-sight of her. Have her in the crate and momentarily step out of sight and then come right back. Do not rush any of these steps. This process if focused socialization and can only be successfully accomplished if it is done at her speed.
11: ITCHING – This can happen because of skin problems or anxiety. I suggest that you check with your Vet to see if she is itching due allergies or a rash. If it is not physical and more emotional, you may try spraying a very slight amount of Bitter Apple on the localized areas where she is scratching. Do not “soak her” because too much of the liquid may irritate her fur.
12: Remember that Lucy’s training is not a race. Take it slow and steady and she will be just fine.

Client: Mark Elrod
Visit Date: 3/9/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 1,000
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Still some accidents, normally wee-wee in house, Walking, Coming all the time, will sit but not stay, cut down the barking, separation anxiety, chewing things, crate training, destroys things outside when left alone, Pretty good with not eating and stealing food. Really sweet little girl. Sits but will not stay. Starting to shed a little. They live on a farm with appx 2 acre fenced area. Would like the come from as far as possible. Interested in learning about Life’s Abundance —

Training Notes: Although Mia is a really great dog, she displays fearful tendencies in specific situations. It takes her a good amount of time to “warm up” to new people. This means that you must be patient when expecting her to come to you or new people. Continued practice and calm socialization will mitigate this issue as time progresses and she determines that you or the person means no harm and is really a caregiver. Once she gets used to you, she will shower you with affection.

Mia also seems to be very jittery around loud noises or quick movements. When taking her for a walk, we needed to direct her away from traffic or quickly approaching people. If we gave her a little freedom to move away on her own, she had no problem. She would “find her distance” and then be fine when the noise has subsided, or the distraction had passed.

Keep things simple and easy when you are working with her. She has shown that she needs a little extra time to accomplish her exercises. This is not a problem. It is not how fast you get her to learn. It is about you successfully teaching her.

Practice COME by bending down, giving the command once, and then guiding her to you if she is not moving towards you. You will need to have the leash on her to guide her, if needed. As she correctly completes the command on a consistent basis, extend the distance between you and Mia with the Come command. Once she is constantly performing the command at a reasonable length without the need of a correction tug, drop the leash to the ground as you are commanding her to come. Finally, remove the leash as you are practicing the command.

We found that she is very good and never pulls when walking with the Easy Walk harness. This is because the harness does not allow her to pull. As soon as she would try to pull, the leash would become taught and the harness would direct her back to you.

Also, please continue to practice the other items Robin discussed during her visit.

Client: Ed Jeffery
Visit Date: 3/20/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce and Robin
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Regular puppy stuff.

Training Notes: Wotam is a great puppy with a lot of potential. We see that he can be easily socialized and will easily give focus when properly engaged. Being a Schnauzer, he can be headstrong and will need consistent leadership from you.

You need to keep your rules simple and consistent so that he can easily understand what you want. Everything must be your idea. You must correct him in the act of making a mistake in a non-threatening way that will gain his calm focus. This is the only way that you can effortlessly guide him to the correct decision. Remember that it is all about an escalating process of body language (stand tall and be calm), verbalization (that “GRRR-y sound we used), and added strength (the noise from the shaky bottle or squirt from the water bottle).

First, when it comes to Potty, remember to always keep him in your sight (watching) and never leave him with too much water. These are the biggest mistakes most clients experience. Set the environment with the natural scents (Lavender) and always thoroughly clean up any potty accident (remove potty smell). A suggestion for a great cleaner is Woolite Advanced Pet Stain & Odor Removes + Sanitize at Walmart. Feed him on as much a standard schedule as possible and establish a portion that is not “super-sized”.

Set his schedule based on your daily routine and the natural times most puppies need to potty (first thing in morning, after eating, before leaving for a long time, after returning from a long stint from home, after excited activity, and last thing at night). Take him out on your schedule and let him play like a crazy dog for a few moments. Then, let everything calm down. It is now up to him to potty and poopy. If he does these things, wait a few more minutes to make sure that he “doesn’t have any more duties to perform”. Then, you can bring him in. If he did all his duties, he can have some free time in your sight. If he didn’t finish his duties, he needs to be in your sight or in the crate for ten to fifteen minutes and then take him out again.

We provided more detail in our discussions today. All of this is also available on your Training Site on the Web. Now, to other training exercises:

1. COME. Have the leash on him and start off in the house. Step away from him, stoop down, and say COME. If he comes to you, praise him for the correct action. Then stand up. If he doesn’t come to you, give him a slight tug on the leash to guide him to you. Once he is by you, praise him and stand up. As he improves, you can put the leash down, step on the end, and repeat the process. As he continues to do this with no need for correction, you can get a longer leash and extend the distance while following the same process.

2. SIT. Have the leash on him and have him by your side. Say SIT. If he puts his rear on the ground, praise him. If he does not put his rear on the ground, give him a slight correction and then guide him down. You accomplish this by slightly tugging on the leash in an upward and rear motion. At the same time, use your other hand to guide (not push) his rear towards the floor. The use of the leash should get him off balanced enough so that gravity and your hand guidance will naturally lower his rear side.

3. JUMPING. As soon as you see that he is about to jump, stand up, give your GRRR sound, and shake the bottle (if needed). The more proactive your action, the more effective the appropriate experience for Wotam. You are simply being forthright in your communication that “jumping is not allowed”.

4. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR. This is an ongoing process. You must always make sure that everything is your idea. You are the boss and you are the one giving the orders. You need to try and communicate this rule to everyone in your house.

5. USE OF LEASH. This is a teaching method that is used in addition to the correction method of Stand/Grrr/Shake. It can be thought of as a passive redirection. Place the leash on Wotam whenever you think things may get a little crazy or you think you may need a little more “umph” in your leadership. If he starts to misbehave, step on the leash. Now, pick it up and give it a slight tug so that he is focusing on you. If this does not calm him down to a respectful behavior, calmly walk him away from the inappropriate environment until he is calm. Now he is obeying and respecting you. That is great. Praise him and drop the leash. You have succeeded.

6. CHEWING. This is something very common in young puppies and can be caused by boredom or the pain of teething. We suggest that you get some Deer Antlers and let Wotam chew on them. This will give him something to do what you have provided. It will also help him get through the pain of teething.

7. STAY OUT OF THIS ROOM. This is all about performing a “boundary exercise”. Plainly stated, you have a simple rule; “One side of the line is good; the other side of the line is bad”. To put it another way, it is the old “Line in the sand” idea. For example, to keep Wotam out of the kitchen, you will need to have him in the common area while you are in the kitchen near the door. You will need to face him (dominant stature). If he starts to approach the doorway (line in the sand), you must correct with the water bottle (stand/grrr/squirt). Once he has shown he is remaining in the common area, praise him. We suggest that you also give him something else to do while in the common area. The Deer Antler would be a suggestion. If he is persistent, we can provide enhanced procedures for your success.

8. WALKING. We strongly suggest the use of the Easy Walk Harness (Size Medium/Small) for Wotam’s walking. The goal is to have him walk on one side in a manner that is not pulling. One can think of this as “walking casually while still paying attention”. Start walking in the house. Walk up and down the hallway. If he starts to pull or direct away, give the leash a slight tug and use your correction verbal (grrr) to guide him back into your “walking here is OK zone”. After he is walking well on the leash and harness with no need for directional correction, take the exercise outside. Start out when all is calm and slowly add more distractions.

Please call us as soon as you have any questions. We are here to help you succeed and allow Wotam to reach his full potential as a really great dog

Client: Christina Ciepiela
Visit Date: 3/23/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: jumps, doesn’t listen, runs out the door, general obedience, wants to be a good puppy — Training Notes: Prince is a great puppy with a natural ability to focus and stay relaxed. The biggest take-away that you need to remember is to always stay calm and make sure that everything you do with Prince is your idea. These are some of the ongoing actions that you can perform to build Prince’s focus on you as his leader and caregiver. Some of the exercises we worked on today were:

1. COME. Perform this exercise in the house and have a leash on Prince. Step away from him to the extent of the leash and stoop down low. Say COME once. If he comes to you, praise him with a Good Puppy and then stand up. If he hesitates or ignores you, give the leash a slight tug to move him in your direction. Once he gets to you, praise him and stand up. If he is “just not getting it” that day, shorten the distance between you and Prince and practice again. As Prince is “getting it” all the time from a particular distance, “advance the class” by extending the distance between you and Prince. Get a longer leash or just tie two leashes together. Practice this no more than 5 minutes at a time.

2. SIT. Perform this exercise on a leash and in the house too. Have him next to you while you are standing tall and have him on the leash. Say SIT. If he sits, praise him. If he does not, pull up and back on the leash slightly. This will get him off balanced and moving backwards. Now, with your other hand, guide his rear quarters down and back slightly. He should now sit down with very little or no additional assistance on your part. If he is stiffly standing tall and resisting you, “pause class” and try another time. Sometimes dogs just feel a little nervous or distracted at different times. There is nothing in stone that says you need to hold class at a specific time. Practice this no more than 5 minutes at a time.

3. WALK. Use the harness and leash. Perform this exercise inside. Have him next to you, say “Let’s Go” and then start walking. If he doesn’t move off with you, give the leash a light tug in quick succession to get him moving. He can be on either side and at a distance that is comfortable for you. If he starts to pull the leash, give it slight tugs in quick succession in the direction you want him to go. As long as he is focused on you and near you, things are going well. When you turn, turn in a way where he is on the outside. If you are walking him on your left, turn to the right. If you are walking him on your right, turn him to the left. Walk back a distance and then have him stop. Now, perform the SIT command as a natural termination for the exercise. Practice this several times a day.

4. JUMPING. We did not experience any jumping today, so I had to verbally walk you through the process. Remember that jumping is breaking your rule and you need to instantly correct when he breaks your rule. If he starts to jump or of you perceive he is about to jump, use your correction process of Stand/GRRR/Shake the bottle to let him know he is doing something wrong. Praise him when he has stopped jumping. You can also use the leash to stop the jumping. As you see he is getting ready to jump, step on the leash at a point where he can not jump. You have taken that option off the table for him and all he can do is focus on your calm action.

5. THE FRONT DOOR. He does not need to run to the front door or run out the front door. You need to set a boundary around the front door that is a “no-dog-zone”. While you are opening or going through the front door, he can not be in that zone. As you approach the front door, locate Prince. If he is in your no-dog-zone or quickly approaching that area, stand tall, face him, use your GRRR, and shake bottle or squirt bottle to get him out of the zone. Always be facing him. Once he is out of the zone, you can open the door and either let someone in or go through the door. Remember you must keep him out of the no-dog-zone while always facing him. Keep this exercise slow.

6. ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR. You are the boss, and everything must be your idea. Do not let Price actively or passively tell you what to do. If you allow him to tell you what to do, he will not provide you focus because he believes he is in charge. He doesn’t need to provide you focus if he is giving the orders. So, just make sure it is your idea…

7. USE OF THE LEASH. This is an alternative to the standard correction of Stand/GRRR/Shake the bottle. It is based on redirection. Have the leash on him at different times of the day and especially when things may become highly engaged (crazy). An example of this is when you have friends over. If Prince starts to act up, calmly step on the handle part of the leash. Then, calmly pick up the leash and walk away from the area that has the distraction. Stay cool, calm, and collected the entire time. Keep moving away until you see Prince is now calm and respectfully focused on you. This may be a few feet or across the house. Once this occurs, praise him and drop the leash. If you would like, also have him sit. This just reaffirms your leadership during the process.

8. UNDER FOOT. We tried to emulate this by having you open the refrigerator door under the assumption he would stick his nose in and be a pest. He did not comply. So, we had to verbally walk through this exercise. Again, think of this exercise as a boundary exercise. While you are opening the refrigerator (or doing anything where you don’t want him under foot), establish a no-dog-zone. If he enters or is quickly preparing to enter the zone, you need to face him, correct him, and direct him out of the zone. Once he is out of the zone and on the “good side” of your boundary, you can perform the action you had originally intended. Praise him once you are done. If he is “really crazy”, you may need a training buddy to act as the “corrector” as you are performing your originally intended action.

9. NIPPING. There are several scenarios we discussed here. If he is nipping as you are preparing to pet him, slow your movement towards him down. Also, have your hand approach him from under his head so that both you and Prince can have eye contact. This makes the entire process less adrenalized and allows you to observe his body language as you prepare to pet him. If you see any indication that he wants to give you a little nip or mouth, stop your movement and give him a slight verbal correction. If you are sitting and he just wants to come up to you to nip for the purpose of getting your attention, stand up, verbalize a GRRR, and use the shake bottle (if needed). This should take care of his inappropriate behavior. You can also use Bitter Apple to make your hand taste yucky.

10. RIDES IN THE CAR. You mentioned that Prince can sometimes be a little nervous or excited in the car. This is normally caused by a lack of complete socialization and feeling of safety in the car. We performed some tests with him in the car and he seemed pretty calm during our exercises of having him in the car, opening the garage door, and closing the car door. I suggest that you keep him in the back seat for safety reasons (air bag) and environmental reasons (the back seat isn’t as adrenalizing as the front seat). Take him on some short rides to allow him more experience in the car while not getting him too adrenalized over a prolonged ride.

These are all “puppy exercise’ instructions. As Prince improves, you should move your COME, SIT, and WALK exercises outside where there are more distractions. As long as you stay consistent, and calm, all should be fine.

Client: Marie Stovall
Visit Date: 4/1/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Nips at you and shows teeth. Jumps. Bites hand. — Training Notes:

Sammy is a really great dog. Although he has shown that he is headstrong and wants to be the leader, he has also shown that he is more than happy to relinquish that role and respectfully obey you as his leader, caregiver, and best friend.

The most important thing to remember with Sammy is that everything must be on your terms. This will establish you as the leader because you are the one delivering the orders and he is the one submitting to your wishes. This creates the environment of respectful focus that is key in appropriate training and direction.

Use your body language as the main form of communication with Sammy. Be calm, stand tall, and be confident in your actions. This is what he needs to see to recognize you as the leader.

Next, do not “use your words” when correcting. “No” is a word that you say many times a day; often not to him. You must use a unique sound so that he will understand HE is doing something wrong. We suggest the GRRR. It seemed to work well with him today. Whatever sound you choose is great as long as it gets his calm focus.

Finally, use your water bottle or the shake bottle to “ramp it up” in order to get his focus. Some of the exercises we worked on today were:

1) COME – Have the leash on Sammy when you perform this command. Step away to the length of the leash, stoop down low, and say COME. If he comes, that is great. Praise him and stand up. If he does not come, give the leash a slight tug and guide him to you. When he is by you, praise him and stand up.

2) SIT – Have the leash on him when you perform this command. Say SIT. If he sits, great. Praise him. If he does not sit, gently pull the leash up and back as you passively guide his hind quarters to the ground. Once his rear is on the ground, praise him.

3) WALK – Use the Easy Walk Harness (we used the Medium) to walk Sammy. You can practice inside, on your property, or on the street when all is quiet and there probably won’t be many cars. Keep him near you so that he is not pulling and is easily focused back to you. If he starts to stare too intently at something or starts to get to the end of the leash, give the leash a slight tug to direct his body and focus back to you.

4) WALK WITH CARS – This can be done if you are assured that he can properly walk with you on the Easy Walk Harness. Take him out when there are cars on your street. Start out by only going up and down a few houses so that you will not experience an overload of cars early on during the training. As you see cars approaching, direct him away and off the street. Move him off the street to a distance where he is not “locked onto the cars with his eyes” and over adrenalizing. Keep him focused on you as you present a calm demeanor and forthright presence. Once the car has passed and he is calm, continue your walk. You can also step on the leash at a point where he can’t jump or lunge to minimize his (or your) adrenaline.

5) JUMPING – Correct him with your Stand/GRRR/Squirt when he jumps on you. Praise him with your high voice once he is calmly on the ground. It is best if you can be proactive and catch him as he is about to jump. This is will send the most powerful message to Sammy that he is doing something wrong and “you know what he is about to do”.

6) USE OF LEASH – The leash is a wonderful tool that can be used for obedience commands as well as an alternative to your correction communication of Stand/GRRR/Squirt. Have the leash on him when you are home with him and he is generally around you. If he starts to break your rule (jumping, nipping, going nuts, etc.), you can calmly step on the leash to take control of the situation. The great thing about this is that you do not have to approach him. You are approaching the “handle end” of the leash that is six feet away from him. Once you step on the leash, you can now observe and determine if he is calming down or if more action is needed. If needed, pick up the leash and calmly walk him in a neutral direction until he is calm and no longer breaking your rule. Praise him and drop the leash.

7) BATH TIME – Sammy is afraid of water and the bath requires water. The goal here is to slowly introduce the bath elements to Sammy in a way that he doesn’t freak out by being dropped in a tub of water. Start by putting Sammy in an empty tub. You may even give him a treat so that he thinks the tub is a cool place. Now, gently rub a dry sponge across him so he becomes comfortable to the sensation of a sponge on his fur. Now, add some water to the sponge and repeat. Continue until the sponge is completely wet. Now, start wetting the sponge with water from a hose so that he becomes used to the sight of a hose and it is not menacing or scary. Take a cup of water and very slowly pour it across his back to emulate “getting the soap out” and final rinse. Don’t go nuts when drying him off either. Also, it would be best to always keep him in the tub by using a leash.

8) DEER ANTLERS – You mentioned that he loves to destroy any toy you give him. We suggest deer alters. They are very safe, natural, and will last a very long time. All dogs love hard things to chew and deer antlers are the hardest bones out there. To make them a little bit more appealing, spray some low sodium chicken broth on them. Also, think about the black Kong toys. They are the ones that Kong has designed for heavy chewers like Sammy.

9) CHEWING – Sammy likes to chew things. The idea is to make those things no fun to chew. We suggest making them icky for him. Spray Bitter Apple on things such as his leash. Next, gingerly spray a very small amount (1/4 squirt) into his mouth. The mist from the spray should touch his taste buds and have them say “icky”. This is the first step in letting him know that the stuff (like his leash) is not fun to chew. If you need to ramp it up, try tabasco sauce, jalapeno sauce, or habanero sauce (in that order). Some dogs have a little more tolerance for icky stuff. You need to find that horizon where Sammy finally says “icky, we are done here”.

We didn’t get through all our school in a day and neither will Sammy. Take it slow and stay consistent. This will build up the needed repetition that will allow Sammy to successfully learn your rules and firmly establish you as his leader, care giver, and very best friend.

Client: Paris Kanan
Visit Date: 4/2/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training, General Puppy Training — Training Notes: Follow the potty training instructions we discussed. Leo can only hold it two to three hours at three months. Practice the Come, Sit, and walking with a long leash every day. Practice no more than about 15 to 20 minutes a day. This should be broken up into several sessions. This allows you to work on repetition and quality.

Client: Victoria Reilly
Visit Date: 4/5/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Potty training and basic commands. Mia and husband work from homw with two young children. — Training Notes: Mia is a great puppy and has shown that she has the ability to focus on you and learn your rules. The establishment of simple and consistent rules is the first thing you must do to insure a successful learning process. Next, you need to make sure you are the boss in Mia’s eyes. This means that everything is your idea. When she does something wrong, you must correct her at that exact moment in a way that allows her to give you her respectful focus. And, remember that canine communication based on body language. Being calm, tall, and resolute tells Mia you are the boss and the one she should obey.

During our lesson today, we reviewed:

1) POTTY TRAINING – The two big “take-aways” from potty training are to always have Mia in your sight and to never give her too much water. Failure of these two items will encourage Mia to wee-wee in the house and will not allow you to observe her accidents and create a plan to improve. It is important to make the place smell like her, clean up any potty accidents with the proper cleaners, and feed her a nutritious and healthy diet. You need to understand the times she naturally needs to go potty. These include a) at wake time, b) after meals, c) when going away, d) when coming home, e) after crazy play, f) last thing at night, and g) based on her age. You must have a schedule that you can follow and observe in order to track your correct and incorrect assumptions. Each day, you must learn from your actions to create a better plan for tomorrow. The other items we discussed today and the documentation in your folder and on-line will help supplement the process.

2) RUNNING OUT THE DOOR – You must always be facing her when you are about to open the door. This will allow you to see where she is and to show her you are the boss because you are showing your dominant side to her. If she is too close, correct her (Standing/Sound (GRRR)/Squirt) to direct her back away from you and the door. Once she is back, slowly open the door just enough for you to comfortably step through. You are still facing her. You should now finish by completely closing the door. You can come into the house by following this process as well.

3) SEPARATION ANXIETY – You mentioned that she goes a little crazy when you leave her in the crate in your bedroom and you leave the house. You also mentioned that she is fine in the crate when you are in the bedroom with her. This tells us that we need to teach her that the “space between those two activities” is also fine. We do this through a group of slow, consistent, linear lessons. First, step out of sight just for a moment and step back. If she starts to whine, correct. Repeat until she doesn’t whine and then increase the time out of sight.

Now, add some noises while you are out of sight. Practice this until she has no problem with you out of sight and she is in the crate in your bedroom. Now, have someone else go outside and get in the car and leave. You are still out of sight making sounds next to the bedroom. Correct her if she starts to whine. Once she is fine with the “leaving exercise”, continue the exercise except lower the amounts of sounds you are creating just out of sight.

When she is fine with the car leaving and no sounds, put everything together. You put her in the crate and leave the house. Still have someone just out of sight to correct her if she starts to whine. If, at any time, she gets too agitated, back up a few steps and find a place where she is calmly learning.

4) CHEWING – Use Bitter Apple or your correction to stop the chewing. Also get some deer antlers to give to her as she enters her teething stage. This will mitigate the chewing on you and your furniture and help relieve the pain of teething. Try and be proactive and correct her before she has her mouth wrapped around your hand and is chewing. This will make the correction process less adrenalized.

5) COME – Have the leash on her. Step to the end of the leash, go down low, and say Come. If she doesn’t move to you, give the leash a slight tug until she is in front of you. Praise her for a good job and stand up. You are done. Practice this for a few minutes several times a day.

6) WALK – Use the harness and the leash. You don’t need to have her walking perfectly with you. You simply need to have her move with you without pulling or playing with the leash. It is important that she is focused on you. If needed, tug the leash slightly to keep her around you. Initially practice in the house when things are calm. Practice this several minutes several times a day.

7) JUMPING – The correction (Stand/Sound/Squire Bottle or Shake Bottle) seemed to get her to quickly stop any instance of jumping. Once she is down and quiet, praise her. You are done.

8) SOCIALIZATION – We plan to use the leash and harness with her early training. It is important that she is comfortable in wearing them so that they do not become a distraction in the learning process. The simple thing to do is to put them on her every day. Extend the time she wears them and the frequency you put them on her. You know you are fine when she no longer fights having the harness put on her and she doesn’t seem distracted when wearing them.

9) MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – It is important that you establish that you are the one in charge. In Mia’s mind, the one in charge is the one that tells everyone else what to do. Make sure that everything you do with Mia is your idea. Don’t let her come over and nudge you to play with her. (The only exception to this is potty training. If she wants to go out to potty, let her…)

10) USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a great tool that can be used as an alternative and additional method of correction. Instead of correction, think of it as more a process of redirection. Place the leash on her and if she is starting to break your rules, step on the leash. If needed, pick up the leash and move her away from whatever distraction is causing her to break your rules. Calmly move away just like you are walking her. Once she is calm and respectfully giving you focus, praise her and drop the leash. You have successfully redirected her in a manner that allowed her to obey your rules.

Remember that training is a process that takes time. Being patient and focused will allow you and Mia to learn as fast as possible in order to gain the results you wish.

Client: Christian Barrenechea
Visit Date: 4/24/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Chews, barking, potty in house, lack of focus, come, walk, jumping, hyper with people, not always ok with other dogs — Training Notes: Remember that the first step in getting Jennie to obey and respect you is to have her respectful and calm focus. Since over 80% of Jennie’s communication is based on body language, you need start your communication process with proper body language. Stand tall, calm, and still. This projects assertive and resolute leadership and is something that all dogs understand.

Next, you will need to use your voice to help get her focus on you. As we discussed, use a unique sound that you will only use when she is doing something wrong and you need to teach her what is right. We suggest a low “grrrrr”. This is very unique, and most dogs respond to this sound. Any sound that gets her to look at you is fine, though.

If needed, next use the shake bottle to get her attention. Eventually, you won’t need the shake bottle because, through repetition and consistency, she “will learn the drill”.

During the lesson, we saw that she positively responded to this correction process when she was breaking your rules.

We also discussed the use of the leash to redirect her when she is doing something wrong. Have the leash on her when you are home and you feel you are entering into a time where she may misbehave. If she starts to go nuts or you believe she is about to break your rules, simply step on the leash. You now have contained her. If she is still being crazy, pick up the leash and calmly walk her to an area where she can focus on you. Once she is calm, praise her for being good, drop the leash, and go back to what you were doing.

A few items we discussed that will help with the training were:

1. EASY WALK HARNESS (MEDIUM) The harness will help you with the walking. This is because it will direct her from her chest and not from around the neck. This will diminish her natural tendency to pull away from you. It is readily available in pet stores and online. We should have a link to an online location on our web site.

2. BITTER APPLE This Is for the chewing. I left you a bottle at the end of our lesson. If needed, you should find this in the pet stores. If she doesn’t react to the Bitter Apple, I would then try Tabasco Sauce, then Jalapeno Sauce, and Habanero Sauce.

3. DEER ANTLERS These are great as a redirection for chewing. They are completely natural and safe for Jennie. They don’t get “stinky or gooey” like many other things she may chew. You can get them in the better pet stores. You don’t want anything fancy. What you buy should simply look like a deer antler that someone has cut into a small piece (about six to nine inches long). If the deer antler still has a sharp point on it, use a file to round off the point.

4. REGULAR LEASH AND COLLAR The leash you currently have is more like a cowboy’s lasso. It is good for quick containment, but not the most effective tool for training. We suggest getting a regular, six-foot leash and standard collar. Most regular collars are fine. From what I observed during our training, I don’t think you need a choke collar or prong collar. A nylon collar should be fine. We used a Martingale-style collar on her and she responded well.

Some of the exercises we discussed were:

1. JUMPING This seemed to be a big problem. She jumps because she wants to be dominant, be your boss, and have you do what she wants. You need to calmly “nip this in the bud”. Use your correction (Stand/Grrr/Shake Bottle)when she jumps or is about to jump. As we saw in the lesson, she goes to the ground and looks at you. You now have control and are the boss. Praise her in a high voice for doing the right thing.

You can also use the leash to stop the jumping. If you believe she is about to jump, step on the leash at a point where she can’t jump. She may try, but the short leash will only allow her a few inches off the ground. You are in control and having her do what you want (Don’t Jump).

2. BARKING We did not experience very much barking during the lesson. If she starts to bark, use your correction (Stand/Grrr/Shake Bottle) to have her focus back to you. You can also use the leash to direct her back to you and away from what is causing her to bark.

3. CHEWING This can be caused from boredom or as a reinforced habit that began during the teething process. If you see her starting to chew something, use your correction or the redirection of the leash to guide her to you and away from the chewing. As for the boys’ room, the best thing is to simply close the door. There are way too many “targets of opportunity” in their room.

You can also direct the chewing to something that you would allow her to chew. We suggest getting her a deer antler. This is a safe, natural, and non-icky item that will allow her to take part in her chewing activity without doing any damage to your stuff. To make the deer antler a little more inviting, we suggest getting some low sodium chicken broth and spraying that on the deer antler.

You can also mitigate the chewing by making a few of the things she chews distasteful to her. If the thing she wants to chew tastes bad, she won’t want to chew it (and there comes in the presentation of the deer antler). To make the item taste bad, we suggest starting with Bitter Apple (I left you a bottle of this). Spray the item with Bitter Apple. Let her go to it and she will notice that it tastes bad as she starts to grab it.

If the Bitter Apple doesn’t make her stop chewing the item, ramp it up with Tabasco Sauce. If that doesn’t work, step up to Jalapeno Sauce and then Habanero Sauce. In my experience, I have never had a dog like to chew something with Habanero Sauce on it. Remember that the items you are using are “test items” and you will probably throw them away when you gotten her to stop chewing.

4. POTTY You mentioned that she still has some pee accidents in the house. At one year of age, this is normally caused by specific situations. I suggested several things:
a) Only leave a very small bit of water down between meals. This will allow her to hydrate and not drink until she is bloated. If she has been outside in the heat, give her extra water.
b) If she has been playing actively in the house, take her out. The excited play speeds up the metabolism and the calm time afterwards relaxes the bladder muscle. This encourages a pee accident.
c) If she has made pee accidents in the house now or previously, clean that up with an enzyme cleaner such as Natures Miracle or Vinegar. Soak the area, place some paper towels over the wet area, and put something heavy on that.
d) Keep an eye on her to see when and if she does make an accident. This will help you see where you see where you may need to clean up an accident and could also suggest that you may need to get her out more often at that particular time.

5. OFF SOFA If she jumps on the sofa, step and pick up the leash. Correct her and then guide her off by tugging the leash. Be calm during the process and praise her when she is back on the ground. If you are already sitting on the sofa, remember that you can’t do anything until you have stood up. This body language event will establish your leadership and right to correct. Whatever you do, don’t get mad or get crazy.

6. CRATE SOCIALIZATION You mentioned that she barks a lot if you have her in the crate in the bedroom at night. You need to make the crate a happy place. This will tell her that whenever she is in the crate, things will be fine and she will have an enjoyable experience. Start using the wire crate as her “place”. Have the crate where the family normally congregates during the day so she will always be engaged in the social activities of the family with the crate. Feed her in the crate or put her toys or goodies in the crate. Play with her while she is in the crate and you are sitting at the door. Close the crate door from time to time for a little bit and then open it. Extend the time you leave the crate door closed. Clean the crate on a regular basis. All these things make the crate similar to a “security blanket” for her. She will eventually love to crate and naturally want to be there. This process can take several weeks.

7. CRAZY WITH PEOPLE Have the leash on her when people come over. If she starts to get adrenalized, hyper energetic, or too focused on “the other people”, step on the leash, pick it up, and direct her away. We saw how this worked with the boys coming over. As the leash comes effective and you can easily get her focus, you can change your process from using the leash to simply the (Stand/Grrr/Shake Bottle).

8. USE OF LEASH We have already mentioned the use of the leash in other exercises. The point of the leash is to give you a “Plan B” if your straight correction action (Stand/Grrr/Shake Bottle) is ineffective. Have the leash on her at different times during the day when you are home and you believe she may get into a “rule breaking mode”. As soon as she starts to act up, calmly step on the end of the leash. She will reach the end of the leash and look back at you. You should be calm, standing tall, and have your foot on the leash. You are the boss. If she is still acting up, calmly pick up the leash and walk her in a direction away from the inappropriate event. You can stop when you see she is calm. Praise her for now obeying you and drop the leash.

9. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR This is basically a boundary exercise. When you are letting people in the house, you don’t want her going nuts, jumping on them, and breaking your rules. You need to pick one action that creates the “you are breaking my rule” scenario. We like to use the concept that if she is not in the vicinity of the front door, she can’t jump on your guests. So, all you will want is to have her stay back a sufficient distance to allow you to let your guests in. We normally suggest creating a boundary from six to ten feet. If she stays farther away, that is fine.

Go to the door. If she is there, use your correction or leash action to direct her away. Face her to make sure she is no longer moving “across your boundary”. Correct and redirect her again, if needed. Now, while still facing her, slowly open the door and let your guests inside. Close the door and praise her for obeying your rule and not going nuts at the front door.

10. WALK We strongly suggest that you use the EASY WALK HARNESS (MEDIUM) when you want to walk her on a leash. Go in the back yard when it is calm and walk her for ten to twenty feet in one direction, turn and return. As long as she is not pulling on the leash, that is fine. You want her “moving with close by” like you would a friend as you are walking down the street. Once she is focused on you and not pulling at this distance, extend the distance of the walk until you can walk all over the back yard and she is around your side. It does not matter what side she is on or even if she changes sides from time to time. The important thing is that she is calmly focused on you and moving with you as per your direction.

11. COME At the current time, the only time you say “COME” is when she in on a leash. Put her on a leash, step back the length of the leash (six feet), stoop down low, and then give her the command “COME”. If she moves to you, praises her and stand up. If she isn’t paying attention, slightly tug the leash in your direction to guide her to you. Once she reaches you, praise her for obeying your command and stand up. Once she comes to you without any tugging from six feet, get longer and longer leashes or ropes until she is twenty or thirty feet away from you. When she is always coming to you from that distance, practice without the leash.

Practice a little bit every day and always remember that you need to be in charge so that you will maintain her focus. As we discussed, the most important part of being a teacher and successfully educating your student is the ability to calmly get your student’s focus.

Client: Robert Urland
Visit Date: 5/2/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 320
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Rescue from Dawsonville 3 yr ago, bring another dog, goes crazy with other dogs, nuts at the door bell, plays with rope toys in the house

Training Notes: Frances is really a great dog. Although she initially was very protective and territorial when I came in, she quickly adjusted her position to accepting me into her territory. This shows that she is naturally territorial but not unusually aggressive and reactive.

One of the most important notes that you should take away from today’s session is that you need to be calm and always in charge. As the leaders, it is your jobs to show Frances that she is always protected and loved. This is done by making clear and consistent rules. This gives her clear direction without confusion. You must always be the one telling her what to do. She can not tell you what to do. The reason is that the boss creates and administers the rules. You must be the boss.

Your main goal in the educational process is to get her respectful focus. This can be anything as long as it does not hurt, scare, or frighten her. If she is any of these things, she will not learn. You must correct her in the act of breaking your rules and praise her the moment she is no longer breaking your rules. This gives her immediate and appropriate direction.

Use your body language as your main communication tool. Stay calm and stand tall and you will do well. Do not become adrenalized. If needed, next ramp it up by using your vocals. Use any unique and consistent tone (GRRR, etc) that causes her to stop what she is doing and to calmly look back and give you focus. Finally, if needed, use the shake bottle to ramp up the sound to focus on you.

First let’s talk about the use of the leash. This is a “Plan B” to the correction (Stand/GRRR/Shake Bottle). When Frances starts to break your rules, calmly step on the end of the leash. If needed, pick up the leash and calmly walk her away from what is causing her to break your rule. Once she is calm and focused on you, praise her and drop the leash. You have successfully redirected her into obeying your rules.

The redirection should work great when the doorbell rings and she starts barking. Step on the leash and calmly direct her until she is no longer barking and focuses on you. You have shown her that you have taken charge.

When people come over, have her away until things calm down. Inform your guests not to engage her even if she wants to be petted or jumps on them. If Frances does anything wrong (breaking your rules), you must correct her. In these instances, the leash is normally the best tool for the job.

Walking outside is a big deal. We suggest that you practice this with the Easy Walk Harness AND her collar. This will allow you to double-leash as we performed today. The person with the leash attached to the Easy Walk harness will be the “main driver”.

This person will direct the walk and be the first to correct and redirect. The person with the leash attached to the collar (we suggest having two leashes tied together to have that person at a slightly greater distance to Frances) will act as support. Make sure the collar and Easy Walk Harness are tightly attached to Frances.

Start the walk when there are no distractions. This gets Frances used to the double-leash routine. Walk around the park or down to the golf course. Once this action becomes uneventful, ramp it up. Start to walk when there are some other people with dogs or golf carts with dogs. Don’t do this at the “busy times”.

As the person/dog approaches, guide Frances away from their direct approach. Keep her focused on you. If needed, continue to move until she is focused on you and not barking frantically at the person/dog. Once the person/dog has passed, continue your walk.

If the person/dog seems calm and agreeable, see if Frances will calmly approach the other dog for a “sniff”. If either she or the other dog show signs of heightened adrenaline or aggressive dominance, back both of them off and end the “meet and greet”. If they seem fine, allow them to sniff. Make sure that both owners are positioned to remove their dog if needed. This means that the leashes are never tangled, or the dogs are in a position where the leashes could become easily tangled.

This could be a slow process and there could be setbacks. The most important thing to remember is to never push the walk or any meet and greet. Frances needs to become comfortable with her surroundings and comfortable that her territory is being protected by you and that the other dogs are not a threat. This can only be accomplished through slow repetition and consistent interactions.

As things improve, you can try taking her out for walks during times of “higher dog traffic”. Remember that small dogs will often be the biggest problem because of their adrenalized state and the fact that most small dog owners do not like large dogs, in general.

Because of our immediate proximity, we are more than happy to stop over with another one of our dogs for another walkies. If you and another neighbor want to have a meet and greet and need another set of eyes to make sure things will go well, we are more than happy to help.

Client: Debbie Huppert
Visit Date: 5/7/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 319
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: walking on a leash, dog barking, goes after other dogs, bring our dog

Training Notes:
Milo is a great puppy and needs to understand that you are the boss. When Milo understands that you are the boss, he will naturally provide you with the respectful focus you require to guide him in the right direction.

We strongly suggest that you use the Easy Walk Harness when you are walking him. This harness naturally directs him back to you instead of simply pulling ahead. We also suggest using the technique of “double leashing”. This is where one of you has a leash attached to his Easy Walk Harness (Driver) and the other has a leash attached to his collar (Backup/Shotgun).

If Milo starts to get too focused on something or starts to adrenalize, the Driver can correct and redirect. If additional help is needed, the Backup can assist. You could think of this as “productive double teaming”. Also, if the Backup sees something that would require a correction, he/she can initiate the action and the other can then join in. It is simply “putting a second set of eyes” into the equation.

When it comes to walking, always maintain a close examination of your surroundings for anything that could cause heightened, adrenalized, misplaced focus by Milo. Try and redirect him away from those things before he starts to ramp up.

Correct and use the leash to direct him away from the distraction and towards you. You must stay calm and collected at all times. This is why we have provided a “backup” via the “double leashing” technique. You always have a helper.

Direct Milo away from the issue until he has become calm and is focused on you. This could be a longer distance during the early stages of his “training journey”. As he becomes more familiar with the distractions around him and you become more attuned to your correction timing, you won’t need to correct or redirect as often.

Always face Milo as you are answering the front door. He needs to know that you “still really mean it” and this is done through the continual, dominant stance of directly addressing (facing) him. Use the squirt bottle and your voice to keep him away from the door and behind a boundary you have established. Always praise him when the person is inside and the door is closed.

You are the boss. Because of that, everything must be your idea. Do not let Milo tell you what to do. This can be as simple as him coming over to you and giving your hand a “nose nudge” for a pet. If you respond and pet him, you have obliged his order. He is the boss. Ignore him for a second, and if you want to pet him, then call him to you for a pet.

Practice COME with a leash. This assures that you will always end up with a successful teaching moment. Hold the leash and move back to the extent of its length. Stoop down and give the COME command (only once). If he comes, praise him and stand up. If he does not come, give the leash a slight tug towards you (teaching moment). Once he arrives next to you, praise him and stand up.

The SIT command should also be done on the leash. This makes sure that he can’t simply run away and the leash can also be used to help guide him into a sit. Have him next to you and give the SIT command. If his rear goes down to the ground, praise him. He remains standing, slightly tug up and back on the leash. This gets him slightly off balance and diverts his center of gravity behind his hind quarters. At the same time, use your other hand to gently guide his rear down. “Guide”, but don’t push. Since he is already off balance, gravity should do most of the work in getting his rear to the ground. Praise him.
STAY is really “sit a long time”. You can only accomplish this command after Milo has successfully mastered SIT. So, the first part of the STAY command is successfully executing the SIT command. Once Milo is sitting, hold your hand out towards MILO “like a traffic cop” and command STAY. Face him and stay still. Count to five (in your head) and then praise him. Once he can do this, take a few steps back after you issue the STAY command. Increase your distance from him and the duration of the exercise slowly as he masters the previous requirements.

Remember that the learning process for dogs (and humans) is successful when it is structured in a slow, consistent, and repetitive nature. If Milo isn’t getting a command or won’t focus on you, take a few steps back to a point where he was being successful in the training process or you had the ability to effectively gain his respectful focus.

Client: Adam Thompson
Visit Date: 5/11/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Leash walking, come, stay, no jumping, leave it, no biting,lays down when they eat

Training Notes:
River is a very well rounded and socially active puppy. Besides this, he has the ability to take commands and provide respectful focus. These are very good things. When he was outside with our dogs, we could clearly see his ability to role play “leader and follower” with all the energy you would expect from a puppy. When inside, he would “switch hats” and be more focused and respectful of our leadership and direction.

Always be in control when you are working or directing River. This means that all your exercises must initially be done with a leash. This will allow you to calmly direct, guide and teach him as needed. Start your exercises inside when it is calm. This minimizes external stimuli that would cause you to lose his attention. Always praise him immediately when he has done the right thing as a reinforcement of your guidance and his success.

Once he is “always getting it” inside, you need to advance him to a higher challenge. This involves introducing additional redirected stimuli that could cause him to lose focus on your commands. The purpose of this is to make sure that he “really gets what he needs to do”.

This introduction of additional stimuli can be accomplished by taking your exercises outside in the back yard. There are more noises and sights that may cause him to lose focus. Repeat your exercises in this environment until he is always behaving, and all your exercises can be performed with minimal or no correction.

The Easy Walk Harness is a great tool for walking and is something we strongly recommend using. Almost all walking problems are physically displayed by your dog pulling. The Easy Walk Harness effectively minimizes this by attaching to River’s chest. When he starts to pull, he is directed to face you. You are now in full view and you can use your correction techniques to regain his focus for proper direction.

Always remember that the educational process is ongoing. You need to work with River for about 15 to 20 minutes daily to have him advance. Be consistent and repetitive in your practice. As with any learning process, some days will be better than others. Never become mad or adrenalized when he “isn’t getting it”. Focus on the next small step you need to accomplish and calmly work towards achieving that step.

Client: Wendy Wilson
Visit Date: 5/17/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 320
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: potty, pulling on leash

Training Notes:
Lucy was very well behaved at today’s lesson and responded very well to the corrections and the direction to obedience commands. The important thing to remember is that you must be the boss in order to have Lucy focus on your commands. We discussed that being the boss does not mean that you need to scare her or frighten her. You must simply have the ability to get her respectful focus. At that point you have the ability to direct her to do the right thing.

We reviewed the entire Potty Training program. The important things to remember are to manage the water and to always keep her in your sight. “Number One” accidents are the most common issues in the house and they are caused by the release of a full bladder. If you give her too much to drink and don’t let her out, she will potty. Manage what you give her by limiting her between meal water to only an inch of water in her bowl. Refill the bowl only after she has consumed all the water. Continue this process. If she potties, increase the length of time you are allowing the bowl to be empty before you refill it.

You also need to watch her when she is inside. She must never be out of your sight. If you need to do something where you can’t closely watch her, put her in her crate. This will allow you to see if she makes an accident in the house, observe what happens, and gain valuable insight into what you may do next time to minimize or eliminate the event.

The rest of the potty training focuses around her schedule and your vigilance in managing the schedule and improving the schedule based on your current observations.

We also worked on several obedience exercises. They were:

COME. Start this in the house with a six foot leash. Go to the end of the leash, stoop down, and say Come. If she comes, praise her and stand up. If she doesn’t come, give the leash a slight tug in your direction and passively guide her towards you. Once she is always coming from six feet, extent the length of the exercise to ten, fifteen, and twenty feet. Once she is coming from twenty feet in the house; start the process over again from six feet in the back yard. Once she is coming from twenty feet in the back yard, go back inside and remove the leash.

SIT. Lucy is a puppy and the Sit command is normally a difficult one for them to quickly master. Practice the command using the same technique we used today. Have the leash on her. Say Sit. It her rear goes down to the ground, praise her. If she does not sit, pull the leash up and back slightly. Use your other hand to gently guide her rear down towards the ground. Do not push on her hips. Let her “off balance” from the upwards and backwards motion of the leash and the force of gravity do most of the work in getting her rear to sink.

WALK. We saw that the Easy Walk Harness went a long way in getting Lucy to walk well. Practice in the house with short walks around the room. Have her sit when you stop (just to kill two birds with one stone). Extend the length and change the path of the walks. She doesn’t need to be right next to you. She needs to be near you, giving you focus, and not pulling away. Once this is going well, repeat the process in the back yard.

JUMPING/BARKING. Lucy did not display any form of jumping or barking while I was there today. As I mentioned, use the correction of Stand/Sound(I used the GRRRR)/Shake Bottle -or- Squirt Bottle to correct her and get her focus to stop these actions.

USE OF THE LEASH. We discussed using the Stand/GRRR/Shake Bottle as a “Correction Method” to get her focus in order to stop a bad behavior. We can also deploy a re-directive method to accomplish the same thing. Clip the leash on Lucy when you believe you are entering a time where she may misbehave (guests are coming over). If she starts to misbehave, simply step on the handle-end of the leash. Calmly pick up the leash and walk her away from the inappropriate distraction until she is calm and focused on you. Praise her and drop the leash. She is now obeying your rule through the use of the redirection.

MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR. Never let her tell you what to do (unless she is trying to tell you she needs to go potty). You are the boss. You set the rules. You give the orders. Just make sure that everything you do with Lucy is your idea and not her idea. This helps maintain her focus on you.

Client: Allie Muller
Visit Date: 5/18/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 340
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Bites, walking, barks at dogs, nips, pants in car — Training Notes: Practice what we reviewed today when we brought Joy back from her Board and Train program.

Client: Beau Woodruff
Visit Date: 5/24/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 400
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Heinz goes crazy when meets people. Wants Brinlkey as a service dog

Training Notes:
Heinz and Brinkley are very good dogs with a great deal of potential. The problem was that, up until this morning, they were never properly told not do so stuff. In some ways, as we discussed, you were unknowingly encouraging the exact behavior you were trying to dispel.

The great news is that both dogs showed the ability to easily and willingly take commands and direction. This is key in order to attain their respectful focus and have them view you as their leader and caregiver.

Remember that all your rules must be simple and consistent. After that, you must always lead by having everything your idea. This will have Heinz and Brinkley look towards you for what to do next. You must correct them the moment they break your rules in a calm and non-threatening manner with the goal of having them give you respectful focus and the submission for teaching and guidance.

Finally, you must communicate with them through your body language first. Standing tall and calm are most important. Next, you must use your voice and create a sound that is unique to them when correcting. If ramping it up is required, we saw that the passive physical technique involving the water bottle was very effective with both the pups.

Some of the things we covered today included:

COME – Only do this when you have them on a leash. Go down low and say Come once. If they move to you, praise them with a high-pitched sound and then stand up. If they do not move to you, slightly tug the leash in your direction. When they reach you, praise them and stand up. Practice this inside until they are coming almost all of the time. Next go outside and continue the practice with the leash. You can elevate the exercise by getting a 30-foot training lead and practice come with that.

SIT – They sit pretty will in the house. Practice this on the leash. Cay Sit once. If they sit, praise them for doing a great job. If they don’t sit, pull the leash up and back over their head to get them off balance and moving backwards. Use your other hand to guide their rear end to the ground. Do not push down. Let gravity do the work. If they just don’t want to go down, don’t force it. You can always work on it later.

If they are outside and don’t want to sit, this is OK. This is because going into a sit position is a very passive/submissive act. If they are not completely comfortable with things going on outside, they may not want to “let their guard down” that much.

STAY – You can only work on this when they have successfully mastered Sit. Put them in a sit. Next take one step back while facing them. At the same time, hold your hand out like a traffic cop and say Stay. Wait for three or four seconds and then praise them. Continue this process while extending the time. If they move, walk them around the room, put them back in a Sit, and start the Stay again.

After they have mastered the Stay close to you, slowly move farther away while still holding the leash. Always face them and hold your hand out. Eventually, you may need a training lead when you are farther and farther away.

WALK – Use the Easy Walk Harness when walking. It isn’t important that they are always “right next to you”. What is important is that they are not pulling and will always give you focus if you slightly tug on the leash and/or give your correction sound. Let them sniff from time to time because they are dogs and that is what they do. To keep things interesting and to affirm that they are “still paying attention to you”, change direction and speed from time to time to make sure that they will adjust accordingly. Initially, walk them one at a time. This will allow you to focus on the needs and behaviors of each dog the moment your actions are required.

JUMPING – The correction and especially the water bottle activity of the correction seemed to be very effective to get them to stop jumping. You can also use the leash (attached to their collar) to minimize or eliminate the jumping. All you need to do is to step on the leash at a point that will hinder any height if they try to jump. Whatever you do, don’t become adrenalized during this process.

FRONT DOOR – This is a great exercise to make guests happy with you and to help “set the scene” of how you want your dogs to behave when guests come over. When answering the door, keep them behind a specific boundary before you open the door. Don’t rush to the door; you will get there when you get there. Once you arrive, use your correction and water bottle to assure they are behind a boundary away from the door. Always face them. Once they are back and calm, open the door (still facing them) and let your guests in. Close the door and praise them. They are now, and only now; allowed to cross the boundary. Continue up the stairs, correcting them if they get too much under foot or crazy.

FOLLOW THRU DOOR – It is said that “The Leader Always Leads”. When you have them on a leash to go outside, take them to the front door and put them in a sit/stay. Open the door and you step out first while they are still immobile and inside. Now, invite them to join you outside. They must calmly pass through the doorway and then stop on the outside. If they sit, that is great; but not required.

MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – You are the boss and you can not let your dogs tell you what to do. Everything must be on your terms and because you directed them. So, just make sure “it is your idea”.

USE OF THE LEASH – This is the “redirection method” of successfully correcting them. If the “Stand/GRRR/Squirt” correction just isn’t working, this is your “Plan B”. Put the leash on them whenever you think you are coming up to a time of possible misbehavior and/or increased adrenaline. Having guests over would be one of those times. So, put the leash on and let them move around freely with the leash. If they start to misbehave and break a rule, calmly step on the handle part of the leash.

At this point, you are in full control. If you have not gotten their respectful focus, calmly pick up the leash and walk them away from the inappropriate distraction. Be calm as you walk them away. Once you see they are now focused on you, stop and praise them for not doing the bad thing. Drop the leash.

MALL – We took Brinkley to the Mall today and he did very well. The things to remember are that you should only take one dog to the Mall at a time. This allows you to totally focus on one dog and one teaching moment. Calmly walk him with multiple little tugs and corrections to have him look back to you and understand that you are the leader.

If someone wants to pet him, have them stay still and let your dog approach. If your dog just becomes too hyper, it might not be a good time. If he gets a little animated, use your correction and tug to regain focus. Once he has reached the person, have him sit; if possible. Ask the person to extend their hand for a “back of the hand sniff”. If all is still going well, have them slowly move their hand around your dog’s face (not in front) to the top of the head or neck when they can now pet him.

AKC CANINE GOOD CITIZEN – We went over most of the requirements today and you also have a brochure listing the ten things that your dogs need to accomplish to be awarded the certificate. These ten “tests” include:

1) Accepting a Friendly Stranger
2) Sitting Politely for Petting
3) Appearance and Grooming
4) Out for a Walk
5) Walking Through a Crowd
6) Sit, Down, Stay
7) Come when Called
8) Reaction to Another Dog
9) Reaction to Distractions
10) Supervised Separation

As I mentioned earlier, we already reviewed most of these items in today’s lesson. You just need to work on them to make sure that they are ready for “prime time”

As with all of these exercises, it is important that you practice every day. Dogs learn through consistency and repetition. This is the exact same method that we used to learn our “times tables”. Practice ten to twenty minutes a day. Don’t do it all the time. Break up the exercises into “impromptu pop-quizzes”. This is the most effective way of learning. Also, remember that the “Behavior Issues” are enforced 24×7 the moment they occur.

Have your dog walker use the Easy Walk Harness, if possible. If the dogs start to get a little “out of hand with them”, we will be happy to talk with them to make sure everything is fine.

Client: Angela Goss
Visit Date: 6/6/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Got from football player at Clemson. Jumps, tears things up, needs commands, jumps, chews, gets on the sofa, chews on the leash, destroys the deck, gets out of her tether on deck, bites and snips when wants attention, doesn’t like crate, very protective, demanding, doesn’t like to go outside when raining

Training Notes:
Zoe is a very well mannered and happy dog. She is a puppy and is also “all Dobie”. This means that she is very excitable and is a natural “life of the party”. These all tend to have her demand attention from you on her terms. This, of course, is a behavioral issue that we addressed. The good news is that she was naturally submissive and easily provided respectful focus when properly engaged.

Some of the general concepts that we covered today included your need to create simple and consistent rules for Zoe. Rules such as “not jumping”, “off the sofa”, and “no counter surfing or demanding of food” are examples of some of the rules we set today. Next, you must not let her tell you what to do. You must be the boss and the one who always demands focus and respect.

Once we established you as the boss with a list of simple and consistent rules, we continued to review the teaching process. Simply put, you must always correct her the moment she breaks a rule through a process that does not hurt, harm, or scare her. The one and only goal of this process is to attain her respectful focus. From there, she is obeying your rule, or you can easily direct her to obey your rule. You then praise her for a good job, and you are done.

Finally, we reviewed the communication process. This is key during the “Correction Phase” of the teaching process. Its purpose is to get her respectful focus; as mentioned above. Body language is most important and the key to successful body language is staying calm and standing tall. From body language, we escalated the process through verbal communication. The key here is that we must use unique sounds to get Zoe’s attention. Words can be conflicting and nonspecific.

To continue and ramp up the communication process (beyond body language and vocal), we discussed passive physical communication. In regard to Zoe, we demonstrated the use of the squirt bottle or chain shake. Zoe responded well to either tool.

The one critical aspect of the communication process is that you must engage everything in unison. This means that you must use your body language, verbal tones, and passive physical actions at the same time. For example, if Zoe is starting to jump on you, you need to stand, make your sound (i.e. GRRR) and shake the Gatorade bottle all at the same time.

Now, let’s discuss some of the exercises we worked on today:

SOFA – It is important that you have the leash on Zoe when you guys are around the house. If Zoe starts to jump on the sofa, stand up and step on the leash. Now pick up the end of the leash, command her to get down, and then give the leash a tug to guide her to the ground. Praise her once she is calm on the ground.

If Zoe is still adrenalized, you can walk her around the room for a moment using the leash. Once she is calm, praise her, drop the leash, calmly walk back to the sofa, and sit down. If Zoe approaches, stand up (assertive/dominant body language) and verbalize a correction sound. If she jumps up, repeat the leash process mentioned earlier.

If she is still obstinate and jumps up, stand up and guide her off with the leash. Put your foot on the leash at a point where she in unable to jump back on the sofa. Now, calmly sit back down on the sofa. Since she has now way to get back up, you will quickly see her submit and just lie at your feet.

COUNTER SURF (TREATS) – Make sure that all your food is out of Zoe’s reach when you are not around. A dog’s natural instinct is that if food is available and not claimed by the leader (you), if is fair game for them. With this said, if she jumps on the counter when you are in close proximity to the food, correct with your Stand/GRRR/Squirt to have her go back to the floor. Praise her once she has all four paws on the floor and had stopped trying to jump for the food.

In regard to her bad behavior with the treats; it is important that you are calm and completely in charge of providing her treats at your discretion. Once you are by the treats, face her and make sure she is back and calm. If she is jumping or animated, correct her. Now, slowly take a treat out of the bag and hold it slightly below chest level. This allows her to see the treat, but she is not encouraged to jump for it.

Correct her at any time she starts to become adrenalized or too animated. Step on the leash at a point where she can not jump just to be sure she won’t “try anything” as you are giving her the treat. Now, slowly give her the treat. Praise her once everything is done for being a polite little girl.

Remember, if at any time she is just too crazy, don’t give her a treat. Put it away and walk out of the kitchen. “You have decided” that it is not a good time for a treat.

BACK YARD – This is the process of taking her out the back door, across the deck, down the stairs, across the yard, and into her fenced area. The important point here is to keep it slow and calm. For the immediate future, I suggest having two leashes on her for this process. One leash is for you to hold (in the classic manner) and the other is to drag on the ground and used to step on to hold her in place.

Start in the house with the leash and take her to the back door. Put her in a sit or calm stand as you open the back door. You will step out first and then invite her out. Have her stop and sit or calmly stand. Do not proceed until she is calm.

Just for interest, I suggest spraying Bitter Apple on the leash near the top (her collar) and give her a little spray into her mouth. This will immediately confirm that grabbing the leash in her mouth is a yucky thing.

Calmly walk her across the deck to the top of the stairs. Stop there to confirm she is calm. Now, walk down the stairs. Do not let her pull or tug you. If she does, go back up the stairs and start again when she is calm. Once at the bottom of the stairs, pause again to assure she is calm and focused.

Now, start to slowly walk across the yard to the back fence. Correct her with a tug on the leash and your correction sound if she starts to become too animated and adrenalated. You can also step on the secondary leash to contain her (no jumping or moving). Once she is calm, you can continue down the hill.

Continue this process until you have let her in the back fenced area. Follow this same procedure when you are taking her back to the house.

TIE DOWNS (TETHERS) – You currently have one tether in the back. We discussed having two tethers. One is in the middle of the yard with enough rope to allow Zoe to run about but not get to the deck or anything else that could cause her to become wrapped up. The second tether would be in the middle of the deck with enough rope to allow her to move around the deck but not reach any edge or wall.

GETTING OUT OF LEASH – I suggested getting a latch (attached example to email of one of mine) that Zoe can not open. Once she has discovered that she “can’t get out”, she should stop trying and calm down. This is the technique I used with our Shepherd when she could escape from anything.

You would use this latch to attach the tether to Zoe’s collar.

USE OF LEASH – This is a secondary correction method for Zoe. Think if it as a redirection whenever she is doing something that is breaking your rules. Have the leash on her whenever you think you are getting to a time where she may be overly rambunctious or mischievous. As soon as she breaks your rule or is about to break your rule, step on the leash.

If she is still adrenalized or not giving your focus, pick up the leash and walk away from whatever is causing her problem. You may only need to take a few steps or walk out of the room. During the entire process, stay calm and in control. Once she is giving you respectful focus, praise her and drop the leash.

MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – This is s biggie. You must always be the boss, and everything must be your idea. Do not let Zoe tell you what to do. Everything must be on your terms.

For example, if Zoe comes up to you with the pig to play, ignore her. Once she has turned away, you can call her back over to play with her. The difference is the engagement is now on your terms, not Zoe’s.

FOLLOW THRU DOOR – This is a detail to the Back-Yard Exercise. Remember that you always need to go through the door first. This is because you are the boss and the leader. Have her on a leash and calmly approach the door. Place her in a sit or stationary stand as you open the door. She can not be moving at this time.

Now, you step through the door while facing Zoe. Invite her out and place her in a sit or stationary stand. Praise her.

WALK – Get the EASY WALK HARNESS (Size Medium). Walk her with this harness. If she starts to pull, slightly tug on the leash to guide her back to you. As I mentioned on our walk, I like to give the dog as much freedom as possible as long as they are still giving me focus, paying attention, and not pulling. This is like having a nice walk with a friend.

Start out on shorter walks with Zoe. Let her get used to the sights and smells of the neighborhood and neighbors close to you before you venture out further. This will allow her to reinforce her sense of safety with you and your direct surroundings. Expand your walk slightly every day to add some more things for her to see, smell, and hear.

Try and walk during quieter and cooler times. This will minimize distractions that could frighten her or cause her to misbehave.

SIT – Have the leash on Zoe and command her to Sit. If she sits, praise her. If she does not sit, pull the leash up and behind her head so that she is reared up and leaning back slowly. This should be a calm and slight movement not intended to frighten or “hang her”.

As you are raising the leash, she should start to become off balanced to the rear. Use your other hand to guide (not push) her rear end downward and backward. She should naturally go down into a sit. Praise her.

JUMPING – This is caused by Zoe being excited and wanting attention. Stay calm, stand up, use your correction sound (I use GRRRR) and use the squirt bottle. (I normally find that the squirt bottle is more effective for the jumping than that shaky.) Once she has returned to the ground, praise her.

You can also use the leash to stop her from jumping. Step on the leash at a point that takes away her ability to jump. She may try, but only get a few inches off the ground. She will quickly submit and will often lie down at your feet.

COME – Practice this while you have the leash on Zoe. Start the exercise inside where you are in control of everything. Go out to the length of the leash, kneel down, and say Come. If she comes to you, praise her and then stand up. If she does not come to you, use the leash to slightly tug her in your direction until she is beside you. Praise her when she has reached you. Now, stand up.

Once Zoe is coming to you all the time with the six-foot leash, extent the length to ten, fifteen, and twenty feet. Repeat the above process until she is coming to you all the time from the longest length with now need for encouragement.

Now, go outside in the back yard (I suggest the fenced part) and repeat the above process. You may want to get an even longer lead to extend the exercise to thirty feet or longer.

Now you are ready for the final test. Take Zoe back inside and practice the Come exercise without the leash. When she will come to you from any part of the house without a leash, you can move on. If she is still having some problems, use the leash for a bit to reinforce the command.

Finally, go back outside to the fenced yard and start having her come to you without the leash from a close distance. Slowly extend the distance.

Practice your obedience exercises for short periods every day. You may practice the Come exercise for two or three minutes at a time, wait a bit, and then practice the Sit exercise for a few times. Don’t spend more than 20 minutes a day on all the obedience exercises. This does not hold true for the Walk or Back Yard exercises.

Your behavior exercises are engaged because Zoe is breaking your rule. You must enforce these every time a rule is broken twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Client: Linda Lawrence
Visit Date: 6/8/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
General behavior, come, walk, no jump, potty

Training Notes:
Practice the exercises we reviewed this evening. Always make sure it is your idea with Darlene. Stand tall when correcting or commanding. Use your deep voice for correction and use the water bottle if you need to ramp it up.

Client: Patti Summey
Visit Date: 6/14/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Please remember the general points we discussed today. There were to:

1. Only say your command once
2. Give your command clearly and in a regular voice and tone
3. Always be in control of the situation. Think about what you are about to do before you do it. Ask yourself the question “Is there anything that Kaiser could do that would keep me from having control of the final outcome?” If the answer is “yes”, change the variables of the situation to assure a successful resolution on your part.

Some of the exercises that we worked on today were:
1. COME. Always perform it with a leash on Kaiser. Go to the extent of the leash, lower hour height, and give the command (Come). If Kaiser moves to you, praise him and stand up. If Kaiser disobeys, correct him and give the leash a slight tug to guide him to you. Once he reaches you, praise him and stand up.
2. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR. You must always open the door with Kaiser staying away from the front door. Practice this several times a day. When the doorbell rings or someone knocks, calmly go to the door. It is not a race with Kaiser. Once you are there and Kaiser is near, you will need to direct him back and away from the door on the other side of a perimeter you have established as a “it is OK for Kaiser to be here when I open the door” place. Face him and use your correction to direct him back. This is your tall stature, correction tone, and passive physical action (Shake bottle or Squirter). Once Kaiser is back, slowly open the door as you remained facing Kaiser. Once the person is in the door, close the door and praise Kaiser.

Client: Larry Richard
Visit Date: 6/27/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
General Obedience, Rescue. Had for 2 months.

Training Notes:
As we stated when we brought her home, Shiba is a great dog. She has the classic temperament of a German Shepherd. She is focused, intelligent, somewhat headstrong, and willing to learn. Still being a puppy, she is easily distracted by all the new things in the world around her.

It is important that you establish your rules and maintain them on a consistent basis. They must be simple. No jumping, not on the furniture, no counter surfing, etc. are examples of such rules. Next, you must always engage her so that everything is your idea. This will establish your leadership in her eyes and will encourage her to give you calm and respectful focus. This is key in assuring you will be able to guide her to the right decisions and behaviors.

Next, you must always correct her the moment she does something wrong. “Waiting until later” or “I will correct her next time” are recipes for failure. Finally, you need to communicate to her in a manner that she will understand.

Body language is paramount in a dog’s communication process. Stand tall and calm when you are addressing her. Always face her and show a resolute demeanor. This is the “picture of a leader” that she will understand and respect.

Next, you need to provide a vocal incentive to pay attention to you. She does not understand words. She understands unique sounds. We suggest (but don’t demand) using a low grrr-y sound. This is the sound that we used this afternoon when correcting her.

Finally, you may need to use the squirt bottle to get her focus. This is used in conjunction with your body language and vocal communication. All three must be done at the same time to be effective. I like to shorten the entire explanation of the process to “Stand / Grrrrr / Squirt”.

One more thing. This communication process is additive. You first use your body language. If needed, then add the Grrr. Finally, add the squirt.
Keep her with you as much as possible the next few weeks. This will allow the bond to build up that is especially important between a German Shepherd and their owner. Be mindful of your rules as you are with her during the day and correct her instantly as she begins to break any of your rules. Always praise her (“Good Puppy” in a “happy voice”) when she is doing the right thing.

The obedience exercises that we reviewed this afternoon should also be continued to build up your bond and leadership position. We suggest that you work on them several times a day. Don’t spend more than a few minutes at a time when working on them. Think of them as “pop quizzes” and not “final exams”.

Some of the exercises we demonstrated this afternoon were:

COME. You can practice this with or without the leash. Stand and calmly face Shiba. Stoop low or go to your knees and say “Shiba, Come” in a firm voice. As she is coming to you, you can also clap your hands to enhance your location as the destination. Once she arrives, immediately stand up and praise her in a high-pitched voice. You can give her a treat every once in a while to enforce the action. If she does not come when you called, you will need to put the leash on her for the exercise period. Put the leash on her and repeat the exercise. If she does not come, give her a slight tug to direct her in your direction.

SIT. This is best done when she is directly in front of you. You are standing tall and facing her. If needed; have the leash on her. Say “Sit” and move your hands in an upward motion in front of her face. If she sits, praise her. If she does not sit, make use of the leash to guide her to the sit position. Pull the leash up and back to move her into a position where her hind quarters will descend. Praise her when done.

STAY: I normally like to do this after you have had Shiba come and sit for you. You are still standing tall directly in front of her. She is already in a sitting position. At this point, command her with “Stay” as you hold your hand out like a traffic cop. I like to hold both hands out for added visual impact. Step backwards while still facing her. Be aware of the environment behind you so you don’t trip. (I have done that more times that I like to admit.) If she starts to move or removes her focus from you, give her a Grrr to regain your focus. Stop for a moment and then call her to you. Praise her.

WALK: You can walk her on a regular leash or training lead. Start with her calmly next to you. Give her a “start command” like “Walkies”, “Heal”, “Let’s go”, etc. Just don’t use “Come” because that is used for another action. As long as she is calmly walking near you and giving you respectful focus in a way that you wish, all is fine. If she starts to lose focus, pulls, etc., correct her and give the leash a slight tug so she focuses back to you. You may also need to vocalize your Grrr and use the squirt bottle. Practice your walks inside and then outside. Practicing inside helps establish the basics of the “walking relationship” between you and Shiba. Walking outside extends the process by adding more and more external distractions.

If you are having any problems with the obedience commands, you may need to “step back a bit” to regain traction in the process. This “stepping back” may involve shortening a distance, removing distractions, or the addition of the leash. It may be best to quickly call us so that we can give you the most appropriate course of action.

Client: Sharon Couch
Visit Date: 7/8/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues: Doesn’t use the wee-wee pads, basic obedience, bites the cord — Training Notes: Follow the instructions that we discussed this morning

Client: Jackson Burns
Visit Date: 7/27/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Doesn’t listen, barking, jumping, mouthing, separation anxiety

Training Notes:
The great thing about Lucy is that it is relatively easy to get her focus. This is the cornerstone for proper teaching. Your ability to get her to focus on you puts you in the dominant position.

With this said, it is important to note that your rules must be simple and consistent. If you don’t want her to jump, she can’t jump on anybody and everyone in the household must enforce that rule. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. She can not tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because she is not the boss.

Next, make sure that you correct her as soon as she breaks one of your rules. You must do this in a manner that does not scare or frighten her and still gets her respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided her to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), you must acknowledge her correct action.

Lastly, you must understand that she communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting her. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get her attention. I was using the “grrr” sound today. If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get her focus.

As a final note on this subject, we extensively used the leash in today’s session. This is a distractive method to gain her focus and guide her towards the right actions. Have the leash on her at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity and excitement in the house. Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her to a calm area until she is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some of the exercises we worked on today were as follows:

1. COME – This starts in the house with a 6-foot leash. Have the leash on her and step away to the extent of the leash. Stoop down low and say COME. If needed, give a slight tug on the leash to have her go to you. When she arrives, stand up and praise her. Continue until you no longer have to give the leash a tug to have her come to you. At this point, get a longer leash and extend the distance up to fifteen or twenty feet. Repeat this until she can come from the maximum length without the physical use of the leash (tug). Now, repeat the exercises (from 6 feet) in the back yard (I assumed fenced). Once she can come from the maximum length of the leashes without the need of a tug, unhook the leach and practice without using it.

2. SIT – Have the leash on her and say SIT. Give the leash a slight tug back and use your hand signals. Once she sits, praise her. Repeat this until you do not need to tug back on the leash, and she is sitting and focusing on you for an extended period of time without moving.

3. STAY – This is really a “long sit”. One you have accomplished the Sit (above), put her in a sit, hold your hand out and say STAY. Wait for about ten seconds, praise her, and put your hand down. Repeat this until she is always “staying put”. Now, have her sit, put your hand out, say STAY, and slowly back up from her to the end of the six-foot leash. Wait for about ten seconds and then praise her. Repeat this until she is never moving. Now, have her sit, hold your hand out, say STAY, and slowly back away from her. Calmly drop the leash and move to different parts of the room. Pause for a few seconds and then praise her. Repeat this by moving to new parts of the room, pausing and praising her.

4. WALK- Use the Easy Walk harness and your regular leash. Get her ready in the house and slowly walk her to the front door. If she is crazy, walk her around until she is calm. Open the front door and you step out first. Invite her to follow. Once you are both on the front stoop, pause while you look around to make sure all is safe. Start walking her by the method we discussed today; always making sure she is focused on you and not pulling. If she is pulling, tug on the leash (normally several quick tugs) to stop the pulling and regain her focus to you. Remember that the most important part of the walk is that she is calm and focused on you. If needed, use two leashes for training the kids. While your child has one leash and is walking her, you have the other and are back a little farther (this is why I suggest a 10 foot leash for you). If needed, you can correct, and assist your child in the process. Think of yourself as the “driving instructor”.

5. BACK LEASH – This is a sub-set of walking. If Lucy is just nuts and really pulling, you can perform a “back leash” on her. As she is pulling, you stop walking and let her continue out to the extent of the leash. Once there, give her a firm tug so that she will stop and swing around back to you. This is not meant to hurt or scare her. It is simply an assertive method to let her know you are “the driver”. When she is calm and focused on you again, continue your walk. If needed, walk in the opposite direction for ten or twenty feet and then turn around. This is meant to “mix it up” a little more and require her to give you more focus.

6. BARKING – You need to get her focus back to you. Use your correction (Stand/Grrr/Squirt or shake) and/or leash redirection to have her focus back to you. If needed, use the leash to direct her to a place where the distraction causing the barking has decreased and you pose a larger and calmer point of focus.

7. JUMPING – The easiest way to stop this is to simply step on the leash at a point where she does not have the physical ability to jump. If you are sitting down and she jumps on you, you need to stand up and use your correction of (Stand/Grrr/Squirt or shake) to correct her.

8. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – Make sure that you can open the front door to let people inside without Lucy jumping on them and going crazy at your feet. This is done by establishing a border back from the door and Lucy needs to stay on the other side. When the doorbell rings, calmly walk to the front door (with your squirt bottle) and turn to face Lucy. If she is within the border, correct her (Stand/Grrr/Squirt) to direct her back to the other side of the border. If things are just too nuts and she isn’t responding, direct her back with the leash. Always face her. Once she is on the other side of the border, slowly open the door to let the person from the outside to the inside. Once that person is inside, close the door and praise Lucy.

9. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – This is the case where everything must be your idea. You must manage and demand the attention; not Lucy. Do this by making sure everything is your idea. Do not pet her when she demands it by putting her nose in your hand is an example of this issue.

10. USE OF THE LEASH – This is the “Plan B” for correction or the redirection process. Have the leash on her and step on the leash when she is going nuts. If needed, pick up the leash and walk her to a calm place away from the inappropriate distraction.

11. SEPARATION ANXIETY – Follow what we discussed today. Start to make the crate and closing the crate’s door a “non event”. Do this by having Lucy in the crate at different times and be next to the crate, playing or feeding her. Every once in a while, close the crate’s door for a moment or two and then open it again. Continue this while you are keeping the crate’s door closed (and latched) for longer and longer times. Sometime just push the crate door shut and open it again. This simply adds to the randomness of the crate’s door being open or shut. After she is fine with this, slowly move farther and farther away from the crate (over time) until you are out the door and down the stairs. Have someone hidden outside the door to correct if she starts to whine or act agitated.

12: SOME THOUGHTS ON DAY CARE – One thing you might want to try is to take Lucy to other places like friends’ houses and let her play with their dogs. The purpose is to get Lucy acclimated with places other than your home with your family.

13: SPRAY BOTTLE – I believe this is a link to the type of Spray Bottle that we use: http://www.ussalonsupply.com/Soft-n-Style-5-Oz-Mini-Curve-Spray-Bottle-EA_p_13448.html

14: SHOCK COLLAR – We use the ECollar as a training tool for many of our clients and our own dogs. We use the ET-300 Mini Educator. A link to their site is: https://www.ecollar.com/categories/remote-dog-trainers

Remember that you need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Lucy when she breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when she breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Natasha Bryan
Visit Date: 8/10/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 2,000
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Potty Training and Behavior

Training Notes:
Practice what we reviewed when we brought Sophia back today.

Take her out on a regular basis for pottying and give her time to be crazy to potty. It often takes her a few minutes.

Use the Squirt Bottle as part of your correction to get her focus and respect to let her know that she is doing something wrong.

Client: Amber Diver
Visit Date: 8/16/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:

Nips, bites, jumps

Training Notes:

June is a great dog. The good news is that she responds well to the correction process and she easily gives you focus when requested. She did very well today, but this is only the beginning. Your entire family needs to be consistent with her regarding your rules and corrections.

Everyone must agree on what you want to allow and prohibit her to do. For example, if you don’t want her on the furniture, everyone must keep her off the furniture. If you don’t want her to jump, everyone must correct her when she starts to jump.

Everyone must follow the same correction process. First, you must stand tall, face her, and be calm. You must use your vocal tone to direct her attention to you. We observed that a low toned “GRRR” easily got her respectful, calm, and prolonged focus. If you need to ramp it up, we observed that the squirt bottle was a very effective tool to get her focus.

Remember that this communication process is cumulative and must be done in unison. An easy way to remember what to do is to think “Stand/GRRR/Squirt”. Remember how effective this action was when she started to jump on me.

We also introduced the leash as a complimentary and/or alternative process to the Stand/GRRR/Squirt. Instead of a simplistic correction process, the leash is an adjustable redirection process. Have the leash on her when you are at home and step on it when she starts to misbehave. Pick up the leash and direct her away from “the problem” until she is calm. Praise her and drop the leash.

Some of the exercises we performed and discussed were:

1) JUMPING – Correct her when she starts to jump with Stand/GRRR/Squirt. Praise her she is on the ground and not jumping. If she is wearing the leash, step on the leash at a point that inhibits her to jump.

2) NIPPING – Use your correction as she is about to do this. (Stand/GRRR/Squirt). You can also use Bitter Apple on your hands to make them icky and something she would not want in her mouth. If she likes Bitter Apple, you can ramp it up to Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, or Habanero Sauce. Be sure to wash your hands after you have done this.

3) BARKING – If this is caused by people you are greeting at the door, I would suggest the correction (Stand/GRRR/Squirt) to break her focus on them and for you to show her you mean business. If this is caused when she is looking out the window upstairs, I would suggest using the leash to direct her away from the window and somewhere within the house where you and she are calm and focused. Always praise her when she is quiet and well behaved again.

4) YOUR IDEA / MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure it is your idea. Do not let her put her nose in your hand and you pet her. Everything between you and June must be your idea and on your terms. This makes you the boss and you will be the one that deserves the focus for what she should do next. If you don’t do this, everything else will be difficult or impossible to accomplish.

5) WALK – Use the Easy Walk Harness (we used a Medium tightened up all the way). She walked very well with this harness because of your ability to correct her and have her look towards you. Walk her as you feel comfortable. If she starts to pull or move away in a wrong direction, give the leash a slight tug to get her attention and focus. If she starts to pull too much, turn around 180 degrees and walk her in the opposite direction for ten to thirty feet. Turn around and then continue your walk. Stop several times during your walk just to let her know that you are the one in the driver’s seat. Make sure you walk at your pace and not at her pace.

6) BACK LEASH – This is a special case of walking if June is really pulling. It is kind of telling her “Whoa, where the heck are you going?!?”. Let her pull and walk out farther and farther ahead of you. When she gets to the end of the leash, give the leash a good tug so that she swings around to see you far behind her. You stand still and have her come back to you. Start walking again. If she starts do strongly pull again, repeat this process.

7) FOLLOW THRU DOOR – This is part of the WALK exercise. Bring her to the front door in preparation of your walk outside. Open the door and have her sit or stand and remain still. You step outside while facing her. When both of your feet are outside, invite her outside to join you. Have her sit or stand still by your side. Wait for a few seconds, observing that she is calm and still. You can now begin your walk.

8) COME – Always use a leash with this exercise. Step to the extent of the leash so you are six feet away from her. Crouch down low and say “Come”. If she comes to you, praise her and stand up. If she doesn’t come to you, tug gently on the leash to direct her to you. Once she it by you, praise her and stand up. Once she is successfully coming to you from six feet with no need for tugs, extend the length to ten feet, fifteen feet, and twenty feet.

9) SIT – Always use the leash with this exercise. Have her by you and say “sit”. If she sits, praise her. If she doesn’t sit, use the leash to guide her to sit. You accomplish this by pulling up and slightly back on the leash to raise her head up and back. This gets her slightly off balance and leaning back. Use your other hand to guide (not push) her rear down. Once her rear is on the ground, praise her.

10) STAY – This is really a “long sit”. Once she will always sit without assistance, put her in a sit. Now, hold out your hand towards her as if you were a traffic cop directing traffic. Say “Stay”. Wait for a few seconds while she is not moving and then praise her. After she can do this without moving, start to step back while holding the leash and facing her. Take one step back, wait for a moment and then praise her. Repeat this until she doesn’t move. Then take two steps back, pause for a moment, and praise her. Repeat this until you are across the room and not holding the leash.

Client: Jackie McAbee
Visit Date: 8/22/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 600
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Not listening, come. Walk properly, sit, behave

Training Notes:
Sammy is a great dog with a wonderful personality and loving temperament. He can be very high energy, and this can sometimes be a problem when you want to get his attention to correct and teach.
Your rules must be simple and consistent. If you don’t want him to jump, he can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. He cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because he is not the boss.

Next, make sure that you correct him as soon as he breaks one of your rules. You must do this in a manner that does not scare or frighten him and still gets his respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided him to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), you must acknowledge his correct action.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “grrr” sound today and during our home boarding/training. If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus.

As a final note on this subject, we also used the leash in today’s session. This is a distractive method to gain his focus and guide him towards the right actions. Have the leash on him at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity and excitement. Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some of the exercises we worked on today:

1. COME – This starts in the house with a 6-foot leash. Have the leash on him and step away to the extent of the leash. Stoop down low and say COME. If needed, give a slight tug on the leash to have him go to you. When he arrives, stand up and praise him. Continue until you no longer have to give the leash a tug to have him come to you. At this point, get a longer leash or rope. Repeat this until he can come from the maximum length without the physical use of the leash (tug). Now, repeat the exercises (from 6 feet) outside. Once he can come from the maximum length of the leash without the need of a tug, unhook the leach and practice without it.

2. SIT – Have the leash on him and say SIT. Give the leash a slight tug back and use your hand signals. Once he sits, praise him. Repeat this until you do not need to tug back on the leash, and he is sitting and focusing on you for an extended period of time without moving.

3. STAY – (We didn’t work on this with you today, but it is a natural extension of the successful sit.) This is really a “long sit”. One you have accomplished the Sit (above), put him in a sit, hold your hand out and say STAY. Wait for about ten seconds, praise him, and put your hand down. Repeat this until he is always “staying put”. Now, have him sit, put your hand out, say STAY, and slowly back up from him to the end of the six-foot leash. Wait for about ten seconds and then praise him. Repeat this until he is never moving. Now, have him sit, hold your hand out, say STAY, and slowly back away from him. Calmly drop the leash and move to different parts of the room. Pause for a few seconds and then praise him. Repeat this by moving to new parts of the room, pausing and praising him. Once he is “really good inside”, repeat this outside.

4. WALK- Use the Easy Walk harness and your regular leash. Get him ready in the house and slowly walk him to the front door. If he is crazy, walk him around until he is calm. Open the front door and you step out first. Invite him to follow. Once you are both on the front stoop, pause while you look around to make sure all is safe (deer, other critters, etc). Start walking him by the method we discussed today; always making sure he is by your side, focused on you, and not pulling. If he is pulling, tug on the leash (normally several quick tugs) to stop the pulling and regain his focus to you. Remember that the most important part of the walk is that he is calm and focused on you.

5. BACK LEASH – (We didn’t discuss this today, but we wanted to throw it in as an added tool if pulling comes an issue.) This is a sub-set of walking. If Sammy is just nuts and really pulling, you can perform a “back leash” on him. As he is pulling, you stop walking and let him continue out to the extent of the leash. Once there, give him a firm tug so that he will stop and swing around back to you. This is not meant to hurt or scare him. It is simply an assertive method to let him know you are “the driver”. When he is calm and focused on you again, continue your walk. If needed, walk in the opposite direction for ten or twenty feet and then turn around. This is meant to “mix it up” a little more and require him to give you more focus.

6. BARKING – You need to get his focus back to you. Use your correction (Stand/Grrr/Squirt or shake) and/or leash redirection to have him focus back to you. If needed, use the leash to direct him to a place where the distraction causing the barking has decreased and you pose a larger and calmer point of focus.

7. JUMPING – The easiest way to stop this is to simply step on the leash at a point where he does not have the physical ability to jump. If you are sitting down and he jumps on you, you need to stand up and use your correction of (Stand/Grrr/Squirt or shake) to correct him.

8. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – Make sure that you can open the front door to let people inside without Sammy jumping on them and going crazy at your feet. This is done by establishing a border back from the door and Sammy needs to stay on the other side. When someone is at the front door, calmly walk to the front door (with your squirt bottle) and turn to face Sammy. If he is within the border, correct him (Stand/Grrr/Squirt) to direct him back to the other side of the border. If things are just too nuts and he isn’t responding, direct him back with the leash. Always face him. Once he is on the other side of the border, slowly open the door to let the person from the outside to the inside. Once that person is inside, close the door and praise Sammy.

9. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – This is the case where everything must be your idea. You must manage and demand the attention; not Sammy. Do this by making sure everything is your idea. Do not pet him when he demands it by putting his nose in your hand is an example of this issue.

10. USE OF THE LEASH – This is the “Plan B” for correction or the redirection process. Have the leash on him and step on the leash when he is going nuts. If needed, pick up the leash and walk him to a calm place away from the inappropriate distraction.

11. INVISIBLE FENCE/SHOCK COLLAR – Sammy stayed within the proper boundaries of the invisible fence when we were there today. You had said that he had been shocked several times and now “respects the flags”. We suggest that you reinforce this activity by “testing him” from time to time. Get a long leash/lead (we used a 30-foot lead today) and walk around the hill. Give him plenty of lead (10-15 feet) so that he can be near you but not on top of you. Walk near the flags but don’t pass the flags (shock zone). If he crosses into the “shock zone” and gets a shock, quickly guide him back towards the house with the leash. Our thought is that he will always stop and turn away as you approach the flags. We also suggest you have the long lead on him when you have him out when there may be “distractions” such as deer that may over adrenalize him and cause him to cross the flags.

Remember that you need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Sammy when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Kira Ray
Visit Date: 9/1/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Pulls on leash, Down, Stay, Go in the crate, playing less rough with other dogs, Listening when distracted, barking a lot, Calmly greet other dogs

Training Notes:
It was a pleasure to have Laney with us for the last two weeks. She is very animated and curious about everything around her. That is what makes a German Shepherd puppy a German Shepherd puppy. She has a great personality and loves to play. Although she is willing to learn and obey, it is sometimes difficult to get her focus and attention. This is the cornerstone for proper teaching. Your ability to get her to focus on you puts you in the dominant position.

As a final note on this subject, we discussed using the leash as an alternative learning tool. This is a distractive method to gain her focus and guide her towards the right actions. Have the leash on her at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity and excitement in the house. Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her to a calm area until she is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some of the items we reviewed today were:

1. WALK- Use the Easy Walk harness and a regular leash (or, I really suggest the 30-foot leash we were using today). Get her ready in the house and slowly walk her to the front door. If she is crazy, walk her around until she is calm. Open the front door and you step out first. Invite her to follow. Once you are both on the front stoop, pause while you look around to make sure all is safe. Start walking her by the method we discussed today; always making sure she is focused on you and not pulling. If she is pulling, tug on the leash (normally several quick tugs) to stop the pulling and regain her focus to you. Remember that the most important part of the walk is that she is calm and focused on you.

2. BACK LEASH – This is a sub-set of walking. If Laney is just nuts and really pulling, you can perform a “back leash” on her. As she is pulling, you stop walking and let her continue out to the extent of the leash (or how much leash you have “given her”). Once there, give her a firm tug so that she will stop and swing around back to you. This is not meant to hurt or scare her. It is simply an assertive method to let her know you are “the driver”. When she is calm and focused on you again, continue your walk. If needed, walk in the opposite direction for ten or twenty feet and then turn around. This is meant to “mix it up” a little more and require her to give you more focus.

3. SIT – We practiced the “Sit” as part of the walking exercise. As you are walking, just pick a point to stop. Stand in front of Laney and face her. As you give your command “Sit” gesture both hands up and over her head. If she sits, praise her. (We will talk about treats shortly…) If she does not sit, show her a treat, “palm” it in one of your hands, and repeat your command and hand gesture. That normally will always work. Please note: Practice this when the area is calm.

4. COME – We also built this in as part of the overall walking experience. After you have Laney sit, step back a few steps, stoop low and say “Come”. If she comes to you, praise her. If she does not come to you or moves off in a different direction, give the leash a slight tug to direct her to you. Stand up as she reaches you and praise her.

Note: Giving Laney treats currently helps to maintain her focus. Put some treats in your pocket before the walk. Do not give her a treat every time she does something right. Give them to her sparingly. Always let her know you have them in your pocket (“I don’t have an ice cream cone, but I can hear the jingle of the ice cream truck.”) You can sparingly use treats to enforce other positive obedience actions. Never give a treat for not barking or not jumping.

5. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – This is the case where everything must be your idea. You must manage and demand the attention; not Laney. Do this by making sure everything is your idea. Do not pet her when she demands it by putting her nose in your hand is an example of this issue.

8. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – Make sure that you can open the front door to let people inside without Laney jumping on them and going crazy at your feet. This is done by establishing a border back from the door and Laney needs to stay on the other side. When the doorbell rings, calmly walk to the front door (with your squirt and shake bottles) and turn to face Laney. If she is within the border, correct her (Stand/Grrr/Squirt-Shake) to direct her back to the other side of the border. If things are just too nuts and she isn’t responding, direct her back with the leash. Always face her. Once she is on the other side of the border, slowly open the door to let the person from the outside to the inside. Once that person is inside, close the door and praise Laney.

9. USE OF THE LEASH – This is the “Plan B” for correction or the redirection process. Have the leash on her and step on the leash when she is going nuts. If needed, pick up the leash and walk her to a calm place away from the inappropriate distraction.

10. TO THE CRATE – It seems to be pretty easy to get Laney in the crate every time if you guide her in with the leash. Have the leash on her before it is “crate time”. When “crate time” arrives, calmly walk over to her and step on the leash. Pick it up and guide her to the open door of the crate. Don’t run; but walk at a pace where she is experiencing forward momentum. She should easily go into the create. Take the leash off and close the door. If needed, you can throw a treat into the crate as a positive directional distraction. You can also give a “crate command” at the start of this activity to start to build a correlation between a sound and action. I suggest saying “Crate” as you start to walk her to the crate’s door.

11: SOME THOUGHTS ON DAY CARE – Laney is an adrenaline machine. It is important to provide a release for this pent-up energy in order to maintain control. Taking her to your mother’s house to run and go nuts is great. I would also suggest the possibility of a Day Care facility where she can go nuts with other dogs. She loved playing with our dogs in the back yard and in the trees while at our house. If possible, I would suggest two or three of these experiences a week.

Remember that you need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Laney when she breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when she breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Pat Hunt
Visit Date: 9/10/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Needs basic training, Potty Training, Needs to get control

Training Notes:
Some of the exercises we worked on today were as follows:

1. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this today. Please review the documentation as needed. Remember that the big items to remember is to always watch Katie and to limit her water.

2. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six foot leash on your dog. Slowly step away from your dog (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

3. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six foot leash on your dog. Stand next to your dog and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move your dog a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

4. STAY – Please Note: Your dog must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. It he still has a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until your dog can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place your dog in a Sit before you start this command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of your dog, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of your dog, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of your dog, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to your dog’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of him, and stop when you have reached his other side. Now, move back until you are in front of him again. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of your dog, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around him. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

5. WALKING – Make sure that your dog has his collar and leash on. Also, you will want to start this process in your house when it is calm and devoid of distractions (TV, children, etc.). Take the leash in your hand and hold it so that your dog is next to you and there is about two to three inches of slack in the leash. Stoop slightly, pat your leg, say your “WALK” command (such as let’s go, walkies, giddie-up, heal, etc). Now start walking.

If he is not following, tug the leash slightly while you repeat tapping your leg and slightly stoop. You will want him walking next to you. If he lags behind, give him a little tug and verbalize your correction sound quietly until he is back at your side. If he jumps ahead, do the same thing. Walk for about ten to twenty feet and then turn and walk back. Once you have returned, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Repeat this several times a day. Extend the walk into multiple rooms and eventually outside.

6. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards your dog. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow your dog to cross. You should have your spray bottle and/or shake bottle with you. Have your dog in another part of the room.

Now, have someone knock on the front door. At the same time, make sure that your dog is completely free to do whatever he wants. If he begins to approach the invisible boundary, face him, give your correction sound, and use your spray bottle or shake bottle to gain his attention and stop his forward movement. This may take several attempts and one of the devices (spray/shake) may be more effective than the other.

Once he has stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If your dog makes any attempt to continue his approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise your dog’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

7. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If your dog comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you at that time while it is you telling him that you want to pet him. If your dog gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore him for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet him at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If your dog brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

Client: Renee Thompson
Visit Date: 9/21/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Goes crazy when sees other dogs, jumps on people, no focus, can be crazy for hours after sees other dogs, seems out of his environment, but very sweet

Training Notes:
Fender is really a very good dog. His problem has been that he has been allowed to “make all the rules” and the actions you have taken up to this point have often encouraged his actions. The great news is that you now have the opportunity to tell Fender what you want him to do in a way that he can easily understand. This will actually make him feel more secure, happy, and safe.

Some of the general “take-aways” from this morning include the fact that you must always make sure everything is your idea. You are the boss and you are the one that needs to direct him. Do not let him tell you what to do. For example, if he comes to you and nudges you for a pet, ignore him until he has turned away.

Also, even though you may be mad and frustrated, stay calm and still. This shows leadership and discourages adrenaline. He must be calm and focused for you to be the successful teacher. If Fender does not see you as the leader, you can’t teach him.

Some of the general exercises we worked through this morning included:

1) WALK – Use the Easy Walk Harness (small-medium) and a regular six-foot leash to walk him. Take him to the door and have him sit or remain stationary. Open the door and you step out while he remains inside the door. Now invite him out and have his sit or remain stationary again. When all is calm, start the walk. Walk at your pace with him near you and giving you focus from time to time. If he starts to pull or give something around you too much focus (long “missile-lock” stare), give the leash a quick tug and make your correction sound (Grrr). He needs to look back to you. Once this is done, continue walking. You can change directions or speed at any time to make sure you are still walking him and not him walking you.

Always be looking ahead for anything that may cause a problem and “break your rules”. As you see things such as people, dogs, cars, etc. approach, make a plan in your head in the event something goes wrong. For example, if a neighbor and their dog are coming down the street towards you, move to the side so that it is not a “direct approach”. Move to the other side of the street, on a lawn, or up a driveway. As the other dog approaches and Fencer starts to focus and adrenalize, correct him and have him focus on you. If needed, walk him in circles and slowly move farther away until he is more interested in you than the other dog. Praise him when the other dog has passed, and he is calm. Over time, you will be able to stay closer and closer to the approaching dog with Fender remaining calm.

When you pass yards with crazy dogs, move Fender away from the fence to a point where he has alternative distractions. We saw that the water bottle had some (but not complete) success in redirecting Fender’s focus from the crazy dog.

You can have Fender sit and watch children playing from a distance so that he can acclimate to their unusual sounds and quick movements. Again, over time, you can get closer and closer.

2) BACK LEASH – This is another part of walking. If Fender is really pulling, you can let him walk out to the extent of the leash. Once he has reached the end, stop quickly and give the leash a tug (not too hard). This should stop him in his tracks and have him quickly swing back and look in your direction. Now, start walking in the other direction and have him with you. After ten to twenty feet, turn around and walk back in your original direction.

3) BARKING – You can do two things here. First, you can use your correction (Stand/Grrr/Squirt -or- Shake) to get his focus to stop barking. You can also use the leash and redirect him away from the object that is causing his barking. We talked about a “special case” of barking this morning. This was where Fender barks at things through the window in your office. I suggested putting an upside-down chair mat at the foot of the window. The “sharp prickles” on the underside of the mat (now facing up) will act as an annoying deterrent to keep Fender away from the window. You can also correct and redirect him when he starts to get too close to the window.

4) JUMPING – As with the barking, use your correction and/or redirection to deter this action. Make sure that you are not doing things (fast movements, waving hands, etc.) that would give Fender the wrong message as to your intentions.

5) MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – This is the exercise where you can allow people in without Fender being an annoyance. First, create a boundary where Fender is not allowed to cross when people come to the front door. If he is already in this area when people knock or ring the doorbell, you must get him out of this area before you open the door.

When someone comes to the door, calmly walk to the door with your squirt bottle. Now, turn and face the room and Fender. If Fender is too close (within boundary), correct him with your Grrr and squirt bottle. (If he is too crazy, have the leash on him and direct him out of the area with the leash.) Once he has exited the area, continue to face him as you back to the door. Slowly and calmly open the door to let in your guest. Always face Fender and correct him if he tries to approach again.

Once the guest is inside, close the door. Praise Fender for being a good boy.

6) FOLLOW THRU DOOR – This is normally done in conjunction with the walking. The bottom line is you are the leader and you need to go through the door first. Have him on a leash and take him to the door. Put him in a sit or stationary position. Once he is stable, open the door and calmly step to the other side. He must remain stable during this process. Once both of your feet are on the other side of the doorway, call him to you. Once he has crossed the doorway and is by your side, have him sit or remain stable. Make sure he is giving you focus. Now, praise him.

7) MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Although seemingly easy; this is a big deal. You are the boss, and everything must be your idea. You must garner attention from Fender to successfully correct and guide him. Never let him tell you what to do.

8) USE OF LEASH – This is the redirection, or “Plan B” to the correction. It is used when Fender has done something that has broken your rules and your normal correction (Stand/Grrr/Squirt -or- Shake) is ineffective. Have the leash on Fender at different times of the day. Although seemingly indiscriminate, make sure the leash in on him at times of possible “high adrenaline” moments (i.e. kids coming home, friends over, dinner, etc.)

If he starts to go nuts, calmly walk near him and step on the leash. If he is running around, this will cause him to stop immediately and look back at you. Stay calm and stand tall. If he is still going nuts, calmly pick up the leash and walk him away from the “adrenaline causing thing”. This may be across the room, into another room, another floor, or even outside.

Once he is calm and focused on you, command him to sit. (The action of the sit is not important. What is important is that he is now calm and actively obeying your commands.) Praise him and slowly return to what you were doing.

Practice these exercises several times a day. Some exercises, such as the walking, will take longer to successfully complete because of the degree of behavior that must be modified. Understand that everything must be accomplished with baby steps. Some things just have more baby steps than others.

Also, don’t let your guard down if he starts to get the exercise correct once or twice. He must be good for an enumerated period of time to assure his understanding of your rules.

Most important, have fun!

Client: Elizabeth Olivier
Visit Date: 9/26/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Potty, Barking

Training Notes: Zoey and Brandy are great dogs and I had a great time working with them. Some of the exercises we worked on today were as follows:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Work with one at a time. Put a collar and a six-foot leash on one. Slowly step away (facing her) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If she doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once she reaches you, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Practice with one at a time. Put a collar and a six-foot leash on one. Stand next to your dog and say “SIT” once. If she doesn’t sit, give her your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If she doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind her head. At the same time guide her rear end backwards until you see her rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that her head is moving backwards and her rear is still descending. Once she is sitting, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move her a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. STAY – Please Note: She must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If she still has a problem sitting, work on Sit. Again, one dog at a time.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until your dog can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place your dog in a Sit before you start this command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of her, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Wait until she is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of your dog, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Wait until she is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of your dog, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to your dog’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of her, and stop when you have reached her other side. Now, move back until you are in front of her again. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of your dog, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around her. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

4. JUMPING – Remember to always have your dog’s collar and leash on when you are concerned that she might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and your dog approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as she stops and gives you focus, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and your dog begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop her. You can also step on the leash so she doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as she calms down, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

5. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards your dog. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow your dog to cross. You should have your spray bottle and/or shake bottle with you. Have your dog in another part of the room.

Now, have someone knock on the front door. At the same time, make sure that your dog is completely free to do whatever she wants. If she begins to approach the invisible boundary, face her, give your correction sound, and use your spray bottle or shake bottle to gain her attention and stop her forward movement. This may take several attempts and one of the devices (spray/shake) may be more effective than the other.

Once she has stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing her. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If she makes any attempt to continue her approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

6. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If she comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore her until she turns away. If you want to pet her, call her over when you wish. If she gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore her for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet her at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If she brings you a toy, ignore her until she turns away and you can then call her back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

7. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting her focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on your dog at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or she will make the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from either Zoey or Brandy.

As she begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If she is moving, let her go to the end of the leash, tug herself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm figure will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove your dog from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk her away. Once you observe that she is no longer adrenalized, stop and have her sit. Praise her with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

8. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this today. Please review the documentation as needed. Remember that the big items to remember is to always watch her and to limit her water.

Client: Brian Stahl
Visit Date: 10/2/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Boxer Mix is a rescue. Previous owner said never aggressive, but bit vet and seems to dislike males. Loves owner.

Training Notes:
Coco is really a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with her today. She has some fearful issues with men and has exhibited a strong need to be around Brian to feel safe and secure. The good news is that we have identified these tendencies and have observed that she is positively responding to exercises that will resolve the issues. This is not an overnight process, but one that can be positively resolved.

Lastly, you must understand that she communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting her. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get her attention. We were using the “grrr” sound today. (Brian has already introduced that sound through his low toned and stern NO.) If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get her focus.

As a final note on this subject, we made extensive use of the leash in today’s session. This is a distractive method to gain her focus and guide her towards the right actions. Have the leash on her at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity and excitement.

Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her to a calm area until she is deadrenalized and focused on you. We saw that she responded quite well to the redirective methods employed through the use of the leash. I could easily direct her off the sofa, calm her, keep her from jumping, etc. This will just take a little time and practice to perfect.

Some of the exercises we worked on today:

1. DON’T BITE PEOPLE ON THE PORCH – One of your main concerns was to make sure that Coco’s “biting incident” with your Vet and perceived animosity towards your son and men (in general) can be curtailed. You mentioned that Coco normally interacts with people on the main floor while you are on the porch interacting with her going inside and out. This is where we set the training scenario.

Have a guest or your son sitting calmly on the sofa while Brian brings Coco up from the basement on a leash. Bring Coco in slowly so that she can “get a good look” at the guest. If Coco shows any adrenalized tendencies (hard stare/overly focused/barking/jumping/etc.), calmly walk her out of the room and return to the doorway. Stop and let her check out everything again. When she shows that she is calm, continue.

Once in the room and Coco is calm, allow her to walk around to check everybody and everything out. Still be holding the leash very loosely. If Coco is not overly focused on the guest, calmly drop the leash. Brian can now calmly stand still.

Allow Coco to continue her “meet and greet” while the guest stays perfectly still. The guest can look but not stare at Coco. The guest should not pet Coco the first several times she comes to him. After several approaches (and departures), the guest can calmly call Coco to him with a slight pat on the knee. If Coco comes over, observe that she is still calm, her ears are flopping down, her mouth is slightly open, and her tail is not tucked under her body.

The fact that Coco approached of her own accord and that her body language indicates that she is calm and relaxed gives a strong indication that all is going well. The guest can now slowly move his hand to softly pet Coco for a few seconds.

Stop after a few seconds and allow her to walk away. Let her wander around the room and do other “Coco things” for a minute or two. Now, have the guest call her over again, observe her demeanor, and pet her if she is calm or relaxed.

If she shows any agitation once at the guest, Brian should calmly approach, step on the leash, and guide her away. If Coco jumps on the sofa next to the guest, Brian should calmly approach, step on the leash, and guide her away.

Do not let the guest do what I was doing today because they may perform the “close quarters correction” inappropriately and adrenalize Coco. If you want to get to the point where the guest can correct Coco while she is on the sofa right next to him, call me and we will focus on that one event.

Repeat the above exercise scenario until Coco shows no adrenalized or nervous tendencies when guests are on the sofa and Coco is present. When successful, proceed to the next step.

Now, have the guest slowly stand up and calmly (and slowly) move around the room. Never approach Coco directly and always face Coco. If she is fine with this, the guest can calmly and slowly leave the room for a moment and then return.

When the guest returns, he should calmly approach the doorway and then stop in the doorway. Allow Coco to see him. If she doesn’t look, the guest should say something to anyone in the room so that Coco can hear that he is there. Then, he can slowly enter the room, move around (but not directly at Coco), and find a place to sit.

Once seated, he can call Coco to him and pet her.

This entire process needs to be regularly repeated with multiple guests over a period that normally lasts four to eight weeks. Also, I would not suggest using small children as “the guests” because of their natural tendency to become excited around dogs.

2. DON’T BITE PEOPLE IN THE BASEMENT – This is the same exercise as the Porch Exercise except the venue has changed to a place that may provide more ‘protective reactions” from Coco. The basement is Coco’s den and a place where strangers normally are not easily accepted.

Do everything we performed earlier, but at a slower and more cautious pace.

3. ALONE WITH COCO IN THE BASEMENT – This can only be performed when you are very comfortable that Coco has been successful with the first two exercises.

Coco is in the basement and Brian comes in with a second person (normally guest). They can interact with each other and Coco for several minutes. The guest then sits down (on the sofa, desk, etc.) and Brian leaves the room for ten to twenty seconds.

The guest does not interact with Coco during this time. Brian returns and they interact normally once again. If Coco shows any sign of agitation during Brian’s absence from the room, Brian should correct (GRRR) from other side of door.

The come-and-go action is repeated until Coco shows no sign of nervousness towards the guest or anxiety due to Brian’s absence. Once this is successful, increase the length of time Brian is out of the room and repeat the exercise.

The purpose of this exercise is to slowly get Coco comfortable with guests being in “her space” when Brian is not present.

4. WALK- You already seem to be happy with Coco’s walking and I did not observe anything detrimental in your techniques. The thing to remember is that you are still the boss when walking Coco. She needs to walk respectfully with you, and you must always be able to gain her focus when you require. If these things are taking place, all is well.

We suggested two things that may assist your walks. First, I suggested that you get the Easy Walk Harness. I believe that a Medium/Small or Medium harness would fit Coco. You can get them on the internet (There is a link on my home page and in your private web site) or Petco. The harness will discourage her pulling. I also suggested that you use a 30-foot (1 inch thick) lead when walking her. This allows you the option to give her more freedom while maintaining complete control over her.

5. BARKING – You need to get her focus back to you. Use your correction (Stand/Grrr/Squirt or shake) and/or leash redirection to have her focus back to you. If needed, use the leash to direct her to a place where the distraction causing the barking has decreased and you pose a larger and calmer point of focus.

6. JUMPING – The easiest way to stop this is to simply step on the leash at a point where she does not have the physical ability to jump. If you are sitting down and she jumps on you, you need to stand up and use your correction of (Stand/Grrr/Squirt or shake) to correct her. As we saw this afternoon, if you are sitting and her jumping is not highly adrenalized, a slight tug on the leash while you are still sitting will quickly get her back to the floor.

7. USE OF THE LEASH – This is the “Plan B” for correction or the redirection process. You will probably be using this method of correction far more frequently than the squirt bottle or shake bottle. Have the leash on her and step on the leash when she is going nuts. If needed, pick up the leash and walk her to a calm place away from the inappropriate distraction.

8. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Although seemingly easy; this is a big deal. You are the boss, and everything must be your idea. You must garner attention from Coco to successfully correct and guide her. Never let her tell you what to do.

Remember that you need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Coco when she breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when she breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Windy Locke
Visit Date: 10/7/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
General puppy, child afraid, some excited, adrenalized actions

Training Notes:
Jackson is a puppy Goldendoodle, so you need to understand that his age and “Golden” deliver a “high energy play” demeanor. I observed that his “doodle” side provides a high level of intelligence and the ability to focus and learn. His intelligence and focus deliver a great opportunity for proper education. I also observed a wonderful bond and mutual respect between Tyson and Jackson. These are all great things.

In review of yesterday’s discussion, you must remember that your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want him to jump, he can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. He cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because he is not the boss.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. I normally use the “grrr” sound and the sound you were using proved to be very effective. If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus. (The squirt bottle seemed to easily get Jackson’s calm focus.)

As a final note on this subject, we made extensive use of the leash in yesterday’s session. This is a distractive method to gain his focus and guide him towards the right actions. Have the leash on him at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity and excitement. I strongly suggest using the leash for at least the first month or so in order to have 100% control over all possible correction scenarios.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you. We saw that he responded quite well to the redirective methods employed through the use of the leash.

We also saw that a combination of the leash and squirt bottle were very effective in getting his attention and stopping his adrenalized activity (normally directed towards Tyson).

Some of the exercises we worked on yesterday:

1. TYSON COMING HOME FROM THE SCHOOL BUS – Be sure that you have the collar and leash on Jackson at least 30 minutes before Tyson comes home. Change the time up from 30 minutes to an hour (plus) just so that Jackson can’t figure out “here comes Tyson”. Have the squirt bottle handy (but out of sight).

When Tyson comes home, have him come in the door and stand still for a moment. Ask him to try and stay as calm and still as possible. You now need to get up to observe and take charge of the situation, if needed.

By now, Jackson should be in the front hallway deciding what to do next. If you see him start to adrenalize towards Tyson, step on the leash. You can now make your correction sound, pick up the leash, and guide Jackson away until he is calm. At that point, you can command him to sit. Once he obeys and is calm, release the leash.

We also saw that making the correction sound and simultaneously using the squirt bottle while you had your foot on the leash got Jackson to calm down. It appears that Jackson communicates his “I am calm now” body language by sitting. So, if he is calm and standing, or sitting, all is great.

Tyson can now call Jackson over to him or calmly walk up to him or even just go inside for a snack. It is all up to you and Tyson. If Jackson starts to adrenalize or demand your attention, calmly stop, face him, make your correction sound, and simultaneously use the spray bottle (if needed). You can also step on the leash and redirect him away.

The most important techniques that you MUST EMPLOY during this entire exercise are (1) clear focus on Jackson, (2) keep it slow, (3) your calm demeanor, and (4) correct/redirect when he starts to adrenalize/demand/disrespect.

2. TYSON SITTING ON THE SOFA – Jackson is always observing your body language for “clues of what is happening”. You always stand tall to correct. That shows you are the boss. When you sit down, you are displaying a body language communication of submission or relinquishing your authority. This can give him the idea that it is OK to take control. This normally is displayed through his jumping on the person sitting down.

Have Tyson calmly walk towards the sofa. Once he is at the sofa, he should turn around and face Jackson. If Jackson (with the leash on him) is actively (quickly) moving towards Tyson, you need to correct or redirect Jackson. Once Jackson is calm, Tyson can calmly and slowly sit down. If Jackson gives signs of increased adrenaline, Tyson should stand up and you need to correct/redirect.

Repeat this exercise until Jackson stays calm when Tyson goes to sit down. The “perfect” end result is to have Jackson calmly sit at Tyson’s feet while Tyson is sitting. This is not a requirement, but something that often happens. You can also use other people for this exercise besides Tyson.

3. OFF THE SOFA – This is normally caused when the “sitting on the sofa” exercise gets a little out of hand. Remember that if you want Jackson off the sofa, he is NEVER ALLOWED ON THE SOFA.

You need to have Jackson’s collar and leash on beforehand for this exercise to be successful. If Jackson is on the sofa, calmly stand up if you are sitting or go over to him if you are in another part of the room. Calmly pick up the leash and issue your command to exit the sofa. Let’s use “OFF” in this example. Say OFF in a calm and inside voice while gently tugging the leash. It may take two or three tugs, but he will jump off the sofa.

Walk Jackson a few feet away from the sofa and then ask him to sit. The purpose of the sit command is to assure that he is now focused on you and respecting your authority. Once he has sat, praise him, drop the leash, and go about whatever you were doing before.

There is also a “Plan B” when it comes to OFF THE SOFA”. You engage this option if he continues to get back on the sofa as you are sitting on it. This is normally caused because of Jackson being really, really adrenalized with no focus.

Once you get him off the sofa and before you sit down again, put your foot on the leash at a point where he can be at your feet but can not jump and get back on the sofa. Calmly sit down and ignore him. This is a technique called “passive dominance” where you take control without actively engaging with Jackson. After a few unsuccessful “mini-jumps”, he will normally give up and calmly lie down at your feet. Wait a minute or two if you want to pet him.

4. FRONT DOOR – This is where someone comes to the front door and you need to deal with it. It may be getting a pizza or letting in a friend. It takes three people for this exercise.

The first person is “Jackson’s handler/buddy”. This person will have Jackson on a leash in the living room or kitchen (away from the door). The second person is the “door greeter” and will be at the door with the squirt bottle in hand. This person will start the exercise facing Jackson. The third person is “the outside person” who will be knocking/ringing the doorbell waiting to be let in the house by the greeter.

The rule for this exercise is that Jackson can not cross a boundary near the door that you have established. I suggest that this boundary is at least eight to ten feet away from the door.

Here we go…

The outside person rings the doorbell/knocks. At the same time, Jackson’s handler lets the leash go. If Jackson starts to cross the boundary, the greeter will correct (grrr/squirt) to send Jackson behind the boundary. It may take several corrections to make this take place. If Jackson is really focused on the door and highly adrenalized, the greeter may need to step on the leash, pick it up, and guide Jackson behind the boundary.

Once Jackson is behind the boundary with no indication of approaching the door again, the greeter can back up to the door (always facing Jackson) and slowly open the door. The outside person can now come inside and one of them should close the door.

Jackson’s position behind the boundary and the outside person’s position of inside with the door closed indicates that the exercise has been successfully completed and Jackson has passed. You should now praise him with a high pitched “Good Puppy”.

5. WALKING – Use the Easy Walk Harness (Medium-Small) to walk Jackson. This drastically cuts down on his ability to successfully pull you. Also, only use a “regular leash” when walking Jackson. The extension leash does not give you the control and authority needed to properly walk him.

Start the walk with the “Follow Through The Door Exercise” (see next). Once you and Jackson are calmly on the front stoop, you can start the walk. The rule that I like to employ on walks is to have my dog respectfully walking with me, not pulling, and obeying my direction. This does not mean that he needs to be in a particular position (i.e. right next to me on my right). If I feel happy walking with him, that is “obeying my rule”. I also suggest that you start out your walks by only going a few houses up and back. This allows you to easily enforce your rules, if needed, and not becoming overly tired.

Look up and down the street to see if there are any distractions. If you see anything “really crazy”, wait for that to pass by before you start your walk. Calmly give your walk command (Let’s Go, Walkies, Heal, Forward, etc.) and tug the leash slightly to give him direction.

As long as he is not pulling, staring intently at something, or being a nudge, you are probably fine. If you feel happy and in control, your walking rules are intact. If he starts to pull or is not giving you the focus you require, tug on the leash to have him focus back to you. Once he is calm and focused, you can continue your walk.

If a distraction approaches that is causing him to go nuts, perform a “walkies redirection”. Turn away from the distraction and go up a driveway or on to a front yard. The purpose is to get away from the distraction’s direct approach. Make yourself larger than the approaching distraction. This allows you to regain his focus and your control. Once the distraction has passed, you can continue your walk.

If he is really pulling, simply turn around and walk in the opposite direction for about fifteen to twenty feet. Do not turn around again until he is walking with you and focused on you. Then, turn around and continue your walk. This is another form of “redirection”.

6. FOLLOW THROUGH THE DOOR – You are the boss and you should always go through the door first. This is especially true when you are going on a walk. After you have the Easy Walk Harness and leash on Jackson, walk up to the front door. Have Jackson sit. Now, calmly open the front door. Make sure that he remains sitting. If he gets up, walk him in a circle or anywhere for a brief moment. Return to the open door and have him sit.

Now, you step to the outside of the door. He needs to be remained sitting. Once both of your feet are outside, you can call him to you. He needs to calmly walk to the outside of the door next to you. Place him in a sit. Once he is calmly sitting the exercise is over and you can praise him with a high pitched “Good Puppy”.

7. NO JUMPING – This is really a subset of all our other exercises. Jackson should be calm, focused, and obeying your rules. Jumping is a dominant activity where he is trying to get your attention and tell you that he is the boss and not you.

You will normally see Jackson start to become adrenalized and excited before he starts to jump. He may also come up to be really, really close to you. If you see this, you can proactively correct him for his imminent inappropriate action. Stand tall and correct him with your correction sound and squirt bottle (if needed). You can also step on the leash at a position where he cannot jump.

8. NO BITING – This is pretty much the same idea as no jumping. Jackson will normally be adrenalized or highly excited and will want your attention. The bite really isn’t “a bite”. He is not trying to eat you. He is just trying to get you to do what he wants. Correct or redirect him when you see this happen or about to happen.

You can also use a physical deterrent if you think he is in the biting mood. Put some Bitter Apple on your hands (where he normally bites). If needed, you can give a slight spray of Bitter Apple into his open mouth (I had demonstrated this when I was there) so he knows it tastes yucky. When he comes up to get your attention by biting (putting your hand in his mouth), he will encounter the yucky smell on your hand and back off. Always thoroughly wash your hands after you have done this.

9. USE OF THE LEASH – This is the “Plan B” for correction or the redirection process. You will probably be using this method of correction far more frequently than the squirt bottle or shake bottle. Have the leash on him and step on the leash when he is going nuts. If needed, pick up the leash and walk him to a calm place away from the inappropriate distraction.

10. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Although seemingly easy; this is a big deal. You are the boss, and everything must be your idea. You must garner attention from Jackson to successfully correct and guide him. Never let him tell you what to do.

11. SIT – This obedience exercise should be done when Jackson is calm and there are not a lot of distractions. Have the leash and collar on him. Stand tall next to him and say SIT. If he does not sit, give him a slight correction sound. Say SIT again while pulling up and back on the leash slightly. This will help guide him to lower his hind quarters. If needed, use your other hand (the one not holding the leash) to slightly direct his rear towards the ground. Once he is sitting, praise him.

You will need to practice this exercise repeatedly until Jackson will sit the first time without any ongoing assistance from you. At that point, you can move on to the STAY command.

12. COME – As with the come command, perform this when Jackson is calm and there are no distractions. Have the leash and collar on Jackson. Move to the end of the leash, stoop down, and command COME. If Jackson comes to you, praise him with a high pitched “Good Puppy”. If he doesn’t come to you, give the leash a slight tug to direct him to you. Continue the slight tugs until he is next to you and praise him.

Continue the exercise until he can come to you every time without the need for any tugs. Then, extend the distance by attaching a second leash to the first, getting a long training lead, or getting a piece of rope. Now perform the above exercise at ten feet, then fifteen feet, then twenty feet.
Once he can come to you from twenty feet every time without the need for a tug, take the leash off and have him come to you. If he comes to you great. If not, attach the leash and practice for a few more days before removing the leash again. Always remember to praise him with a “Good Puppy” when he has successfully come to you.

You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Jackson when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Cathy Wintersteen
Visit Date: 10/16/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Doesn’t listen

Training Notes:
Jet has a very loving, social personality. He responded very well to the exercises and your directions. The most important thing that you need to remember is to maintain a calm demeanor.

In review of this morning’s discussion, you must remember that your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want him to jump, he can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. He cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because he is not the boss.

Next, make sure that you correct him as soon as he breaks your rules. You must do this in a manner that does not scare or frighten him and still gets his respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided him to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), you must acknowledge his correct action.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. I normally use the “grrr” sound and might think about modifying your simple “no” to a low toned, grry “No”. We also talked about the passive physical tools of the squirt bottle or shake bottle to amplify your correction.

I had characterized the above method (Stand/Grrr/Squirt) as a straight “correction” or your “Plan A”. It is easy to perform but takes a little practice to perfect. I believe that the distractive correction method “Plan B” will be better for you for the immediate future.

This method makes extensive use of the six-foot leash as a distractive and passive tool to get Jet’s calm and immediate focus. Have the leash on him at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity and excitement. I strongly suggest using the leash for at least the first month or so in order to have 100% control over all possible correction scenarios.

Some of the exercises we worked on this morning were:

1. FOLLOW THROUGH THE DOOR – You are the boss and you should always go through the door first. This is especially true when you are going on a walk. After you have the harness and leash on Jet, walk up to the front door. Face Jet and use your command “Back”. Continue to face him and observe that he is calm and not adrenalized. Back up towards the door, facing him and slowly open the door.

If Jet starts to move towards the door, guide him back with the leash and reissue your “Back” command. Back up to the door while facing him and slowly open it. Step through the door (facing Jet) and place both of your feet outside. Now you can call Jet to you. Have him stop by your feet. He does not have to sit at this time, simply remain calm and stationary. Acknowledge him by saying “Good Boy” in a high pitch.

2. WALKING – You first need to complete the “Follow Through the Door” exercise above. Now that you are outside with a calm and stable Jet wearing the harness and attached with a leash, you can begin. The most important thing that you need to remember during your walk is that it must be on your terms, you must feel comfortable, there should be no pulling, and Jet needs to provide you focus and respect as his leader.

We can now begin. Give Jet enough leash so that you feel comfortable with his distance from you. Issue your “Walk Command” and step off. He should remain within your “happy perimeter” that is defined by a distance right next to you to a length where the leash is not taught, and he is not pulling. If he is there, no rules are being broken.

If Jet starts to pull, stop immediately. If he stops too, that is good. If he continues to pull, turn around immediately and start walking in the opposite direction for about ten feet. If needed, give Jet quick tugs on the leash to have him walk with you. After ten feet, turn around while guiding him and continue your walk.

When you are turning with Jet, turn so that he is always on the outside of the turn. This means that if Jet is on your right side, turn to the left. If Jet is on your left side, turn to the right. This will allow you to maintain control of jet through the entire turning process.

As a general rule, you need to check on Jet’s focus with you. You do this by stopping every thirty to fifty feet. If Jet is providing you focus, he should stop with you. If he is not, perform the “reverse direction” maneuver I just discussed and shorten the length between your stops.

Make sure that Jet is walking at your speed. Every thirty seconds or so, change your speed. It doesn’t matter what speed you set (don’t start sprinting). It is important that it was your idea to set the new speed and that Jet responds to the new speed. You may need to give the leash a few tugs forward to accelerate Jet or give the leash a few tugs backward to decelerate Jet.

Your first walks should be short. Go from your house to the top of the driveway and then back. Keeping the initial walks short will allow you to effectively practice your ability to maintain Jet’s focus and position. It will also provide Jet with the consistent repetition needed for a proper learning experience.

Once the walks are really great from the house to the top of the driveway, start to slowly extend them down the hill. Don’t rush the process. This is not a race.

3. BACK LEASH – This is a special situation of walking when Jet is really pulling and the other methods are not working as well as you would expect. As Jet pulls ahead, let the leash go (hold on to the end) so that Jet gets to the extent of the leash in front of you.

Just as he reaches that point, give the leach a hefty tug to swing him around back to you. Once he has stopped and looking at you, turn around and walk in the other direction. When he has caught back up with you, turn around and continue your walk in the original direction. (This exercise isn’t for small dogs, but Jet is a big boy and should be fine.)

4. GOING TO THE CAR (WEDDING MARCH) – Have the car pulled out and ready to go . First, perform the “Follow Thru the Door” exercise with Jet. Now that you are ready to walk, take one step at a time. Stop after every step to make sure Jet is with you and not moving ahead.

If Jet is moving ahead, tug the leash to have him come back to you. Continue this exercise by taking one step at a time, stopping, and then observing if Jet is by your side, calm, and giving you focus.

Once you get to the car, have Jet jump in the car. Wait for a few minutes and then take him back inside under normal walking conditions. He still needs to stay by your side, but you do not have to take only one step at a time.

If, at any time, Jet becomes too adrenalated and crazy over the anticipation of the car ride, take him back inside the house and walk him around for a minute or two. Let go of the leash and don’t pay attention to him for another minute. Now, start the exercise again.

7. NO JUMPING – The best way to stop Jet’s jumping is to calmly step on the leash. If needed, move your feet up the leash so that he “doesn’t have enough leash to jump”. You have effectively “staked him to the ground”. Do not pay attention to him for a few moments. My observations from today’s exercises indicates that he will normally lie down and become calm.

If he is jumping on you when you are on the sofa, stand up, face him, and give your correction sound (low tone growly NO). Pick up the leash and guide him off. If he returns to the sofa and jumps on you again, repeat the above process. This time, step on the leash so he has no opportunity to jump and can only lie at your feet as you are sitting on the sofa. Sit down and passively observe him for a few minutes. Once is he calm, remove your foot from the leash.

8. BARKING – I did not observe Jet barking during our session. If he does bark to a point of annoyance (breaking your rules), use the “Use of the Leash” method described below.

10. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Although seemingly easy; this is a big deal. You are the boss, and everything must be your idea. You must garner attention from Jet to successfully correct and guide him. Never let him tell you what to do.

12. COME – Perform this when Jet is calm and there are no distractions. Have the leash and harness on him. Move to the end of the leash, stoop down, and command COME. If he comes to you, praise him with a high pitched “Good Puppy”. If he doesn’t come to you, give the leash a slight tug to direct him to you. Continue the slight tugs until he is next to you and praise him. Stand up once you are done.

Once he can come to you from twenty feet every time without the need for a tug, take the leash off and have him come to you. If he comes to you; great. If not, attach the leash and practice for a few more days before removing the leash again. Always remember to praise him with a “Good Puppy” when he has successfully come to you.

STAY – This command is really “sit a really long time”. Start by placing Jet in a sit while wearing his harness and leash. You are holding the leash. Step in front of him, hold your hand out like a traffic cop, and say “Stay”. Pause for about five seconds. If Jet remains stationary, praise him with a high pitched “Good Boy”. If he moves, repeat the exercise from the beginning. Repeat this exercise for several days until he never moves.

Now, put Jet in a sit, step in front of him, hold your hand out like a traffic cop, and say “Stay”. Back up slowly, always facing him. Stop backing up when you have reached the extent of the leash. Be careful not to back up too far as to tug the leash. Pause for about five seconds. If Jet remains stationary, praise him with a high pitched “Good Boy”. If he moves, repeat the exercise from the beginning. Repeat this exercise for several days until he never moves.

Now, put Jet in a sit, step in front of him, hold your hand out like a traffic cop, and say “Stay”. Back up slowly while facing him until you have reached the extent of the leash. Slowly move in a semi-circle until you are 90 degrees to his side. Pause and then move in the other direction until you are 90 degrees on his other side. Wait a moment and then return to the point where you are standing at the extent of the leash in front of him. If Jet remains stationary, praise him with a high pitched “Good Boy”. If he moves, repeat the exercise from the beginning. Repeat this exercise for several days until he never moves.

Now, put Jet in a sit, step in front of him, hold your hand out like a traffic cop, and say “Stay”. Back up slowly while facing him until you have reached the extent of the leash. This time start to circle him, but don’t stop when you have reached 90 degrees to his side. Continue to go around him so that you make a complete circle in your path. Be careful not to “bing his nose” with the leash as you pass in back of him. Once you have reached the position where you began (extent of the leash in front of him), pause for a moment. If Jet remains stationary, praise him with a high pitched “Good Boy”. If he moves, repeat the exercise from the beginning. Repeat this exercise for several days until he never moves.

Always remember to keep this exercise slow and to always have your hand out like a traffic cop. Jet should always be focusing on your extended hand except for the part of the last exercise where you pass behind him and out of his sight.

You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Jet when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Cheyenne Thornton
Visit Date: 10/17/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Pulls on leash, jumps, plays hard

Training Notes:
Maggie is a loving, inquisitive, and playful dog. This is exactly what one would expect from a 5-ish year old Golden Retriever. Her playfulness often causes excessive adrenalized actions that cause problems. This is where we worked in giving her the proper direction and education. The most important thing that you need to remember is to maintain a calm demeanor.

In review of yesterday’s discussion, you must remember that your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want her to jump, she can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. She cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because she is not the boss.

Next, make sure that you correct her as soon as she breaks your rules. You must do this in a manner that does not scare or frighten her and still gets her respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided her to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), you must acknowledge her correct action.

Lastly, you must understand that she communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting her. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get her attention. I normally use the “grrr” sound and you should pick a unique sound that you feel comfortable in using and (most importantly) gets Maggie’s attention. We also talked about the passive physical tools of the squirt bottle or shake bottle to amplify your correction. (I think our “Plan B will work the best with Maggie, more to come…)

This method makes extensive use of the six-foot leash as a distractive and passive tool to get Maggie’s calm and immediate focus. You can have the leash on her at different times during the day in the house, but most of our efforts were focused outside. When you have her on the tether, also have a six-foot leash attached to her.

Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her around with the leash until she is deadrenalized and focused on you. We saw that she responded quite well to the redirective methods employed through the use of the leash.

Some of the exercises we worked on yesterday were:

1. THE WALK – This is one of your big issues because of Maggie’s pulling and not paying attention to you. This made the walk “no fun”. I first suggest using the Easy Walk harness that we supplied. Put the harness on only when you are walking her. If she is in the house for periods of time, put the harness on and off sporadically so that she will not associate your placing of the harness on her as “walkie time”. This will make putting the harness on a calmer event.

Once you have the harness and leash on, calmly walk to the door. Open the door. If she starts to adrenalize (jump, pull, bark, etc.), correct her by giving a strong tug on the leash. This should swing her back to you. You must remain calm and de-adrenalized during this process. Step out only when Maggie is calm and providing you respectful focus.

Stop again at the bottom of the stairs and have her pause. If she can sit, that is great, but not required. She simply needs to be stable and calm. If she is not, calmly walk her around for a moment. If she is not focused on you, tug the leash so that she will focus back to you and see “your calm demeanor”.

Once you see she is calm, you can start the walk.

Slowly walk at your own pace. Remember that you are the driver and she is the passenger. Reinforce that you are the driver by “stopping the car every once in a while”. Every hundred feet or so, stop, give the leash a good tug, and make your correction sound (I used the grrr). She should stop and look back at you. It would be even better if she stepped back to you and sat; but that is not a requirement. Maggie’s confirmation that you are the leader by stopping and calmly directing her focus to you is the core requirement.

You can allow Maggie to walk on your left or right. Remember that it is your decision. You can allow her to walk at a distance that is based on your comfort level. This could be right by your side or near the extent of your leash. This is what I referred to as the “happy circle”. It is where you feel happy with Maggie when you are walking. I suggest that you bring her closer to you when passing by houses with distractions or there are distractions ahead.

Do not let Maggie pull. This is a sign of disrespect (back-seat driver) and the precursor of uncontrolled adrenaline (pulling because she sees a squirrel and then jumping/leaping to run after the squirrel). Pulling can only occur if she has reached the extent of the leash and is outside your “happy circle”. When she does this, stop, give the leash a strong tug, and make your correction sound. You want her to swing around and focus on you. It may take several of your tugging actions to get her attention. This could be caused by how adrenalized she may become and the size of the adrenalized distraction.

If Maggie is starting to pull excessively and not giving you focus, change your direction. All of a sudden, turn around and walk in the opposite direction. She will have to follow. If needed, give the leash a few tugs to direct her in your new direction. After about twenty feet or so, reverse your direction again and return to your prior walk. You can also do this “out of the blue” just to “remind her” who is driving.

Another solution for the “pulling excessively” is the action known as “BACK LEASHING”. If she is pulling on the leash, correct her and get her back to you. Start your walk again. As soon as you see her start to quickly move ahead and probably pull, you should stop. You stay stopped as she marches out to the extent of the leash. The moment before the leash is taut and she is about to pull, give the leash a really substantial tug. You want her to really swing around. At this point she is far away from you (six feet ahead) and she should be looking at you standing still, calm, and tall. Call her back to you and have her sit or stay stationary for ten seconds or so. Start your walk again.

Make sure that you are walking at the speed you have established. Sometimes we (unknowingly) will adjust the speed of our walk to our dog’s speed. When we do this, we are submitting to her request and letting her know that she is the boss.

Change your pace at different times during the walk. Walk a little faster or slow down. Maggie will then have to respond to your change in pace and confirm that she is focused on you. If she does not properly respond by falling behind and tugging on the leash or going ahead and pulling on the leash, correct her. If she has fallen behind, give the leash a few quick tugs to guide her back to you and into your “happy circle”. If she is now pulling, perform the stop and tug action we outlined earlier.

Your initial walks should be short. This will allow you to maintain the energy and focus to correct and guide her every time she is not walking properly. It also send Maggie a consistent and repetitive signal of what you want her to do. (Think of learning your times tables. Five times five is always twenty-five.)

2. JUMPING/BARKING (TETHERED OUTSIDE) – Maggie can “go nuts” outside while on the tether. You need to employ the same redirection/correction methods used at times during the walk to get her to focus on you and not on what is driving her crazy.

Always have the leash attached to her when she is tethered outside. Use the “other harness” when she is outside. This harness is not great for walking, but it’s design will not cause rubbing or discomfort that prolonged wearing of the Easy Harness could cause.

If Maggie is jumping on the tether, calmly approach the end of the leash. Step on the leash and then slowly move your feet up the leash to point that will not allow her to jump. You have effectively used your foot as a stake in the ground. Stand still for a few moments and ignore her. We saw that she would quickly deadrenalize and calmly lie on the ground. Keep your foot on the leash for another five to ten seconds and then calmly remove your foot and back away. Always face her during this process.

If Maggie is barking, calmly approach her and step on the leash. You should position yourself so that Maggie is between you and the distraction that is the target of her barking. Give the leash a strong tug (it may take several) until she has swung around and facing you. Guide her to you and then walk her around (as best as possible under the constraints of the tether). If she is still returning focus to the distraction, unhook her from the tether (while still attached to the leash) and walk her to a point where the distraction is out of sight.

In both instances, calmly walk her until she is calm and focused on her. You can then practice an obedience exercise just to confirm that she understands you are the boss. Either the come or sit exercises would be fine.

My observation from yesterday’s visit was that this methods for jumping and barking worked very quickly. If the distraction is big and is remaining outside, you may need to take her inside until “the problem” is no longer around.

3. USE OF THE LEASH – This is “Plan B” for the correction or the redirection process. You will probably be using this method of correction far more frequently than the squirt bottle or shake bottle. Have the leash on her and step on the leash when she is going nuts. If needed, pick up the leash and walk her to a calm place away from the inappropriate distraction. Once you observe that she is calm and focusing on you, praise her with a high pitched “Good Girl”, drop the leash, and return to what you were doing.

4. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Although seemingly easy; this is a big deal. You are the boss, and everything must be your idea. You must garner attention from Maggie to successfully correct and guide her. Never let her tell you what to do.

5. COME – Perform this when Maggie is calm and there are no distractions. Have the leash and harness on her. Move to the end of the leash, stoop down, and command COME. If she comes to you, praise her with a high pitched “Good Girl”. If she doesn’t come to you, give the leash a slight tug to direct her to you. Continue the slight tugs until she is next to you and praise her. Stand up once you are done.

Continue the exercise until she can come to you every time without the need for any tugs. Then, extend the distance by attaching a second leash to the first, getting a long training lead, or getting a piece of rope. Now perform the above exercise at ten feet, then fifteen feet, then twenty feet.

Once she can come to you from twenty feet every time without the need for a tug, take the leash off and have her come to you. (If you are outside, still have the tether attached so she can’t run off.) If she comes to you; great. If not, attach the leash and practice for a few more days before removing the leash again. Always remember to praise her with a “Good Girl” when she has successfully come to you.

6. SIT – Always use the leash with this exercise. Have her by you and say “SIT”. If she sits, praise her. If she doesn’t sit, use the leash to guide her to sit. You accomplish this by pulling up and slightly back on the leash to raise her head up and back. This gets her slightly off balance and leaning back. Use your other hand to guide (not push) her rear down. Once her rear is on the ground, praise her.

You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Maggie when she breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when she breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Daryl Cook
Visit Date: 10/19/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 700
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
come, walk, sit, front door, potty, manage attention seeking behavior, use of leash
Training Notes:
Scout is a loving, inquisitive, high energy, and playful puppy. This is exactly what one would hope for in a Jack Russell puppy. Her playfulness and high energy often cause excessive adrenalized actions that cause problems. This is where we worked in giving her the proper direction and education. The most important thing that you need to remember is to maintain a calm demeanor.

In review of this morning’s discussion, you must remember that your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want her to jump, she can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. She cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because she is not the boss.

Lastly, you must understand that she communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting her. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get her attention. We normally use the “grrr” sound and you should pick a unique sound that you feel comfortable in using and (most importantly) gets Scout’s attention. We also talked about the passive physical tools of the squirt bottle or shake bottle to amplify your correction.

We had characterized the above method (Stand/Grrr/Squirt) as a straight “correction” or your “Plan A”. It is easy to perform but takes a little practice to perfect. We believe that the distractive correction method “Plan B” will be another great option for you. It works great with highly adrenalized dogs such as Scout.

This method makes extensive use of the six-foot leash as a distractive and passive tool to get Scout’s calm and immediate focus. You can have the leash on her at different times during the day in the house. Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her around with the leash until she is deadrenalized and focused on you. We saw that she responded quite well to the redirective methods employed through the use of the leash.

Some of the exercises we discussed and/or worked on this morning were:

1. THE WALK – We didn’t walk outside because of the inclement weather, but went through the basics in the house. The Easy Walk Harness is a very important tool in the walking process. It is easy to put on, is well designed to fit Scout firmly, and the “chest clip” allows you to turn Scout back towards you when you need to get her attention.

Pick a side to walk Scout. We found that she seemed to like the right side and you liked the idea of walking her on the right side too. Always start the walk from a calm position. If she is jumping and not focused on you, walk her around in a circle or in the immediate area for a moment. You should do this calmly and slowly to “drain her crazy level”. Once she appears calm, pause and have her stop too. You can have her sit, but that is not necessary.

Once she is calm, you can start your walk. Any command such as “Heel”, “Walkies”, Giddy-up”, etc. is fine. Always walk at your own pace. You may not realize it, but our dogs sometimes switch the pace slightly. When this happens, they have taken charge. To negate this, change your pace every once in a while. This will make sure that you and Scout are walking at your pace.

Keep Scout on your right side (your choice) at a distance that is comfortable for you. As long as the leash is not stretched tight, she easily giving you focus, and you are happy with her position; all should be fine.

If she starts to pull on the leash or you see that she is no longer paying attention to you, give the leash a slight tug back towards you and make your correction sound (we used grrrr). This should swing her back towards you. You now have her focus. Once she is calm and focused on you, continue your walk.

If you are approaching an area where you know there are things that could distract her, guide her closer to you and initiate slight tugs to proactively have her give you focus. You are trying to make sure that she can’t see the adrenalizing distractions and “ramp up”. You might even pick up the pace slightly; but not to a run.

If Scout is excessively pulling, turn 180 degrees and walk in the opposite direction. This is the equivalent of the Monty Python “…and now for something completely different”. Scout will have to comply by changing directions and walk with you in your new direction. After ten or twenty feet, turn around again and walk in your original direction. Scout will have to comply again. This little exercise will normally break Scout of what was causing the previous pulling.

The most important thing about a walk is the joy of companionship between you and Scout. Scout must see you as her protector and best friend. You must be consistent and repetitive in your actions so that she will understand this. Because of this, we suggest starting the walking process with short walks. This will allow you to focus on your corrections and consistency. As she gets to be a better walker and you become more comfortable with your management of her walking, make the walks longer.

2. Front Door – You want to keep Scout back so that you can open the front door to let people in, etc. This is done by establishing a “boundary rule” that states “Scout must be away from the door when I am opening it”. When you approach the front door to let someone in or simply go out yourself, don’t run. You are the boss and you can open the door whenever you get there. You are on your time.

As you approach the front door, pick up the water bottle that you have hidden by the door. Once you have arrived at the door, turn and face Scout. If she is too close to the door, make your correction sound and give her a squirt. The purpose of this is to have her back up to a position where you can safely open the front door and not have her run out. This is normally six to ten feet. You may have to give multiple correction sounds and squirts to get her to this position.

Once she is back, continue to face her. You can now slowly open the door to let the person in or allow you to step out. Always face her. If she starts to approach, close the door and use your correction sound and squirt bottle to back her up.

Having the leash on Scout during this time would not be a bad idea. Just in case “everything fails”, you can always step on the leash as she is going through the door. You can then guide her back away from the door with the leash and start the exercise again.

3. POTTY- Scout was pretty good about pottying for the two weeks she was a guest at our home. Although you have stated that she is normally an outside dog, there will be times she will be in the house with you. Some quick guidelines:

a) Always be aware of Scout’s location. Dogs normally like to potty away from everybody else. If you have her in your sight, that will distract her from “let’s potty now”.

b) Have her on a leash so that it is easier to manage her and get her outside if you think she needs to potty.

c) If you see her excessively smelling the ground or starting to circle; get her outside.

d) If you and she have been inside for a long time (i.e. 2-3 hours), get her outside.

e) If you have been actively playing with her or she has been running around a lot inside, take her out. Her metabolism has been high and as she calms down, her bladder often says “I’m next!”.

f) Feed her on a schedule. Put the food down at specific times and pick the food up after twenty minutes. You can leave a little water out most of the day for hydration but not gulping.

g) If you catch her in the act of pottying in the house, correct her and take her out immediately. If you didn’t see her potty in the house, you can’t do a thing about it. She won’t understand. All you can do is to clean up the accident.

h) We have an entire “Potty Training” Section contained in our on-line notes with more information.

4. USE OF THE LEASH – This is “Plan B” for the correction or the redirection process. You will probably be using this method of correction just as much as the squirt bottle or shake bottle. Have the leash on her and step on the leash when she is going nuts. If needed, pick up the leash and walk her to a calm place away from the inappropriate distraction. Once you observe that she is calm and focusing on you, praise her with a high pitched “Good Girl”, drop the leash, and return to what you were doing.

5. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Although seemingly easy; this is a big deal. You are the boss, and everything must be your idea. You must garner attention from Scout to successfully correct and guide her. Never let her tell you what to do.

6: COME – Have Scout on a leash. Back up to the end of the leash so you are six feet away. Stoop down low and say “COME”. If she comes, praise her and stand up. If Scout doesn’t come, give the leash a slight tug in your direction do guide her to you.

Once Scout is by you, praise her with a high pitched “Good Girl” and stand up. Once she can always come from six feet, get a longer leash, rope, or training lead and practice from ten, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five feet. Slowly increase the length of the exercise when she can always come from the current distance with no need for a tug.

After she can come from your longest position with no need for a tug, drop the leash and perform the command without holding the leash. Practice this until she is always coming to you. Once you feel confident that you have her focus and she understands the command (normally three to four weeks), unhook the leash completely.

Practice off leash only when things are very calm. Start with her being close to you and slowly extend your distance. Practice for short intervals.

7. SIT – Always use the leash with this exercise. Have her by you and say “SIT”. If she sits, praise her. If she doesn’t sit, use the leash to guide her to sit. You accomplish this by pulling up and slightly back on the leash to raise her head up and back. This gets her slightly off balance and leaning back. Use your other hand to guide (not push) her rear down. Once her rear is on the ground, praise her. If she decides to lie down instead of sitting down, we will still take that “as a win”.

You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Scout when she breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when she breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Mandy Driscoll
Visit Date: 10/23/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Isabelle – fearful, barking at all kinds of things

Training Notes:
Isabelle, Thomas, and Wyatt are all great dogs. Our “problem child” today was Isabelle. She was slightly pensive and unsure of people coming into her space. She was also somewhat unclear of her role in the pack and her need to step up to take charge through barking and warning. Our challenge with her was to let her know that she did not need to be in charge and that you were the boss and the one who will take care of everything. You are the “mommy”. This is where we worked in giving her the proper direction and education. The most important thing that you need to remember is to stay calm, resolute, and confident.

Lastly, you must understand that she communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting her. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get her attention. We normally use the “GRRRR” sound and you should pick a unique sound that you feel comfortable in using and (most importantly) gets Isabelle’s attention. We also talked about the passive physical tools of the squirt bottle or shake bottle to amplify your correction. It appears that the squirt bottle is the best tool for Isabelle as well as Thomas and Wyatt.

We had characterized the above method (Stand/GRRRR/Squirt) as a straight “correction” or your “Plan A”. It is easy to perform but takes a little practice to perfect. We believe that the distractive correction method “Plan B” will be another great option for you. It works great with slightly fearful and unsure dogs such as Isabelle.

This method makes extensive use of the six-foot leash as a distractive and passive tool to get Isabelle’s calm and immediate focus. You can have the leash on her at different times during the day in the house. Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her around with the leash until she is deadrenalized and focused on you. We saw that she responded quite well to the redirective methods employed through the use of the leash.

Some of the exercises we discussed and/or worked on today were:

1. FRONT DOOR (with knock/doorbell) – You want to keep Isabelle (and the rest of the pack) back so that you can open the front door to let people in, etc. This is done by establishing a “boundary rule” that states “Everybody must be away from the door when I am opening it”. When you approach the front door to let someone in, don’t run. You are the boss and you can open the door whenever you get there. You are on your time.

As you approach the front door, pick up the water bottle that you have hidden by the door (or you may already have it in your hand). Once you have arrived at the door, turn and face Isabelle and the rest. If they are close to the door, make your correction sound and give the offending dog a squirt. The purpose of this is to have them back up to a position where you can safely open the front door and not have them run out or give your guest “the bum rush”. This is normally six to ten feet. You may have to give multiple correction sounds (GRRRRR) and squirts to get the offending doggie to this position.

Once all are back, continue to face them. You can now slowly open the door to let the person in. Always face them. If one starts to approach, close the door and use your correction sound and squirt bottle to send the approaching dog back behind your boundary.

Having the leash on Isabelle or others during this time would not be a bad idea. Just in case “everything fails”, you can always step on the leash. You can then guide them back away from the door with the leash and start the exercise again.

2. SOMEONE COMING DOWNSTAIRS – You and Isabelle are downstairs. Make sure the leash is on Isabelle. Have someone quietly upstairs waiting to come down. After about thirty seconds, have the person start to make “I am coming downstairs” sounds. If you see Isabelle start to focus on the staircase or start to become agitated, stand up if you are not already standing. Calmly walk over to her and calmly step on the leash. Pick up the leash. During this time, the person is continuing to come down the stairs, making “I am coming downstairs” noises.

If needed, correct Isabelle with a GRRR and give her a slight tug on the leash so that she looks back to you. If she does not give you calm and respectful focus, correct her again and calmly walk her away (the kitchen would probably be a good place to go). Once calm, praise her and have her sit (or simply remain standing right next to you).

The person should have reached the bottom of the stairs and into the Family Room by now. When Isabelle is calm, drop the leash and calmly walk away. The goal is to observe that Isabelle is not overly agitated when people come down the stairs. Over time, you should find the need to correct and redirect Isabelle away as people come down the stairs to diminish. As with most of the educational processes with Isabelle, the “take-away” here is “calm and focused through correction and redirection”.

3. SOMEONE COMING IN THE DOOR WITH A KEY – This is somewhat like the front door exercise except that the person can come in by themselves and you are simply somewhere else (like the Family Room, on your computer, or in the Kitchen.

You are somewhere as mentioned above, and Isabelle is somewhere with her leash on. She does not need to be with you. Have someone outside for about thirty seconds and then have them enter the front door. They should first rattle the doorknob like they have keys and then open the door at a natural pace.

As soon as you hear the doorknob noise, you should locate Isabelle and you should be standing up. If she is calm, all is well. If she starts to show signs of agitation or heightened adrenaline, calmly walk towards her and step on the end of the leash.

Pick up the leash, make your correction sound (GRRRR) and give the leash a slight tug to direct her back to you. The person should now be in the door and close the door. If you need to walk Isabelle around for a moment to have her deadrenalize, do it now. Stop when she is calm and focused on you. (Remember, you don’t have to do this if she is calm as the person is entering.)

Direct the person to continue to enter in the house and go to a gathering place such as the Living Room, Kitchen, or Family Room. Ask them to move slowly and calmly. Ask them not to pay attention to any of the dogs. If Isabelle starts to adrenalize, ask the person to stop while you redirect her for a moment. When all is calm, continue.

Once the person has reached their “I am here” position in the Kitchen, Living Room, or Family Room, join them. You can either have Isabelle with you on the leash or have dropped the leash and allow her to find her own “happy position”.

The goal here is to slowly bring people into the house while managing Isabelle’s currently unsure demeanor. Your tools are the leash and redirection to focus to you. Every time she starts to falter and adrenalize towards the person (decreases her confidence in your protection), you reinforce your position with the redirection.

4. USE OF THE LEASH – This is “Plan B” for the correction or the redirection process. You will probably be using this method of correction more than the squirt bottle. Have the leash on her and step on the leash when she is going nuts. If needed, pick up the leash and walk her to a calm place away from the inappropriate distraction. Once you observe that she is calm and focusing on you, praise her with a high pitched “Good Girl”, drop the leash, and return to what you were doing.

We also found that the combination of the redirection (Use of the Leash) and correction (stand tall, verbalize GRRR, and squirt bottle) was effective. This should only be done after she has calmed down through the redirection (Use of the Leash) and she is calm but starting to lose focus and beginning to adrenalize again.

5. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Although seemingly easy; this is a big deal. You are the boss, and everything must be your idea. You must garner attention from Isabelle, Wyatt, and (especially) Thomas to successfully correct and guide them. Never let any of them tell you what to do.

6. BARKING – This is really an action that will be found in many of the exercises listed above. As we discussed, a small bit of barking is natural and even necessary with dogs. It is a simple warning to the rest of the group. With that said, a warning is short and passed on to “the boss” for action. Too much barking is not a warning and constitutes breaking your rules and disrespect.

The best way to correct Isabelle’s barking is through the use of the leash and the redirection process. Your goal is to direct her away from the distraction causing her barking and to have her focus on you. You are calm and standing tall. This tells her you are the boss and everything is just fine. As the cops say on TV, “Nothing to see here, move along…”.

7. JUMPING – This can be easily fixed by using either the correction or leash method. In using the correction method, you must catch them just as they are about to jump. Stand tall and calm, make your correction sound (GRRRR), and squirt them (usually in the face). This will normally startle them to the point of loosing their “I want to jump”. They will normally be sitting at your feet or back off. You must remain calm and tall through the entire process. Praise them with a “Good Puppy” when they are calm and no longer jumping.

You can also use the leash. As they are about to jump, step on the leash. You need to get your foot on the leash at a point where they can not physically jump. If they try to jump, they will be stopped by the leash and fall right back to the ground. When performing this procedure, stay calm and pay minimal or no attention to them (passive dominance). They should quickly calm down and end up lying at your feet.

You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Isabelle and the rest when they break a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when they break your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Carly Wynne
Visit Date: 11/4/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
excessive licking, door bell, sit, come, basic manners

Training Notes:
Sonny is a great dog and I had a great time working with him. Some of the exercises we worked on today were as follows:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Sonny. Slowly step away from your dog (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Sonny. Stand next to your dog and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Sonny a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. STAY – Please Note: Sonny must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If he still has a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until Sonny can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place your dog in a Sit before you start this command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of Sonny, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Sonny, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Sonny, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Sonny’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of him, and stop when you have reached his other side. Now, move back until you are in front of him again. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Sonny, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around him. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

4. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Sonny’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Have your dog’s collar and leash on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause him to bark. As soon as he starts to bark, step on the leash and place the handle in your hand. Briskly walk him in a direction away from the distraction to a point where he is giving you focus and has lost interest in whatever was causing him to bark. Now, have him sit for you. As soon as he does, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before this exercise.

5. JUMPING – Remember to always have Sonny’s collar and leash on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and your dog approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Sonny begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

6. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards Sonny. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow Sonny to cross. You should have your spray bottle and/or shake bottle with you. Have your dog in another part of the room.

Now, have someone knock on the front door. At the same time, make sure that Sonny is completely free to do whatever he wants. If he begins to approach the invisible boundary, face him, give your correction sound, and use your spray bottle or shake bottle to gain his attention and stop his forward movement. This may take several attempts and one of the devices (spray/shake) may be more effective than the other.

Once he has stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Sonny makes any attempt to continue his approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise Sonny’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

7. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Sonny comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you. If Sonny gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore him for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet him at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Sonny brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

8. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Sonny’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on your dog at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or he will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Sonny.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Sonny from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

Client: Antoinette Lambert
Visit Date: 11/12/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Maya: jumps, rushes door, barks, needs focus, come, sit, stay; Einstein: a little crazy, doesn’t want behavior to rub off on Maya

Training Notes:
Maya, Einstein, Maggie, and Mini-Me all have slightly different concerns that needed to be addressed. We engaged in exercises that focused on these issues, situations, and behaviors. Our goal was to calmly regain control of the moment and regain your dogs’ focus and respect.

In review of today’s discussion, you must remember that your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want them to jump, they can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. They cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because they “are not the boss of you”.

Next, make sure that you correct any of them as soon as they break your rules. You must do this in a manner that does not scare or frighten them and still gets their respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided them to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), you must acknowledge their correct action.

Lastly, you must understand that they mostly communicate through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting them. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get their attention. I normally use the “grrr” sound and you should pick a unique sound that you feel comfortable in using and (most importantly) gets their attention. You can try a low toned “No”, for example.

We also talked about the passive physical tools of the squirt bottle or shake bottle to amplify your correction. We saw that the shake bottle worked best in most instances while the squirt bottle worked well with Maggie at the front door.

I had characterized the above method (Stand/Grrr/Squirt-or-Shake) as a straight “correction” or your “Plan A”. It is easy to perform but takes a little practice to perfect. I believe that the distractive correction method of using the six-foot leash through redirection is an excellent “Plan B” when the “Stand/Grrr/Squirt-or-Shake” method is not successful.

This method makes extensive use of the six-foot leash as a distractive and passive tool to get their calm and immediate focus. You can have the leash on them at different times during the day in the house or outside.

Step on the leash if anyone starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk them around with the leash until they are deadrenalized and focused on you. We saw that they responded quite well to the redirective methods employed through the use of the leash.

Some of the exercises we worked on today were:

1. COME – We worked mostly with Maya. Have her on a six-foot leash in the house. Walk to the extent of the leash, stoop down low, and command “COME”. If she comes to you, acknowledge her obedience with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” and stand up.

If she doesn’t come to you, give the leash a slight tug in your direction. Do not say “COME” again. (The command isn’t come, come, come, come.) She should now start to move towards you because of your tug. You may need to give several tugs to have her get next to you.

As she is coming to you, take up the slack in the leash so that it doesn’t get “messed up” on the ground. Praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” when she reaches you. Stand up. You are done.

Once she can come to you every time without the need of a tug, extend the distance to ten, fifteen, twenty, and even thirty feet. You can do this in the house or outside.

2. SIT – Again, we worked mostly with Maya regarding this exercise. Have Maya on a leash in the house next to you. Command her to “SIT”. If she sits, that is great. Be sure to acknowledge her obedience with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If she does not sit, use your “leash hand” to pull the leash up and behind her head. This should slightly raise her up and move her backwards. Her center of gravity should now be tilted backwards. She should start to move in a rearward direction.

Use your other hand to direct her rear end down slightly. This should help “steer” her hindquarters downward as more weight is being distributed there due to her backward motion. Gravity should quickly take over and her rear end should go to the ground. Please do not push or force her rear end down.

Once she is sitting, acknowledge her obedience with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Once she is sitting, allow her to continue to sit for a while. This can be ten, twenty, or thirty seconds. If she moves before that, no problem. This is simply preparing for the next exercise of Stay.

3. STAY – Please Note: Maya must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If she still has a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until Maya can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place Maya in a Sit before you start this command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of Maya, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Wait until she is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Maya, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Wait until she is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Maya, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Maya’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of her, and stop when you have reached her other side. Now, move back until you are in front of her again. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Maya, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around her. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

4. JUMPING – This is probably for Maya and Einstein. You can accomplish this in two ways. First, when you see them jumping, stand in front of them, make your correction sound, and actively shake the chain bottle. This should break their focus and drop their rears to the ground. Acknowledge their obedience with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

You can also have the leash on them during times that you believe will be periods of jumping. As soon as you see them get ready to jump, step on the leash at a point that will not allow them to get off the ground. Do this calmly while not paying attention to them. This is a technique referred to as “Passive Dominance”. They will not be able to jump and you have stopped them with almost no interaction.

5. RUSHING THE FRONT DOOR – We included Einstein and Maggie with this exercise. Our goal was to contain Einstein at a safe distance and keep Maggie back next. You created a perimeter (boundary) where neither could cross.

We started off with both Einstein and Maggie on loose leashes. Both were at a point away from the front door and behind the front door boundary.

I was the “exterior front door antagonist” ringing the doorbell and pounding on the door. Once I did this, you observed what the two dogs were about to do. If needed, one person will step on Einstein’s leash and direct his focus away from the door. Maggie is small and you can deal with that as you get close to the door.

The person going to open the door now slowly approaches the door while facing Einstein and Maggie. This means that this person will be approaching the door with their back to the door. As this person gets closer to the door and inside the “boundary”, make sure that Maggie is away from the door.

If needed, use your correction sound and squirt Maggie with the squirt bottle. This may take several correction sounds and squirts to get her behind the boundary. (We noticed that she liked to retreat to a location under a dining room chair.

Once you are at the door and both dogs are calmly away from the door and behind your defined boundary, you can open the door. If any dog begins to make a move towards the door. Stop and guide them away.

Always face the dogs during this exercise. Never turn your back on them. Once your “door knocker” is inside and the door is closed, you can acknowledge Maggie’s and Einstein’s successful completion of this exercise with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

6. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – This is the case where everything must be your idea. You must manage and demand the attention; not Maya, Einstein, Maggie, or Mini-Me. Do this by making sure everything is your idea. For example; do not pet them when they demand it. (Putting their nose in your hand is an example of this issue.)

7. USE OF THE LEASH – This is the “Plan B” for correction or the redirection process. Have the leash on them and step on the leash when they are going nuts. If needed, pick up the leash and walk them to a calm place away from the inappropriate distraction.

8. INTRODUCE EINSTEIN TO PEOPLE – We did not perform this exercise today, but “verbally walked through it”. It came out of a discussion we were having about Einstein coming into the room and lunging/nipping one of your friends. This exercise is a variation on the use of the leash. It is still based on the same principals of redirection and proper focus.

When you have someone “new to the house” over, make sure Einstein is on a leash. Bring
Einstein into the room slowly on the leash in a manner that he can have an unobstructed view of the individual.

Stop when you are completely in the room and Einstein can see the individual. Tug on the leash to “remind” Einstein that you are there and to allow him to return focus to you. If Einstein starts to adrenalize or focus too harshly on the individual, tug on the leash and briskly (yet calmly) walk him away from the individual to a far part of the room.

Observe his body language for a calmer demeanor (loose body positioning, focus on you, sitting, etc.). If he is calm and focused on you, pause for a moment and then slowly guide him back towards the person. Do not approach the person directly. Move towards the person in an indirect (round-a-bout) manner. A direct approach can sometimes provide escalation to a more aggressive and dominant posture.

If Einstein still appears agitated, more him farther away from the person. This may be to another room or even outside. Once you see that he has calmed down and is focused on you, you can slowly return to the vicinity of the other person.

Your goal is not to make Einstein and the person best friends. You just want Einstein to initially “put up with this person” as they learn to know each other. This means that they don’t need to be right next to each other and the other person does not need to pet or actively engage Einstein.

Use the leash to keep control and to let Einstein know that you are there and in charge. Focus on his body language to understand if you need to move away to regroup or if you can continue to meet the person. Take it slow. When in doubt, take it slower.

9. MANNERS AT THE BACK-YARD FENCE – People will come up the driveway when the dogs are outside. The dogs will bark at those people to engage them for a plethora of reasons. It is natural for dogs to bark; that is their warning and communication system. The problem arises when the barking becomes annoying.

You must correct your dogs at the back-yard fence when their barking crosses the point of communicating an arrival to being annoying. Today’s exercise showed that the shake bottle was a very good tool to stop their barking.

Calmly walk up to them, stand tall, make your correction sound, and vigorously shake the chain bottle to get their focus on you. It might be best to guide them away from the fence. Once this is done, praise them with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. This is what worked this afternoon.

10: WALK – Einstein was the focus of this exercise. I first have to say that Einstein is a pretty good, natural walker. What he needs is proper direction. Use the “vampire collar” and a regular six-foot leash when you walk him. Allow him to be at a location and distance of your choosing that does not cause the leash to become taught. This means that he is walking in a zone that is pleasant for him and he is still respecting you by not pulling away.

If you need to change direction or if he starts to pull, give the leash a quick tug. This will cause the “vampire collar” to momentarily prick his neck and then release. This will return his focus to you and allow you to direct him to the direction or location of your choosing.

Walk him at your pace. Do not allow him to tell you how fast to walk. The easiest way for you to determine “who is walking who” is to change pace at different times. He will need to change his pace to match yours. If he does not, correct him with a quick tug on the leash.

Allow Einstein sniffing and looking time. He is a dog and we live in the forest. Give him the pleasure of smelling the leaves and dirt. Let him leave his mark. Make it fun and a time of exploratory learning for him.

Lastly, you need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct them when they break your rules. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when they break your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Susan Oliver
Visit Date: 11/23/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Sibling Rivalry, Anxiety, Not Listening

Training Notes:
Kona and Axel are great dogs and I had a great time working with them. Some of the exercises we worked on today were as follows:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Kona. Slowly step away from your dog (facing her) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If she doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once she reaches you, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes. Switch and repeat with Axel.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Kona. Stand next to your dog and say “SIT” once. If she doesn’t sit, give her your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If she doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind her head. At the same time guide her rear end backwards until you see her rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that her head is moving backwards and her rear is still descending. Once she is sitting, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Kona a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes. Switch and repeat with Axel.

3. STAY – Please Note: Each dog must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If either still have a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until each dog can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place your dog in a Sit before you start this command: (Starting with Kona.)

Level One: Stand directly in front of Kona, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until she is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Kona, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Wait until she is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Kona, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Kona’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of her, and stop when you have reached her other side. Now, move back until you are in front of her again. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Kona, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around her. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Switch and repeat with Axel.

4. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards Kona and Axel. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow them to cross. You should have your spray bottle and/or shake bottle with you. Have your Kona and Axel in another part of the room.

Now, have someone knock on the front door. At the same time, make sure that Kona and Axel are completely free to do whatever they want. If either begins to approach the invisible boundary, face them, give your correction sound, and use your spray bottle or shake bottle to gain their attention and stop their forward movement. This may take several attempts and one of the devices (spray/shake) may be more effective than the other.

Once they have stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing them. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If either Kona or Axel make any attempt to continue their approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise Kona’s and Axel’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

5. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Kona or Axel come up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore them until they turn away. If you want to pet them, call them over to you.

6. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Kona’s and Axel’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leashes on your dogs at different times during the day when you are home. Be sure that you have the leashes on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Kona and/or Axel.

As “the bad boy or girl” begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. They will become aware that the leash is taught and will look back in your direction. Your still and calm figure will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove them from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk them away. Once you observe that your misbehaving puppy is no longer adrenalized, stop and have them sit. Praise them with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Kona and Axel when they break a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when they break your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Ed Martin
Visit Date: 11/23/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Just rescued, Jumping, Mannors, Doesn’t Listen, Nipping, Chewing, Does Not Give Focus, Pulls on Leash, Crazy on Walk

Training Notes:
Oliver is a great dog and picked up on the training very well. One of the most important goals that we wanted to accomplish was to gain his respectful focus. The training methods and tools showed that was possible and he paid attention for the entire session. He is a little timid. Because of this, his corrections should be tempered so that he will not “shut down” and stop learning.

In review of today’s discussion, remember that your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want him to jump, he can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. He cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because he is not the boss.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. I normally use the “grrr” sound and you should pick a unique sound that you feel comfortable in using and (most importantly) gets Oliver’s attention. We also talked about the passive physical tools of the squirt bottle or shake bottle to amplify your correction. (I think that the squirt bottle will be the most effective.)

I had characterized the above method (Stand/Grrr/Squirt) as a straight “correction” or your “Plan A”. It is easy to perform but takes a little practice to perfect.

We also talked about the redirection method. This method makes extensive use of the six-foot leash as a distractive and passive tool to get Oliver’s calm and immediate focus. You can have the leash on him at different times during the day in the house.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him around with the leash until he is deadrenalized and focused on you. Although we did not use this method a great deal today, it is an excellent “fall back” if you are having problems with the “Stand/Grrr/Squirt”.

Some of the exercises we worked on yesterday were:

1. THE WALK: Oliver currently pulls, sniffs, and becomes very adrenalized when going on a walk. You need to slow the entire process down, break the walk into “teachable moments”, and successfully complete each step (teachable moment) before you move to the next.

First, start walking Oliver on a six-foot leash and Easy Walk Harness in the house. Just walk him around the first floor for about three to five minutes at a time. He should calmly walk near your side without pulling the leash, sticking his nose in the floor, or trying to dart off. If you start to see him become adrenalized or loose focus on you, give the leash multiple (non-forceful) tugs to get his attention back to you. Continue this until the walk becomes “uneventful” and he calmly walks by your side with no “bad stuff” for at least one day. (The entire process may take several days to complete.)

Now, walk Oliver around the first floor and out the front door. Pause at the front door and have him be calm by your side. If you want to have him sit, that is OK, but not 100% necessary. He should simply be calm as he sees the outside. Walk up and down the front porch from one side to the next. If Oliver starts to sniff, adrenalize, or looses focus on you, give the leash multiple tugs to regain his attention.

Every three or four passes up and down the porch, stop and sit on the bench. This just breaks up everything and allows both you and Oliver to “regroup”. Continue this exercise until Oliver walks with you and is constantly giving you focus for at least one day. When all is fine, you can move on to the next level.

Now you are going to walk Oliver down to the end of the driveway. Perform all the steps above (through and out the door, back and forth on the porch for one or two passes…). Slowly walk him down the driveway allowing him to see what is going on up and down the street. Be extra mindful of his stares and body language for signs of redirected focus and initial adrenaline. Correct him with the leash tugs if you see this begin to take place.

Stop and have him by your side (sitting preferable) when you reach the end of the driveway. Pause a moment, then continue your walk back up the driveway where you will pause again. Repeat this process once again and then go back into the house. Once he can do this exercise for one day without any inappropriate actions, you are ready to move further on.

New you are going to start to walk up the sidewalk. Perform all the prior steps (through the house, out onto the porch walking back and forth twice, down the driveway, back up, and down again…) Once you reach the end of the driveway, turn and start walking on the sidewalk in front of your house. If he starts to lose focus (as we discussed earlier), correct him with the multiple tugs. Keep your pace slow and consistent. Once you reach the end of your front yard on the sidewalk, turn around, walk back to your driveway, and back inside. Once you have been able to perform this step successfully with no inappropriate actions for one day, you can continue on.

From now on, simply extend the walk you are taking on the sidewalk. After walking in front of your house, extend it to three or four houses and then more. Never rush it. You are allowing him to “learn about the environment around him” and you don’t want to push sensory overload. You also don’t want to push yourself and Oliver into a situation where he “totally looses it”. Increasing the length of your walks slowly allows you to see if you are approaching a problem before you are “knee deep into it”.

If, at any time, Oliver just seems to be going nuts and not responding to your corrections, stop and revisit the Walkies later on in the day or tomorrow. You might even want to back off of the length of your walk. When you push too hard, learning does not take place.

2. FRONT YARD: This is an “addon” for the walking. One of Oliver’s tendencies is his need to smell and stick his nose in everything. Most dogs do this and it is their way of “figuring out what is going on with the immediate vicinity”. Oliver needs to do this to feel safe and secure. The problem is that we don’t want him to spend the entire walk doing this.

I suggest that you get a long lead (maybe 30 feet) and allow Oliver to check out your front yard. Make sure he can’t run into the street but give him as must freedom as possible to sniff, root, and explore.

Once every day or two should be sufficient to allow him to understand what is going on without getting too bored with the process. This process will provide Oliver with a more immersive experience of the smells of the neighborhood and make his walks less distracted.

3. CHEWING STUFF: Many dogs like to chew stuff out of boredom. There are two things you can do to easily remedy this problem and to save your sofa legs. First, you need to make the stuff Oliver is chewing to be yucky. We suggest (and you have used) Bitter Apple. You can put Bitter Apple on the things that Oliver chews. It is important to note that you will have to reapply Bitter Apple because it will evaporate not long after it is applied. If you have the leash on Oliver and you see him approaching the item that he normally chews, you can step on the leash and direct him away. You can also use your correction sound and squirt bottle (while standing up) to direct him away from the vicinity.

Once you tell him he shouldn’t be chewing something, you need to tell him what he can do. If you don’t, his boredom will quickly guide him back to the chew item in question. You need to make something else more enticing. We suggest a Kong Chew Toy with peanut butter. Put the peanut butter in the Kong and freeze it. Make sure it is in the vicinity of the inappropriate chew item (sofa leg) so you can direct Oliver to that when you have told him he can’t chew the sofa leg. You can also simply give it to him at that time.

You can also use a Deer Antler as a redirective chewing tool. Place some low sodium chicken broth on it and give it to Oliver when he shows signs of “wanting to chew”. You will eventually want to just leave these items (Kong Toy & Deer Antler) out and about for Oliver to find and chew. You have now replaced your sofa leg and other inappropriate items with the Kong Toy and Deer Antler as his “Chew Items of Choice”.

4. JUMPING: When Oliver jumps on you, he is telling you he is dominant, in command, and demanding. You must correct him when he jumps. Stand up, make your correction sound, and use the spray bottle. You may only have to show him the spray bottle. Eventually you may not even need to show the spray bottle. When he is back on the ground, praise him with a high pitched “Good Puppy”. Remember, if you don’t want him to jump, he can never jump for any reason at any time.

5. MANNERS AT THE DOOR: This exercise is for greeting people at the door, your leaving through the door, and your returning through the door. First, we will review greeting people at the front door.

Initially, you have established a boundary near the door where Oliver is not allowed when greeting people at the front door. Oliver needs to be in another part of the house. You are near the door when the person rings the doorbell or knocks on the door.

You are facing in Oliver’s direction to see if he is approaching the front door and the boundary he can not cross. If he is approaching the front door and the area where he is not allowed, you must correct him (Stand/Grrr/Squirt (if needed)) to direct him away. Continue to the door while remaining to face in Oliver’s direction.

Once you have reached the front door, check to make sure that Oliver is still outside the “Oliver can’t be here area”. If he is still away, slowly open the door and let the people in. Close the door and praise Oliver with a high pitched “Good Puppy” for successfully obeying your rule.

Now we can move on to when you leave through the front door. You have the squirt bottle in hand and slowly walk towards the front door. Turn around several times to see if Oliver is approaching/following. If he is, correct him with Stand/Grrr/Squirt (if needed) to stop his progress.

Once you get to the front door, turn around and see if Oliver has followed and is near you. If he is, correct as noted above. If not, slowly open the door and step outside and out of view of the front door’s window.

Let’s discuss coming back into the house with Oliver inside. You come to the front door with the squirt bottle. If Oliver is too close to the front door, make your correction sound and show Oliver the squirt bottle. Then, slowly open the door. If he is still too close, make your correction sound again and use the squirt bottle. Once he has sufficiently backed away from the front door, open it completely, enter, and close the door. Praise Oliver with a high pitched “Good Puppy” for obeying your rules.

6. COME: Have the leash on Oliver. Pick up the leash, step away from Oliver, stoop down low, and command “Come”. If he goes to you, praise him. If he does not go to you or hesitates, give the leash a slight tug in your direction to encourage his movement towards you. Continue your directional tugging (if needed) until he is by your side. Stand up when he is next to you and then praise him with a high pitched “Good Puppy”.

Once Oliver can always come to you with the six-foot leash with no encouragement (tugging), get a longer leash and practice from ten, twenty, and thirty feet. When he is coming to you with no tugging from your longest distance, unhook the leash and practice with no leash. If he comes to you, he has learned “Come”. If you see that he is not coming to you all the time, attach the leash again and work for another few days before disengaging the leash.

7. SIT: Oliver has the Sit command down pretty well already. You need to practice this as a prerequisite for the Stay command. Have the leash on Oliver, stand in front of him, and command “Sit”. If he does, praise him with a high pitched “Good Puppy”. If he does not sit, pull the leash back and over his head so that he becomes unbalanced and guided backwards. At the same time, place your other hand on his back and gently guide (not push) his rear downwards. Let gravity do most of the work. Once his rear is on the ground, praise him with “Good Puppy”.

8. STAY: Please Note: Oliver must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If he still has a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until Oliver can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place Oliver in a Sit before you start this command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of Oliver, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “Stay”. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise his action with a high pitched “Goof Puppy” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Oliver, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “Stay”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “Goof Puppy” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Oliver, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “Stay”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Oliver’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of him, and stop when you have reached his other side. Now, move back until you are in front of him again. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “Good Puppy” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Oliver, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “Stay”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around him. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “Good Puppy” for obeying your command.

9. MANAGING ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR: Although seemingly easy; this is a big deal. You are the boss, and everything must be your idea. You must garner attention from Oliver to successfully correct and guide him. Never let him tell you what to do.

10: USE OF THE LEASH: This is your “Plan B”. It is also known as a redirection. Have the leash on Oliver during times when you are home and you think he may get excited and not easily provide you focus. It is probably a good idea to always have the leash on him when you are about to have guests over.

If Oliver starts to go nuts and your standard correction (Stand/Grrr/Squirt) is not working, use Plan B. Calmly approach the end of the leash and step on it. If Oliver is running around, this will cause him to abruptly come to a standstill and probably look back at you.

You need to remain calm and stoic. This may be all it needs to calm him down and provide you respectful focus. If not, calmly pick up the end of the leash and calmly walk Oliver out of the area to a point where he is now calm and focused on you. Praise him with a high pitched “Good Puppy”, drop the leash, and calmly return to what you were doing.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Oliver when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Todd Sorzano
Visit Date: 12/1/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 900
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Doesn’t listen to wife and kids. General Obedience.

Training Notes:
Django is a great puppy and I enjoyed working with him this last week. Even though he is really big, we have to remember that he is a one-year old puppy. He still has some “growing to do” and is continuing to discover the world around him. All in all, he is an excellent student and fast learner.

I used two physical tools as adjuncts to his behavioral and obedience training. The first tool was the Easy Walk Harness. This harness has a leash hook at the dog’s chest allowing the walker to easily direct him back and away from pulling. The second tool was one that you are already using. It is the Dogtra Home Dog Training Collar. I used it both with and without the Easy Walk Harness. It was used when I needed to calmly (without hurting or over-adrenalization) get Django’s attention and focus. Using this device came in handy when Django was distracted and was not sitting on a walk, playing with the other dogs and wasn’t “coming” on command, or “just being a puppy”.

The training methods I used on Django did not involve “rocket science”. They were simple and in line with what Django’s mother used with him and all his siblings. You want to get and maintain Django’s focus when he is doing something wrong (i.e. jumping) or you need him to do something (i.e. come here).

Your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want him to jump, he can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. He cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because he is not the boss.

Although we looked at the water bottle and shaky chain bottle for passive physical correction, my experience with Django is that the Dogtra collar (vibrate or possible “zap”) is the most effective. Sometimes all I have to do is to show Django that I have the Dogtra transmitter in my hand.

I used the above method (Plan A) almost exclusively in working with him this last week. There is also another method that is often used. This process is called the Redirective Method” (Plan B).

This method makes extensive use of the six-foot leash as a distractive and passive tool to get Django’s calm and immediate focus. You can have the leash on him at different times during the day in the house.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him around with the leash until he is deadrenalized and focused on you. The one reason why I didn’t use this method was that “Django is just so big”. Because of his size, stepping on the leash might not stop him.

Some things I want to cover as an outcome of Django’s training are:

1. YOU: Stay calm and stand tall when you are dealing with Django. This uses body language to communicate confidence and dominance. This is the critical foundation of the communication you need to provide him to let him understand you are in charge. It lets him understand that it is important for him to focus on you and follow your direction. Bottom line, if you don’t do this, it doesn’t work.

2. CRATE: I kept Django in a crate at night and if I was out of the house. Although you do not have to do the same, I do this as an added safety measure. If you decide to use a crate, understand that when he first comes out, it can be an adrenalized moment.

I found that opening the crate door and not restraining him as he exited provided the best results of getting his calm attention. He would come out quickly and be excited for a moment or two. I stayed calm and stoic. Since I was not engaging him, he instantly discovered that “you can’t play football with only one team on the field”.

I could then put on his collar, feed him, calmly direct him into the family room, etc. I had his focus and did not have to “fight all that adrenaline”.

3. WELL BEHAVED IN THE HOUSE: This is a situation where Django can be with me while I am watching TV, on the computer, etc. I start off with bringing Django out of the crate and putting the Dogtra Collar on him. I place him in a Sit and then a Stay. I walk in the direction of the Family room (or wherever I want to be). I stop, turn to him, and then command Come. Once he gets to me, I praise him. I then turn and allow him to walk with me to my destination.

If Django disobeys or becomes adrenalized, I will use my verbal correction and then escalate with the Dogtra correction (if needed). Once he provides respectful focus and obedience, I continue to my destination with him dutifully following.

All Django needs to do while I am “doing whatever I am doing” is to be good. “Being good” means he is not breaking my rules and driving me nuts. He can be sitting at my side, on the sofa (if allowed), or calmly wandering around. As long as he is a “good house guest”, I am fine.

I need to be aware is something is about to change in our environment. If I hear the garage door go up, I know that people are coming into the house and Django might react. Or, another dog may wander down the stairs or I hear the next-door neighbor get ready to throttle up his riding lawn mower.

When this is about to occur, I will provide a pre-emptive correction (audible GRRR) to get Django’s focus. I may stand up for a moment to emphasize that I am still the boss and the one he needs to obey. I remain in that state until the change in environment has been implemented.

Although I did not need to use it, you can also place the leash on Django in addition to the Dogtra Collar. You can use the redirective method as well as the corrective method to maintain Django’s focus and state of calm demeanor.

4. WALKING: Django and I walked in a neighborhood environment as well as “in the woods”. The rules for both environments are the same. As long as he was with me, paying attention when I needed him, not pulling, and “being a good boy”, everything was great. It would be the equivalent of having a nice stroll with a friend.

The walk started with putting him in a sit and stay in the house. I put his Easy Walk Harness, six-foot leash, and Dogtra Collar on him. We would then calmly walk to the door and I would open the door. If he started to adrenalize or pull at any point, I would correct him with my GRRRR, a tugging action on the leash, and (possibly) activation of the Dogtra Collar.

I look out the door to make sure “nothing crazy” is going on outside. If there is, I wait until it is calm. Once calm, Django and I step out and I have him sit and stay once again. This allows me to make sure I have the leash in hand, the Dogtra transmitter is in one pocket, and I have poop bags in the other pocket.

I slowly start the walk. I allow Django to have some leash so that he can get in some sniffs and we can find the proper walking distance. Whatever distance you wish is fine, he just can’t pull. If he starts to pull, I gave my GRRRR verbal correction and gave multiple tugs on the leash. If needed, I used the Dogtra collar.

If I see anything that may adrenalize Django or cause a dangerous situation, I have him come to me and sit. This allows me to analyze the situation and create a solution that will keep Django safe and secure. This is critical in maintaining the appropriate bond between us.

I make sure that we have plenty of stops for sniffing, looking, and marking. This allows Django to get acclimated with the area so the he will feel safer the next time we travel this area.

One of my jobs as Django’s boss, caregiver, and best friend is to assure his safety. I must be sure that he always feels safe when he is with me. When we are on a walk, I am always scanning ahead for things that may become a problem. I am always listening for unseen things ahead and behind. If anything pops up, it is my job to create a contingency plan for any possible scenarios and act upon them, if necessary.

I followed these same steps and procedures when we were walking in the neighborhood or in the woods. I gave Django a little more leash so that he could explore while in the woods. I also had to be more alert because of all “the possible wildlife” in the trees and around the bend.

5. PLAYING: All puppies love to play and Django loves to play with our dogs in the fenced in back yard. He was fine and there were no real incidents that required intervention. I did have the Dogtra Collar on him while he was playing and used it for several Recall Exercises.

A “Recall Exercise” is simply an adrenalated and unfocused Come Exercise. For example, Django would be running away from me, across the yard to my Shepherd who was barking at the dog in the next yard. I would issue a Come command to Django and engage the Dogtra Collar at the same time.

This employed an additional “focus tool” into the exercise that caused him to stop and turn back to me. My body language was in a low, “come here” position that communicated to him to “get back to me”. He returned to me and I verbally praised his correct response.

Besides this one exercise, I allowed him to play with our other dogs so that they could interact and properly socialize. Just like us, the more they socialize the less they remain “socially inept”.

Playing allows Django to safely and effectively drain his adrenaline. It is a needed part of his life experience. If possible, I suggest that you consider a “Doggie Day Care” for Django a day or two a week. This allows him to “go nuts” with other dogs and stay calmer when he comes home. It is the reason we had recess in school.

6. BUGGING YOU (BREAKING YOUR RULES): Django is a very well-behaved dog for a Great Dane puppy. He misbehaved far less that what would be expected. When he did misbehave, I corrected him by standing tall, extending my firm vocal GRRR, and (if needed) using the Dogtra Collar. By being consistent in my correction, he quickly leaned what to do and what not to do. This allowed him to learn how to behave and what was expected of him.

7. SIT: Django already seemed to understand this. I simply created a consistent process with repetitive practice. I would give the Sit command while providing a hand that had my hand (palm up) moving towards him in an upward movement. His following my hand naturally moved his body in a manner that would cause him to sit.

If he did not sit, I practiced two options:

First, I would place the leash on him. When he didn’t sit, I would let him know that he did not do the right thing by issuing my low verbal correction GRRRR sound. I would then command Sit again while pulling the leash up over his head and then backwards over his body. This movement would naturally move him backwards and slightly off balance to the rear. I would use my other hand to gently guide his rear down to the ground and to a sit.

My second method when he didn’t sit would be to give him the low verbal correction GRRR sound. I would then say Sit again and use the vibration mode of the Dogtra Collar at the same time. This often “jogged his memory” to perform the sit.

8. STAY: I can not perform this until I can get Django to sit every time I ask him to sit. Luckily, he was able to accomplish this. I could get Django to stay while I walked around the entire room. He would stay put until I released him. For your information, I will break this process down into the four progressive levels of the Stay Command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of Django, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “Stay”. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise his action with a high pitched “Good Puppy” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Django, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “Stay”. Slowly back up for about six feet. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “Good Puppy” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Django, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “Stay”. Slowly back up for about six feet. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Django’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of him, and stop when you have reached his other side. Now, move back until you are in front of him again. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “Good Puppy” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Django, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “Stay”. Slowly back up for about six feet. Walk completely around him. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “Good Puppy” for obeying your command.

9. COME: Although I did not have to use the leash with Django for this exercise, I am going to describe it via the “leash method”. I am doing this to provide you with the proper instructions in the event he is not easily coming to you and you need to provide a heightened level of instruction.

Have the leash on Django. Pick up the leash, step away from Django, stoop down low, and command “Come”. If he goes to you, praise him. If he does not go to you or hesitates, give the leash a slight tug in your direction to encourage his movement towards you. Continue your directional tugging (if needed) until he is by your side. Stand up when he is next to you and then praise him with a high pitched “Good Puppy”.

Once Django can always come to you with the six-foot leash with no encouragement (tugging), get a longer leash and practice from ten, twenty, and thirty feet. When he is coming to you with no tugging from your longest distance, unhook the leash and practice with no leash. If he comes to you, he has learned “Come”. If you see that he is not coming to you all the time, attach the leash again and work for another few days before disengaging the leash.

10. STAY BACK FROM FRONT DOOR: You do not want Django running to the front door and causing problems when you are opening the front door and letting people in. The best way to accomplish this is to set a rule that Django must be away from the front door when the doorbell rings/someone knocks and you are opening the door.

First, set a boundary that he can not cross when you are in the process of opening the front door. The doorways into the front hall would be fine. You can practice this with having the leash and Dogtra collar on Django.

Have someone outside and ring the bell. You now calmly walk towards the door. If Django is staying behind the boundary, that is great. If he is already within the boundary and at the front door, do nothing until you are within the boundary and near the front door.

Correct him with your GRRR sound and give him a zap with the Dogtra collar. I would probably use the shock button for this. At the same time, pick up the leash and guide him behind your boundary.

Now, stand facing him. If he is not moving towards the door, slowly back towards the door. You must still be facing Django. If he crossed the boundary, correct him again with the GRRR, Dogtra shock button, and picking up and direction of the leash behind the boundary.

Once you have done this and are able to be at the front door with Django behind the boundary, slowly and calmly open the front door while you are still facing Django. Let the person in and close the door. You can now praise Django with a high pitched “Good Boy”.

11. USE OF THE LEASH: This is what I previously mentioned as your “Plan B”. It is also known as a redirection. I did not use it very often because of Django’s size but wanted to provide you with some additional information about its use and functionality.

Have the leash on Django during times when you are home and you think he may get excited and not easily provide you focus. It is probably a good idea to always have the leash on him when you are about to have guests over.

If Django starts to go nuts and your standard correction (Stand/Grrr/Squirt -or- Dogtra Collar) is not working, use Plan B. Calmly approach the end of the leash and step on it. If Django is running around, (hopefully) this will cause him to abruptly come to a standstill and probably look back at you.

You need to remain calm and stoic. This may be all it needs to calm him down and provide you respectful focus. If not, calmly pick up the end of the leash and calmly walk Django out of the area to a point where he is now calm and focused on you. Praise him with a high pitched “Good Puppy”, drop the leash, and calmly return to what you were doing.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Django when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Margrita Atehortua
Visit Date: 12/5/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 1,300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Sit, Stay, Down, Heel, Walk off Leash, Stop Chewing, Potty Training to 3x Daily, Leave It, Extended Sit, Down, Come, Stop Jumping, Stop Barking, Play Fetch, Search

Training Notes:
Latte is really a sweet puppy and I enjoyed working with him.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRR” sound today. If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus.

As a final note on this subject, consider using the leash as a corrective and directive tool. This is a distractive method to gain his focus and guide him towards the right actions. Have the leash on him at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity and excitement.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on during the Board and Train program and during our visit today were:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a harness and a six-foot leash on Latte. Slowly step away from your dog (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a harness and a six-foot leash on Latte. Stand next to your dog and say “SIT” once. Use your hand as a “directional tool” by moving it up and over his head. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Latte a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. WALKING – Make sure that Latte has his harness and leash on. Also, you will want to start this process in your house when it is calm and devoid of distractions (TV, etc.). Take the leash in your hand and hold it so that Latte is next to you and there is about two to three inches of slack in the leash. Stoop slightly, pat your leg, say your “WALK” command (such as let’s go, walkies, giddie-up, heal, etc). Now start walking.

Repeat this several times a day. Extend the walk into multiple rooms, up and down the building hall, and eventually outside.

4. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Latte’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Have Latte’s harness and leash on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause him to bark. As soon as he starts to bark, step on the leash and place the handle in your hand. Briskly walk him in a direction away from the distraction to a point where he is giving you focus and has lost interest in whatever was causing him to bark. Now, have him sit for you. As soon as he does, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before this exercise.

5. JUMPING – Remember to always have Latte’s leash and harness on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and he approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Latte begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

6. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Latte comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you. If Latte gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore him for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet him at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Latte brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

7. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Latte’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on Latte at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or he will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Latte.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Latte from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

8. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this today. Please review the online documentation as needed. Remember that the big items to remember is to always watch Latte and to limit his water.

9. NIPPING: This is normally caused by Latte’s wanting to get your attention or in the middle of adrenalized play. As soon as you see him begin to nip or actually nip, hold completely still (nine times out of ten, he is nipping at your hand). Firmly make your correction sound.

This should redirect his attention from “his nipping-causing thoughts” to see “what’s up” with you. You now have his calm attention and he is not nipping. Praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Calmly return to what you were previously doing.

10. CHEWING: This is often caused because of the teething process Latte should be entering. His baby teeth are being pushed out by his adult teeth and it is painful. Chewing on things helps to ease the pain and help get his baby teeth out of his mouth.

Give Latte things you want him to chew on. The deer antler is a great thing because it is very safe and natural. We observed that he loves deer antlers and would collect all of them at our house and bring them to “his place”.

If he is chewing on something inappropriate (such as wood), make that object objectionable to him. We suggest placing some hot sauce or bitter apple on that object. When Latte starts to chew on it, he will discover that it tastes bad and will move away. Make sure you have a deer antler near by so he will go to that instead.

11: PLANE TRIP AND THE CRATE: Make sure that Latte is completely happy and acclimated with the crate way before you get to the airport and onto the plane. Feed him in the crate and place his toys and deer antlers in the crate. This will force him to spend time in the crate and find it to be a good and safe place.

Walk him around the room, up and down the hall, and to public places (such as Starbucks) so that he becomes accustomed to being in the create while you are carrying it and there are external sights and sounds going on around him.

Have him hooked to the safety harness inside the crate. This will allow you to open the top to interact with him while he is in the crate. It will also assure that he can’t jump out and run down the airplane’s isle.

Place a towel, pad, or potty paper in the bottom of the crate and have an extra one with you. If he potties in the crate while you are on the plane, you can take the soiled item out of the crate, dispose of that, and place a new item in the crate. Your fellow passengers will be very thankful.

You might want to “take the edge off flying” for Latte by administering a small portion of Benadryl. This will calm him down for the flight. Make sure that you check with your Veterinarian regarding it’s appropriate use with Latte. Once your Veterinarian has approved it’s use and amount, you should give a “test dose” to Latte several days before the flight to make sure he properly reacts to the medicine.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Latte when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Lauren Rymer
Visit Date: 12/11/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Barking when she holds her son, counter surfing, chewing, jumping on her or when meets new people, walking on leash without pulling

Training Notes:
Coco is really a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with him.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “grrr” sound today. If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on during the Board and Train program and during our visit today were:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Coco. Slowly step away from your dog (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Coco. Stand next to your dog and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Coco a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. STAY – Please Note: Coco must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If he still has a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until Coco can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place your dog in a Sit before you start this command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of Coco, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Coco, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Coco, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Coco’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of him, and stop when you have reached his other side. Now, move back until you are in front of him again. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Coco, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around him. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

4. WALKING – Make sure that Coco has his harness and leash on. Also, you will want to start this process in your house when it is calm and devoid of distractions (TV, children, etc.). Take the leash in your hand and hold it so that Coco is next to you and there is about two to three inches of slack in the leash. Stoop slightly, pat your leg, say your “WALK” command (such as let’s go, walkies, giddie-up, heal, etc). Now start walking.

Repeat this several times a day. Extend the walk into multiple rooms and eventually outside.

5. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Coco’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before this exercise.

6. JUMPING – Remember to always have Coco’s collar and leash on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and your dog approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Coco begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

7. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards Coco. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow Coco to cross. You should have your spray bottle and/or shake bottle with you. Have your dog in another part of the room.

Now, have someone knock on the front door. At the same time, make sure that Coco is completely free to do whatever he wants. If he begins to approach the invisible boundary, face him, give your correction sound, and use your spray bottle or shake bottle to gain his attention and stop his forward movement. This may take several attempts and one of the devices (spray/shake) may be more effective than the other.

Once he has stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Coco makes any attempt to continue his approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise Coco’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

8. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Coco comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you. If Coco gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore him for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet him at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Coco brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

9. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Coco’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on your dog at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or he will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Coco.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Coco from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Coco when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Ben Breier
Visit Date: 12/14/2019
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Ben is a 1st time dog owner and wife has raised Rosco. Potty training, jumping, doesn’t listen, chews.

Training Notes:
Both Rosco and Max are really great dogs and I enjoyed working with them this morning. Because he is the puppy and the one needing the most training, I am going to focus my notes to Max’s issues. Please understand that any of the methods or exercises I discuss can also be applied to Rosco.

Next, make sure that you correct them as soon as they break one of your rules. You must do this in a manner that does not scare or frighten them and still gets their respectful focus directed towards you. Once you have guided them to the correct thing (no longer breaking your rules), you must acknowledge their correct action.

Lastly, you must understand that they communicate mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting them. Use a unique sound to get their attention. We were using the “GRRR” sound today. Any sound that gets them to calmly look at you is fine, but the GRRR really seemed to get the job done.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get their focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on their leash if either of them start to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk “the adrenalized offender” to another area and remain there until he becomes calm and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Max. Slowly step away from him (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Max. Stand next to Max and say “SIT” once.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards, and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Max a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. WALKING – Make sure that Max has his Easy Walk Harness and leash on. Also, you will want to start this process in your house when it is calm and devoid of distractions (TV, children, Rosco, etc.). Take the leash in your hand and hold it so that Max is next to you. He shouldn’t be more than two or three feet away. Stoop slightly, pat your leg, say your “WALK” command (such as let’s go, walkies, giddie-up, heal, etc). Now start walking.

If he is not following, tug the leash slightly while you repeat tapping your leg and slightly stooping. You can also use a method we demonstrated today. This is where you implement multiple, quick jerks from your wrist to create a quick pattern of multiple tugs. Your goal is to have Max give you focus and move with you.

You will always want him walking next to you. If he lags behind, perform the above process we demonstrated until he is back at your side. If he pulls ahead, do the same thing. The only difference here is that you want Max to slow up and move back towards you.

Walk for about ten to twenty feet and then turn and walk back. Once you have returned, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Repeat this several times a day. Extend the walk into multiple rooms and eventually outside.

4. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Max’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you. Max didn’t really do much barking today, so we didn’t have the opportunity to fully execute this exercise.

Have his collar and leash on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause him to bark. As soon as he starts to bark, step on the leash and place the handle in your hand. Briskly walk him in a direction away from the distraction to a point where he is giving you focus and has lost interest in whatever was causing him to bark. Now, have him sit for you. As soon as he does, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before this exercise.

The above method can sometimes be “over-kill”. If Max is barking, you can also try standing tall in front of him, make your correction sound (GRRR), and use your spray bottle or shake bottle (all at the same time). This method is far easier but may not totally redirect his focus back to you.

5. JUMPING – Remember to always have Max’s collar and leash on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and he approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound (GRRRR), and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Max begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

6. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – (This is the exercise where we don’t want Max to charge the front door or run out.) Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards Max. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow him to cross. You should have your squirt bottle and/or shake bottle with you. (In today’s session, we found that the squirt bottle worked very well.) Have Max anywhere else but right there.

Now, have someone knock on the front door and ring the door bell. At the same time, make sure that Max is completely free to do whatever he wants. If he begins to approach the invisible boundary, face him , give your correction sound (GRRRR), and use your spray bottle to gain his attention and stop his forward movement. This may take several attempts (Spray – Spray – Spray). Over time, you may also find that the shake bottle may also work.

Once he has stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Max makes any attempt to continue his approach, close the door, give your correction sound (GRRRR) and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise Max’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

We worked with both Max and Rosco during today’s session and both were very responsive in staying away from the front door.

7. CHEWING – Max is getting into his teething period. This is the time when his baby teeth start to be pushed out by his adult teeth. This can be painful and his natural reaction to the pain is to “chew on stuff”. You can’t stop the chewing because of the pain, but you can redirect the object of the chewing.

If you are able to see Max chewing on something inappropriate, you can correct it in the moment. We saw that Max had found a piece of clothing on the floor this morning. I calmly approached him, stood tall and stoic in front of him, made my correction “GRRRR” sound, and used the squirt bottle to get his attention focused on me. It took two or three corrections, but he stopped chewing the article, dropped it, and moved away. This is the first way to correct. You can perform it if you see him in the act of chewing.

Once you correct him, you need to give him an alternative “thing to chew”. We discussed the use of two items. First, we suggest the Kong Food Toy. You can find an example of this under the training items on our web site. Take the Kong Toy, put some peanut butter in the food hole, and freeze it. Give this to Max so that he finds it the best solution to chew.

We also suggested using the Deer Antler. These are very safe and (obviously) all natural. Spray some low sodium chicken broth on the antler to make it a little more “tasty” and give it to him.

As soon as you take away the “thing you don’t want him to chew”, give him one of these. You can also leave them out for him to naturally locate and chew.

You will also need to passively discourage him from chewing stuff. To do this, you simply make the thing you don’t want him to chew to taste bad. We suggest that you start with using Bitter Apple. First, you need to proactively let him know that Bitter Apple is bad. You do this by spraying a very small amount of it into his mouth. You are not trying to have him drink it; you want the mist of the spray to reach the taste buds in the back of his mouth and to trigger a “bad taste”. He will then associate other things with this same smell as tasting bad.

Once you do this, you can spray Bitter Apple on things you don’t want him to chew. The Bitter Apple will not last a long time on the object, so you will probably have to re-spray from time to time. At the same time, put a Kong or Deer Antler next to the thing you don’t want him to chew. As he equates that one thing is bad (the thing you don’t want him to chew), he will find something good (the thing you want him to chew). After a few encounters, he will ignore the thing you didn’t want him to chew (it tastes yucky) for the thing you want him to chew (tastes good).

8. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – (This is for both Max and Rosco all the time) Always make sure that it is your idea. If they come up to you and nudge your hand for a pet, ignore them until they turn away. If you want to pet them, call them over to you when you want to pet them. This assures that they are responding to you. If they get on the sofa and onto your lap, ignore them for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet them at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Rosco or Max bring you a toy, ignore them until they turn away and you can then call them back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

9. USE OF THE LEASH – (We only had the leash on Max today, but this can be used for both Max and Rosco individually or simultaneously.) The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting your dogs’ focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on your either of both of them at different times during the day when you are home.

You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or they will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Max and Rosco.

As either of them begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If your adrenalized/misbehaving dog is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, feel the tug of the taught leash, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and he will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove him from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

10. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this today. Please review the documentation as needed. Remember that the big items to remember are to always watch your dogs and to limit their water. Don’t forget that the entire process is based on the “prediction, observation, and analysis” process of Six Sigma. We covered a lot of items under this topic, so please call us if anything becomes unclear or a situation we might not have covered arises.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Rosco and Max when they break a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when they break your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Barbara Petranto
Visit Date: 1/2/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Pottying and general puppy stuff

Training Notes:
Noelle is really a sweet dog and responded very well to today’s training exercises.

Lastly, you must understand that she communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting her. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get her attention. I was using the “GRRR” sound today. Any sound that gets her to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get her focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need. She seemed to respond very well to the squirt bottle today. Just remember to keep it out of sight until you need to use it.

As a final note on this subject, consider using the leash as a corrective and directive tool. This is a distractive method to gain her focus and guide her towards the right actions. Have the leash on her at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity and excitement.

Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her to a calm area until she is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Noelle. Slowly step away from your dog (facing her) until you have reached the end of the leash. Stoop down as low as you can and say “COME” once. If she doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once she reaches you, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

2. JUMPING – Remember to always have Noelle’s collar and leash on when you are concerned that she might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and your dog approaches to jump, stand up, give her your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle (spray is probably the best)). As soon as she stops and gives you focus, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Noelle begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop her. You can also step on the leash so she doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as she calms down, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

3. NIPPING – You do not want Noelle to nip your hands. This will probably require a slightly proactive approach to be successful. If she is licking your hands or fingers, only allow her to do this for a moment. Then, give your correction sound to get her attention. She should stop licking and look up at you. Praise her and remove your hands.

You can also “set the scene” if you really want to discourage her nipping. Do this by placing some Bitter Apple on your hands. Make your hands “available to Nicolle” but don’t “stick them in her face”. If she starts to go for your hands, she should smell or taste how “yucky your hands have become” and will not want any part of them.

Make sure you have something else for her such as a chew toy or goodie to distract her away.

Please note: If the Bitter Apple is not effective, you can ramp up to Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, or Habanero Sauce. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly when you have finished your exercise using these liquids.

4. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – You and Noelle can be anywhere in the house. You should have the squirt bottle in your hand or hidden near the front door and easily accessible when you reach there.

Have someone come to the front door and ring the doorbell. Calmly move towards the door. Do not worry if Noelle has rushed ahead of you and is already there. You will deal with her when you arrive.

If Noelle is coming behind you as you are approaching the front door, turn around, use your correction sound and give her one or several quick squirts of water. The squirts and your correction sound must be done at the same time. This process should slow her approach and may proactively stop her completely from continuing towards the front door.

Once you have reached the front door and Noelle is in your “I don’t want you here” area, calmly stand tall, face her, and make your correction sound while giving her one or several squirts of water. She should now retreat out of your “I don’t want you here” area. Continue this process, if necessary, until she has withdrawn.

Once you have determined that she is staying away, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing her. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Noelle makes any attempt to continue her approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your squirt bottle/correction sound.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise Noelle’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

5. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Noelle comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore her until she turns away. If you want to pet her, call her over to you when you want to pet her. This assures she is responding to you. If Noelle gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore her for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet her at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Noelle brings you a toy, ignore her until she turns away and you can then call her back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

6. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Noelle’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on your dog at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or she will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Noelle.

As she begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If she is moving, let her go to the end of the leash, tug herself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Noelle from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk her away. Once you observe that she is no longer adrenalized, stop and have her sit. Praise her with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

7. THE CRATE – The crate is not a jail; it is Noelle’s happy and safe place. She may not be initially familiar with it and needs to understand that it is a good place for her to hang out.

Get a wire crate and place it in a spot where you normally live. Throw some of her toys or treats in the crate and let her get them and bring them out. Start to play with her in the crate while you sit at the open door. Do not force her to remain in the crate if she doesn’t want to stay.

Initially always keep the crate door open to allow her to go in and out as she pleases. Take the time to play with her while she is in the crate and you are sitting on the outside. After several days and only when you see that she is becoming relaxed and comfortable in the crate, close the door just for a moment. Open it again and continue playing and interacting with her.

As the days pass, open and close the door more often. Close the door for longer periods of time. Start with just a few seconds and slowly work up to several minutes. You are still just outside the door.

As she is becoming more and more accustomed to the closed door, stand up and walk around the room. Return to the crate, sit down, open the door, and play with her again. Repeat this and extend the time you walk around the room.

Once she shows no anxiety over your distance from the crate, leave the room and her sight for a moment. Re-enter the room, walk around the room, and then to the crate. Sit down by the door, open it, and play with her. When the crate door is open, she is allowed to leave.

This is the first part of Crate Training. The second part of Crate Training deals with Potty Training and the natural instinct for Noelle to not potty on herself. You can only implement this part of the training after she is completely happy and comfortable in being in the crate.

The crate should have come with a divider that can attach to the inside of the crate. Place the divider inside the crate at a position that will allow Noelle to enter the crate and lie down. She should be comfortable and not “scrunched”. There also should not be enough room for her to potty and not lie in it.

Since most puppies do not like to lie in their potty, this will discourage her from pottying in the crate. Please note that if she really, really has to potty, she will go to the bathroom in the crate.

13. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this today. Please review the documentation as needed. Remember that the big items to remember are to always watch Noelle and to limit her water.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Noelle when she breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when she breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Natasha & Randy Roosekrans
Visit Date: 1/4/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 900
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Pottying, basic commands, chewing, excessive play, leash walking, counter surfing

Training Notes:
Atlas is really a sweet dog and we enjoyed working with him. He responded very well to the Board and Train Program and, with the proper direction, will continue to be a wonderful puppy and member of your family.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRR-y” sound today. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle to get his focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on today and during our Board and Train Program were:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a harness and a six-foot leash on Atlas. Slowly step away from him (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a harness and a six-foot leash on Atlas. Stand next to him and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Atlas a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. STAY – Please Note: Atlas must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If he still has a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until Atlas can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place him in a Sit before you start this command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of Atlas, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Atlas, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Atlas, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Atlas’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of him, and stop when you have reached his other side. Now, move back until you are in front of him again. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Atlas, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around him. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

4. WALKING – Make sure that Atlas has his Easy Walk Harness (size: Medium) and leash on. Also, you will want to start this process in your house when it is calm and devoid of distractions (TV, children, etc.). Take the leash in your hand and hold it so that Atlas is next to you and there is about two to three inches of slack in the leash. Stoop slightly, pat your leg, say your “WALK” command (such as let’s go, walkies, giddie-up, heal, etc). Now start walking.

Repeat this several times a day. Extend the walk into multiple rooms and eventually outside.

5. JUMPING – Remember to always have Atlas’s harness and leash on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and your dog approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Atlas begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

6. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards Atlas. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow Atlas to cross. You should have your spray bottle with you. Have Atlas in another part of the room.

Now, have someone knock on the front door. At the same time, make sure that Atlas is completely free to do whatever he wants. If he begins to approach the invisible boundary, face him, give your correction sound, and use your spray bottle to gain his attention and stop his forward movement. This may take several attempts.

Once he has stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Atlas makes any attempt to continue his approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your spray bottle.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise Atlas’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

7. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Atlas comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you. If Atlas gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore him for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet him at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Atlas brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

8. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Atlas’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on Atlas at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or he will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Atlas.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and Atlas will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Atlas from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

9: COUNTER SURFING – Counter Surfing normally implies that Atlas is jumping on kitchen counters to get food. Our exercise will address this issue. The rule you will enact is to keep him off the counter to retrieve food. Although Atlas may not normally jump on counters, the enhanced distraction of the food’s smell encourages this action.

In this exercise you will keep Atlas out of the kitchen when you are cooking meals or preparing snacks. If he is out of the kitchen, he can’t counter surf. This is accomplished by creating a boundary zone. You must establish boundaries at the entrance points of the kitchen that Atlas may not cross when you are preparing food.

You need three family members. The first family member will be the “food preparer” and will be in the kitchen. The second family member will be the “correction person”. He will be in the kitchen with the squirt bottle correction device. The third family member will have Atlas away, but very close to the kitchen. He will have the dog on a leash.

The exercise is as follows:

With the three family members properly staged as stated above, the food preparer lays the food out and begins to prepare the meal or snack. This continues for a minute or two to properly allow Atlas to see and smell the food. The third family member now lets Atlas loose. The correction person is on the side of the kitchen closest to Atlas.

If Atlas has no interest in the food or wanting to counter surf, everything is fine. If Atlas begins to approach the kitchen and the boundary you have established, the correction person corrects Atlas (face him, verbalize your correction sound (we suggest GRRR) and squirt him with the squirt bottle).

Atlas should now back up behind the boundary line. You may need to repeat this several times in quick succession if Atlas is overly focused on the food. Once Atlas has crossed back over the boundary line and out of the kitchen area, praise him for obeying.

The food preparer continues his actions in the kitchen preparing the food or snack. The correction person remains in the kitchen, vigilant to any incursion attempted by Atlas and ready to correct. This entire exercise may last five to ten minutes.

Some dogs catch on quickly. Other dogs require multiple exercises over several days to learn your rule. You are successful when Atlas no longer wants to come into the kitchen to counter surf while you are preparing food or snacks.

After you have successfully completed this exercise, our experience has shown that Atlas may be allowed into the kitchen while you are preparing food. You (the food preparer) will have the squirt bottle and will correct him when he is standing underneath the food or about to counter surf. This is all up to you. You may be happy with just keeping Atlas out of the kitchen as you are preparing food. Your house; your rules.

10: BEGGING AT THE TABLE – The easiest way to stop Atlas from begging at the table is to keep him away from the table when you are eating. This can be accomplished through a general “boundary exercise”. Your exercise is as follows:

Define the area around the table where you do not want Atlas to enter when you are eating. Make this area easily distinguishable for you, your family members, and Atlas. Make it “obvious” so that you can easily remember the boundary when you practice this exercise in the future. We normally suggest that you create a boundary about three or four feet away from the table.

Take some food and place it on the table. Have several family members sit at the table and start to eat some of the food. During this time, another family member has kept Atlas on a leash at the other end of the room.

You will now take a seat at the table with your squirt bottle training tool. Select a place at the table where you are the closest family member to Atlas. Situate yourself so that you are facing him and have the ability to easily stand up.

Have your other family member calmly release the leash and remain still. If Atlas does not approach the table and cross the boundary line, he is obeying your rule and all is fine. If he approaches the table and starts to cross the boundary line, stand up, face him, verbalize your correction sound (we suggest GRRR) and squirt him with the squirt bottle. Atlas should now back up behind the boundary line. Praise him for obeying.

If Atlas remains on the wrong side of the line, repeat your correction several times. Praise him when he obeys.

If is still remains near the table on the wrong side of the line, calmly step on the leash, pick it up, and guide him back to the correct side of the boundary line. Drop the leash and return to your seat, always facing him.

Repeat the above process if he starts to cross the boundary line again.

Once he is remaining on the correct side of the line, pick up a piece of food (always facing him) and have a bite. Have the family member who was holding the leash give him a toy or even his bowl of food. This will now provide him with a distraction and something to do while you and the rest of the family are eating at the table.

You can also perform this exercise when you are eating a snack on the sofa. Simply create a boundary a few feet around you and correct when Atlas begins to encroach on your boundary. Since you will have to stand up, don’t leave your snack in your lap.

11. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this today. Please review the documentation as needed. (You can find the documentation in your Training Portal. We have also attached a copy of our Potty Training Guide to the email.) Remember that the big items to remember are to always watch Atlas and to limit his water.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Atlas when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Margaret Black
Visit Date: 1/11/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Moxie is really a sweet puppy and I enjoyed working with her. Although she was pretty subdued during yesterday afternoon’s training, she showed excellent focus and response when engaged. This is a clear sign of success because it indicates her willingness to “look at the board when the teacher tells the class it is time to do Math”.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get her focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her to a calm area until she is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general things we worked on yesterday afternoon were:

1. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this. Please review the documentation as needed. With that said, I would like to provide emphasis on some key points:

a) Food Management: We often overfeed out dogs because we are Americans and love our Big Macs. Measure Moxie’s daily food allowance at the start of the day and only give her that amount for the entire day. (As always, if there is a situation where your Veterinarian suggests differently, do that.)

Based on her potty schedule and “accidents”, you can adjust her feeding times. If she is making accidents in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning as she wakes up, give her dinner earlier and cut off her water completely earlier. You can also adjust the amount of food given in each meal. If she is making more poopie accidents at night, you can also adjust her feeding amount to 60% at breakfast and 40% at dinner.

Put her food and water down and pick it up after 20 to 30 minutes. Remember that it is a meal and not a buffet. Leave about 1 inch of water down between meals to allow her to hydrate as necessary. Check the water every hour or two and refill when needed. Always make note of when you refill so you can adjust if she starts to make wee-wee accidents. (You have gone from giving water for hydration to giving too much water (overflowing dam).

b) Water: We all need water for hydration and puppies need extra water because their bodies are in a state of rapid growth and development. We want to give Moxie enough water to hydrate for her growth, but not so much water that she is bloated, and the water just passed through her (like flood waters overflowing the top of a dam.)

After each meal, leave the water bowl down with 1 inch of water. Check the bowl every 1 or 2 hours. If the bowl is empty, refill with one inch at that time. If she starts to make wee-wee accidents in the house, you may be giving her too much water between meals. If this is taking place and you see the water bowl empty, wait for 30 to 60 minutes before you fill the bowl (1 inch) again. Continue to adjust your “refill” until the wee-wee accidents decrease and are eliminated.

c) Watch: You NEED TO WATCH MOXIE. This doesn’t mean “I think Moxie just went over there”. It is constant “eyes on your little puppy”. When you are always watching her, you can catch any mistakes, document them and improve for tomorrow. You will know when she made the mistake. You may see her do some “poppie dance” that first confused you.

You now can hypothesize that that funny dance was saying “get me out!”. You can also check to make sure you didn’t leave the food and/or water down by mistake. You can also check your schedule to see if you forgot to take her out earlier or didn’t take her out again after she didn’t go last time.

Potty training is all like Marco Polo (or Six Sigma). You don’t know where the end will take you, but you want to accurately manage the path that will eventually get you there. Work your plan every day. At the end of the day, review what really happened, analyze your observations, and build your “Tomorrow’s Plan” based on the new information you gained today.

There is a line from “The Pink Panther Movies” that sums this up. “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better”. That is what Potty Training is all about. It is about you becoming more and more familiar with Moxie and her bladder requirements.

2. SEPARATION ANXIETY – This is one of the most difficult issues to resolve with dogs. The good news is that the steps to resolve it are not difficult. What is difficult is that there are a lot of steps and you need to vigilant in slowly and consistently working through each step. We worked on the scenario of Moxie being in her pen and you leaving the room:

a) Have Moxie in her pen and you are in the room. Walk around the room closer and farther away from the pen. As you are walking, go to places where you are about to leave her eye-sight, but remain in her sight. When she is completely fine with this, you can continue to the next step.

Training Note: Always have some goodies, playthings, etc. available for Moxie that will help divert her attention from you. Make sure she has them when you are about to leave the area as well as other times when you will be visible in the vicinity. This will assure that she will not proactively associate the toys and goodies as a sign of your imminent departure.

b) Now, as you are walking around and have approached places where you will leave her sight, exit her sight for a minute. This can be at the far point in the kitchen, entering the dining room, going up the stairs, or approaching the front door. Exit her sight for a moment and then return.

Training Note: Never be submissive when leaving. Don’t say “Oh, poor puppy, I will be right back” in your “baby voice”. This shows signs of weakness and vulnerability on your part. This spikes her anxiety at the moment she is most concerned about your departure. Stay strong. As you are leaving her eyesight, verbalize your correction sound (I was using the GRRR) to show strength and determination.

Continue your being visible in the room and then leaving momentarily and returning. If she starts to become anxious or nervous, correct her with your correction sound and return.

c) As she becomes comfortable in not seeing you for a short period of time (starting with 3 or 4 seconds), increase the time you are out of sight. Once you are out of sight, don’t wander off yet. You will need to correct her and return if you hear any whining, barking, etc.

Training Note: It is important to note that if she starts to whine or show signs of fear, agitation, or anxiety; slow the process down and even back up a step or two. You cannot properly teach her if she is overly fearful. She does not have the ability to focus and learn at this point. When we were in grade school, this is the point when our teacher would say “Let’s back up a page or two and review”.

d) Now that you can leave her sight and she is not fearful; you can begin to add “real life” occurrences”. For example, if you have been going “just out of sight” up the stairs, continue up the stairs. Make “I am upstairs” noises to emulate what you would normally be doing. If you were going just out of sight into the dining room, make sounds that you would normally make in the dining room. If you had walked to the front door, open the door, walk out, and close the door. As you do each one, come back after a short period of time (start at about a 30 seconds) and then begin to extend the time.

If Moxie starts to whine, correct her with your correction sound. If this doesn’t work after three of four times, return to her sight. Repeat the exit and shorten the time you are out of sight. If she still shows signs of anxiety, repeat Step C (above) before you return to this step.

Training Note: You may not be able to hear Moxie become anxious in some of your “away scenarios”. In this case, you will need to have a proxy present, but hidden, to listen for and make the correction sounds. If you are going upstairs, the proxy could be hidden halfway up the stairs. If you are going outside, the proxy could be hidden in the front of the house; near the front door but out of sight.

e) Continue the above process until Moxie is no longer concerned with your constant presence. This could take as short as a week to as long as three months. Keeping the process slow and always teaching her at her point of learning are key to final success.

3. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Moxie’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Have Moxie’s collar and leash on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause her to bark. As soon as she starts to bark, step on the leash and place the handle in your hand. Briskly walk her in a direction away from the distraction to a point where she is giving you focus and has lost interest in whatever was causing her to bark. Now, have her sit for you. As soon as she does, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before this exercise.

4. JUMPING – Remember to always have Moxie’s collar and leash on when you are concerned that she might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and Moxie approaches to jump, stand up, give her your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as she stops and gives you focus, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Moxie begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop her. You can also step on the leash so she doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as she calms down, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

5. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Moxie comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore her until she turns away. If you want to pet her, call her over to you when you want to pet her. This assures she is responding to you. If Moxie gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore her for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet her at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Moxie brings you a toy, ignore her until she turns away and you can then call her back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

6. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Moxie’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on Moxie at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or she will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Moxie.

As she begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If she is moving, let her go to the end of the leash, tug herself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and she will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Moxie from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk her away. Once you observe that she is no longer adrenalized, stop and have her sit. Praise her with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

7. Some other items:

a) Chewing: You can always correct her when she starts to chew something. You can also use Bitter Apple as a yucky deterrent to make her stop chewing. If she “likes” Bitter Apple, you can ramp it up to Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, and finally Habanero Sauce.

b) Leash: As I mentioned yesterday, I am not a fan of the extension leash. I suggest a six-foot ½” to 5/8” thick leash. This is a standard “small dog” leash. If you have her outside for poopies and want to make sure she won’t run away, the extension leash would be fine. I would also suggest a ½” to 5/8” wide by 30-foot-long training lead.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Moxie when she breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when she breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Laura Kelly
Visit Date: 1/20/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Potty, Come, Sit, Stay, (Quiz) Some Front Door, Some Walk, Some Jump, Some Bark, Some Fearful of Noises

Training Notes:
Winston and Anne are really great dogs and I enjoyed working with them. They behave very well together as noted by their friendly play outside. Annie was pretty “knocked out” when we were inside, and Winston was pretty focused on the training.

Lastly, you must understand that they communicate mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting them. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get their attention. We were using the “GRRR-y” sound today. Any sound that gets them to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get their focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

As a final note on this subject, consider using the leash as a corrective and directive tool. This is a distractive method to gain their focus and guide them towards the right actions. Have the leash on them at different times during the day and especially when you think there may be times of heightened activity and excitement. You had mentioned that they were generally crazier in the evening. Put the leashes on them before that. (You can’t buckle your seatbelt in the middle of a car crash.)

Step on the leash if they start to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk them to a calm area until they are deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on this morning were:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). We will first start with Winston. Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Winston. Slowly step away from him (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes. Now, switch to Anne.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Winston. Stand next to Winston and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Winston a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

Now, switch and repeat with Anne.

3. STAY – Please Note: Winston and Anne must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If either still have a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until Winston and Anne can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place your dog in a Sit before you start this command: (We will start with Winston.)

Level One: Stand directly in front of Winston, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Winston, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

(I demonstrated Level One and Level Two this morning. We discussed Level Three and Level Four.)

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Winston, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Winston’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of him, and stop when you have reached his other side. Now, move back until you are in front of him again. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Winston, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around him. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

Remember that Winston may be at one level as you are going through this exercise while Anne may be at another level. Just be sure to practice individually.

4. WALKING – Make sure that Winston and Anne have their harnesses and leashes on while performing this. (We used the Easy Walk Harness on Winston and he responded very well.)

Walk one at a time. We will start with Winston.

You will want to start this process in your house when it is calm and devoid of distractions (TV, guests, etc.). Take the leash in your hand and hold it so that Winston is next to you and there is about two to three inches of slack in the leash. Stoop slightly, pat your leg, say your “WALK” command (such as let’s go, walkies, giddie-up, heal, etc). Now start walking.

Repeat this several times a day. Extend the walk into multiple rooms and eventually outside.

You can now trade off and work with Anne.

5. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Winston and Anne’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Have their collars and leashes on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause them to bark. As soon as either starts to bark, step on the leash and place the handle in your hand. Briskly walk your barker in a direction away from the distraction to a point where they are giving you focus and have lost interest in whatever was causing them to bark. Drop the leash and give them a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before this exercise.

Note: You can also use your correction of STANDING TALL, verbalizing your CORRECTION SOUND, and engaging the SQUIRT BOTTLE to stop them from barking.

6. JUMPING – Remember to always have Winston and Anne’s collars and leashes on when you are concerned that they might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and they approach to jump; stand up, give them your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as they stop and give you focus, praise them with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Winston or Anne begin to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop them. You can also step on the leash, so they don’t have the ability to jump. As soon as they calm down, praise them with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

7. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – You can work with both Winston and Anne on this exercise. I suggest starting with one, then the other, then have both together. Let’s start with Winston.

Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards Winston. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow Winston to cross. You should have your spray bottle and/or shake bottle with you. Have your dog in another part of the room.

Now, have someone knock on the front door. At the same time, make sure that Winston is completely free to do whatever he wants. If he begins to approach the invisible boundary, face him, give your correction sound, and use your spray bottle or shake bottle to gain his attention and stop his forward movement. This may take several attempts and one of the devices (spray/shake) may be more effective than the other. (We were using the Spray Bottle this morning and that proved to be effective.)

Once he has stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Winston makes any attempt to continue his approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise Winston’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

As I said earlier, start with Winston, then with Anne, and finally with both.

8. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Winston or Anne come up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore them until they turn away. If you want to pet them, call them over to you when you want to pet them. This assures that they are responding to you. If Winston or Anne get on the sofa and get in your lap, ignore them for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet them at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If either brings you a toy, ignore them until they turn away and you can then call them back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

9. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Winston and Anne’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on them at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or they will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Winston or Anne.

As either begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If the offender is moving, let them go to the end of the leash, tug them self slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove either Winston or Anne from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk them away. Once you observe that they are no longer adrenalized, stop and have them sit. Praise their obedience with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

10. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this today. Please review the documentation as needed. Remember that the big items to remember are to always watch Winston and Annie and to limit/manage their water.

11: DOG STAIRS – You should practice this individually with Winston and Anne. You should also only practice for about five minutes a session with either of them. You can include several sessions during the day. We will start the exercise with Winston.

Have the Dog Stairs against the sofa or bed and have Winston at the bottom of the stairs. Encourage him to come up the stairs. If he is hesitant, take a doggie treat and put it on the first step. Continue the process by putting treats on higher and higher steps and finally onto the sofa or bed (if needed). Once Winston is on the bed or sofa, it is time to go down.

Put a doggie treat on the top step. Once he has taken that one, put the next doggie treat one step down. Continue this process until he has reached the bottom step. If he did not go to the ground when he retrieved the doggie treat on the bottom step, put one on the ground. You may have to put one on the last step and on the ground simultaneously to have him get completely off the step.

Switch off and practice this exercise with Anne.

As they get more acclimated with the Dog Stairs, focus on encouragement to get them up and down the stairs and decrease the use of treats. This would mean that, instead of putting a treat on each step, put a treat on every other step. Finally, put a treat on the top step for them to go all the way up and on the bottom step to go all the way down. The last step is for encouragement to be all that is needed for their use of the stairs.

12: DON’T CHEW PAPER – The most important goal here is to convince Winston and Anne that there is something better to chew than paper. There must be an easily available alternative that they fine more enjoyable. Bully Sticks or Deer Antlers with a spritz of low sodium chicken broth are good alternatives.

First, you need to set the scene to show that paper is yucky. Spray your “no chew” spray on a piece of paper and place it on the ground. Put the Bully Stick or Dear Antler in close proximity. Now, let them “wander and explore” until they find the paper (that used to be a wonderful thing). They should quickly discover that the paper is now yucky and should turn towards the Bully Stick or Deer Antler. If they do not, wiggle the Bully Stick or Deer Antler to get their attention and action.

If the initial “no chew” spray does not deter them, try Bitter Apple, then Tabasco Sauce, then Jalapeno Sauce, and finally Habanero Sauce.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Winston and Anne when they break a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when they break your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Kim Perrone
Visit Date: 1/20/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Potty, jumping, nipping, general puppy issues

Training Notes:
Otis is really a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with him. He was very well socialized with our dogs and had an excellent ability to provide focus and learn. We loved having him.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRRy” sound yesterday evening. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on yesterday and during our Board and Train process were:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Otis. Slowly step away from your dog (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

Once he will Come on a regular leash with no need to direct with a “tug”, extend the distance by attaching a second leash or by using a training lead. Repeat the above process. Once he doesn’t need any directional “tug” to come, unhook the leash and have him Come without the leash. Perform this in different parts of the house.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Otis. Stand next to your dog and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Otis a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. STAY – Please Note: Otis must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If he still has a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until Otis can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place your dog in a Sit before you start this command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of Otis, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Otis, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Otis, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Otis’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of him, and stop when you have reached his other side. Now, move back until you are in front of him again. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Otis, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around him. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

4. WALKING – Make sure that Otis has his small Pet Safe Easy Walk Hharness and leash on. Also, you will want to start this process in your house when it is calm and devoid of distractions (TV, children, etc.). Take the leash in your hand and hold it so that Otis is next to you and there is about two to three inches of slack in the leash. Stoop slightly, pat your leg, say your “WALK” command (such as let’s go, walkies, giddie-up, heal, etc). Now start walking.

Repeat this several times a day. Extend the walk into multiple rooms and eventually outside.

5. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Otis comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you. If Otis gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore him for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet him at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Otis brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

6. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Otis’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on your dog at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or he will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Otis.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Otis from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

7. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this today. Please review the documentation as needed. Remember that the big items to remember are to always watch Otis and to limit his water.

8. NIPPING – Nipping is normally caused because of an “I want you to”, “Let’s play”, or “Pay attention to me” moment. You need to properly address that moment.

As soon as you see Otis start to become adrenalized, stay calm and still. If you are playing, stop. If possible, move your hands away from him and stand up. This should proactively send a signal to Otis that you will not engage him and do not condone his actions. If needed, make your correction sound.

If Otis has already started to nip you, remain calm and still. Make your correction sound and stand up, if possible. The important thing is to stay calm. He is actively engaging you and expects you to respond.

When you don’t engage, he will place additional focus on your calm demeanor. This will redirect his adrenalated actions and allow things to calm down.

If Otis is “nipping at your heels”, the best thing is to have the squirt bottle with you. As he approaches you from the rear, stop, turn around, calmly face him, make your correction sound, and “give him a squirt or two”.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Otis when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Keri Allen
Visit Date: 1/25/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 150
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
biting, jumping, potty, come, stay, sit, doesn’t get along with other dog (chihuahua), Typical puppy issues

Training Notes:
Fluffy is really a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with him.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRR-y” sound today. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this today. Please review the documentation as needed. Remember that the big items to remember are to always watch Fluffy and to limit his water.

NIPPING – Freeze your hand movement and make your correction sound. When he stops using his teeth and starts to lick your hand, give him plenty of praise. Never play hand games with your dog. If necessary, spray Bitter Apple on your hands before you handle him to deter him from biting.

JUMPING – Remember to always have Fluffy’s collar and leash on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and your dog approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Fluffy begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Fluffy when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Kelsey McIntyre
Visit Date: 2/1/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Potty outside, chewing pads, come, sit, stay, pulls on extension leash, some jumping, not on furniture, go to pen

Training Notes:
Gatsby is really a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with him. As I pointed out during our session, he responded very well to the corrections and commands. This indicates that he is wanting to learn and give focus. This is a very good thing.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRRy” sound today. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put his harness and a six-foot leash on Gatsby. Slowly step away from your dog (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put his harness and a six-foot leash on Gatsby. Stand next to him and say “SIT” once.

If he doesn’t sit after three or four seconds, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Gatsby a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. WALKING – Make sure that Gatsby has his Easy Walk Harness (size small) and leash on. Also, you will want to start this process in your house when it is calm and devoid of distractions. Take the leash in your hand and hold it so that Gatsby is next to you and there is about two to three inches of slack in the leash. Stoop slightly, pat your leg, say your “WALK” command (such as let’s go, walkies, giddie-up, heal, etc). Now start walking.

If he is not following, tug the leash slightly while you repeat tapping your leg and slightly stoop. You will want him walking next to you. If he lags behind, give him a little tug and verbalize your correction sound quietly until he is back at your side. If he jumps ahead, do the same thing. Walk from one side of your apartment to the other and then turn and walk back. Once you have returned, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Repeat this several times a day. Extend the walk into the hallway and eventually outside.

4. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Gatsby’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Have Gatsby’s harness and leash on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause him to bark. As soon as he starts to bark, step on the leash and place the handle in your hand. Briskly walk him in a direction away from the distraction to a point where he is giving you focus and has lost interest in whatever was causing him to bark. Now, have him sit for you. As soon as he does, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before this exercise.

5. JUMPING – Remember to always have Gatsby’s harness and leash on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and he approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Gatsby begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

6. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – (You are going to need at least two people for this.) Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards Gatsby. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow Gatsby to cross. You should have your spray bottle and/or shake bottle with you. Try to have Gatsby in another part of the room.

Now, have someone knock on the front door. If Gatsby begins to approach the invisible boundary, face him, give your correction sound, and use your spray bottle or shake bottle to gain his attention and stop his forward movement. This may take several attempts and one of the devices (spray/shake) may be more effective than the other.

Once he has stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Gatsby makes any attempt to continue his approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise Gatsby’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

7. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Gatsby comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you.

If Gatsby brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

8. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Gatsby’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on Gatsby at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or he will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Gatsby.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and he will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Gatsby from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

9. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this today. Please review the documentation as needed. Remember that the big items to remember are to always watch Gatsby and to limit his water.

10. INTO CRATE – You mentioned that the biggest problem arises when you want to get him in the crate at night. Put the leash and harness on Gatsby a half an hour or more before “bedtime”. When you are ready to put “Gatsby to bed”, calmly approach the end of the leash and step on it.

Pick the end up and give a command such as “CRATE”, ‘HOME”, etc. Calmly walk him on the leach to his cage enclosure and guide him in the door. Praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”, close the cage door and calmly walk away. (You can now take the harness and leash off Gatsby.)

You can do this at other times of the day to help reinforce a “GO TO CRATE” command that you can use at other times.

11. OFF SOFA – You mentioned that you would rather keep him off the sofa. If you are sitting on the sofa and you see him approach, stand up, make your correction sound, and use your squirt bottle or shake bottle. Once he has stopped and is giving you respectful focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

You can also have the leash and harness on Gatsby during times when you think he will encroach onto the sofa. If he gets on the sofa before you were able correct as noted above, you can use the redirective method of the leash to get Gatsby to the ground.

Calmly walk over to the sofa, put your foot on the end of the leash, and pick it up. Step back to where the leash is somewhat taught between you and Gatsby. Give a command such as “OFF”, “DOWN”, “FLOOR”, etc. At the same time, give the leash a slight tug to direct him to the edge of the sofa and down to the ground. It may take several tugs to get him off.

During this entire process, stay calm, still, and tall. Once he is on the ground, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Gatsby when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Lonna Copeland
Visit Date: 2/3/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Tazz and Ace are really great dogs and I enjoyed working with them.

Lastly, you must understand that they communicate mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting them. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get their attention. We were using the “GRRRRy” sound today. Any sound that gets them to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get their focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if they start to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk them to a calm area until they are deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). We will first start with Ace. Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Ace. Slowly step away from him (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes. Now, switch to Tazz.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Ace. Stand next to Ace and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Ace a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

Now, switch and repeat with Tazz.

3. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Tazz and Ace’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Have their collars and leashes on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause them to bark. As soon as either starts to bark, step on the leash and place the handle in your hand. Briskly walk your barker in a direction away from the distraction to a point where he is giving you focus and has lost interest in whatever was causing him to bark. Now, have him sit for you. As soon as he does, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before this exercise.

4. JUMPING – Remember to always have Tazz and Ace’s collars and leashes on when you are concerned that they might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and your dog approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Ace or Tazz begin to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop them. You can also step on the leash so they don’t have the ability to jump. As soon as the jumping offender calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

5. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – You can work with both Ace and Tazz on this exercise. I suggest starting with one, then the other, then have both together. Let’s start with Ace.

Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards Ace. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow Ace to cross. You should have your spray bottle and/or shake bottle with you. Have your dog in another part of the room.

Now, have someone knock on the front door. At the same time, make sure that Ace is completely free to do whatever he wants. If he begins to approach the invisible boundary, face him, give your correction sound, and use your spray bottle or shake bottle to gain his attention and stop his forward movement. This may take several attempts and one of the devices (spray/shake) may be more effective than the other.

Once he has stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Ace makes any attempt to continue his approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise Ace’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

As I said earlier, start with Ace, then with Tazz, and finally with both.

6. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Ace or Tazz come up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore them until they turn away. If you want to pet them, call them over to you when you want to pet them. This assures they are responding to you. If Ace or Tazz get on the sofa and get in your lap, ignore them for about thirty seconds.

7. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Tazz and Ace’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on them at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or they will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Ace or Tazz.

As either begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If the offender is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove either Ace or Tazz from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk them away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Tazz and Ace when they break a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when they break your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Sandy Vecchio
Visit Date: 2/13/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Potty Training, Come, Sit, Stay, jumping, nipping, excitement, crate/sep anx

Training Notes:
Hatter, Trooper, and Coco are really great dogs and I enjoyed working with them. The great thing about these three is that they each have different personalities. That just makes things more interesting and fun.

In review of yesterday’s discussion, you must remember that your rules must be simple and consistent. For example, if you don’t want them to jump, they can’t jump for any reason at any time. You must always make sure that everything is on your terms. They cannot tell you what to do (i.e. please pet me) because they are not the boss of you.

Lastly, you must understand that they communicate mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting them. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get their attention. We were using the “GRRRRR-y” sound yesterday. Any sound that gets them to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get their focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if they start to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk them to a calm area until they are deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on yesterday aftenoon were:

1. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this. Coco, being the puppy, is the most important “student for this class”. Please review the documentation as needed. I had included a printed copy of everything I discusses and have attached a blank Microsoft Word version of the ”Potty Schedule”. With that said, I would like to provide emphasis on some key points:

a) Food Management: We often overfeed our dogs because we are Americans and love our Big Macs. Measure Coco’s daily food allowance at the start of the day and only give her that amount for the entire day. (As always, if there is a situation where your Veterinarian suggests differently, do that.)

Based on her potty schedule and “accidents”, you can adjust his feeding times. If she is making accidents in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning as she wakes up, give her dinner earlier and cut off her water completely earlier. You can also adjust the amount of food given in each meal. If Coco is making more poopie accidents at night, you can also adjust her feeding amount to 60% at breakfast and 40% at dinner.

Put her food and water down and pick it up after 20 to 30 minutes. (You had already told me that everyone eats instantly, so this shouldn’t be a problem.) Remember that it is a meal and not a buffet.

b) Water: We all need water for hydration and puppies need extra water because their bodies are in a state of rapid growth and development. We want to give Coco enough water to hydrate for her growth, but not so much water that she is bloated, and the water just passes through her (like flood waters overflowing the top of a dam.)

You mentioned that you take Coco to the water bowl between meals. Just have a little bit of water (1 inch) in the bowl so you can see how much she drinks when you take her there. Mark the time and amount on your Daily Plan as well as the times you need to refill the bowl.

c) Watch: You NEED TO WATCH COCO. This doesn’t mean “I think she just went over there”. It is constant “eyes on your little puppy”. When you are always watching her, you can catch any mistakes, document them and improve for tomorrow. You will know when she made the mistake. You may see her do some “poppie dance” that first confused you.

d) Schedule: We talked about creating an initial schedule that is really the documentation for a “Poopie Project Plan”. (I have sent you a blank Word document.) We discussed the natural times that most dogs (and humans) need to go to the bathroom during the day. Remember that as you refine your plan.

As you told me, remember “that talkative person in the back of your head”. When that person says “I think it is time”, follow their lead. Don’t tell yourself, “Oh, I have one more thing to do”.

And, one more thing… Just take her (and them) to a covered place outside when it is raining really hard. If they don’t want to potty in the rain, it is better that they do it outside in a breezeway or porch than on your bed. On sunny days, don’t take them to the fenced inside yard or out front.

2. IN THE CRATE / SEPARATION ANXIETY – Coco has a problem when she is in the crate and everyone has left the room. As we discussed in yesterday’s visit, we need to take her to a place where she is transitioning from “I am OK” to “this is a problem”. This is the point of learning.

It is best to work on this when the house is quiet and not filled with people. Put Coco in the crate and be with her. Open and close the door so she doesn’t see an issue with the closed door. Next, move around the room while keeping in her sight. Come back to the crate and sit down for a moment. Open and close the door while you are next to the crate. Stand up and move around again. Repeat this to the point where Coco could care less of your movements and actions.

Now, step out of her sight for a moment. Silently “count to five” while you are out of sight. Then, step back into sight and walk around the room once again. Repeat this while you extend the time you are out of sight.

While you are leaving, you should reinforce with Coco that all will be fine. Just before you leave her sight, make your correction sound (I was using the GRRRRR). This will tell her “All will be fine”. If you hear her becoming agitated (low shining) during the time you are out of sight, make the correction sound again. That will tell her “Even though I can’t see Mommy, she is right there”.

If you can’t calm her whining when you are out of sight, stop the exercise and pick it up again a little later. Make your “away times” not quite as long as before. All you are doing is slowing down the process and “doing a little review”.

Separation anxiety takes longer than most issues to resolve. That is not because the steps are complex or difficult; there are just a lot of them. Keep things slow, repetitive, and consistent. That is how you will succeed and what Coco needs to experience during the learning process.

3. FRIENDLY WITH GUESTS – We will use the leash as a major tool in this exercise. In the same way that we felt safer when holding Mommy’s hand, the leash is a connection and extension of your protection for your dog.

Be sure you have the leash on him before guests come over. As they enter, hold the leash and tug it slightly to have him focus back to you. If he gets “crazy”, walk him away to a place that is quiet and where he can completely focus on you.

Have your guests enter and sit down. Now, you can bring him back on the leash into the room. Do not go directly to your guests, but around to a place where you can sit and have him sit next to on the leash. If needed, you can put your foot on the leash to keep him stable.

If he starts to go crazy again, give him your correction sound at a muffled level as you stand up and walk him around the room away from your guests. You may even need to go out of the room for a minute to calm him down. (We didn’t see this level of “crazy” at yesterday’s session, though…)

Bring him back in, calmly walk back to your place, sit down, and have him at your feet.

From time to time, ask one of your guests to get up and walk around the room. Don’t have them come directly at him. We just want to introduce some additional stimuli. If he starts to adrenalize, stand up and correct him. Ask your guest to stop moving and stay still. When he calms down, stay standing as you ask your guest to continue walking and to return to their seat. When that is complete, you can sit down again.

The important lesson you are teaching him is that you are the one in charge of the room and he is attached to YOU. Correct him quietly the moment he starts to become adrenalized (which he shouldn’t because you are the boss). Walk him around and away from “the issue” so that he can see your calm and “in charge” demeanor.

Sometimes things get “just too crazy”. This is when he won’t be able to learn, and class should end. Have someone take him to another part of the house and be there for a while.

4. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If they come up to you and nudge your hand for a pet, ignore them until they turn away. If you want to pet them, call them over to you when you want to pet them. This assures they are responding to you.

If they bring you a toy, ignore them until they turn away and you can then call them back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

5. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting their focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on them at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or they will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Coco, Hatter, or Trooper.

As they begin to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If they are moving, let them go to the end of the leash, tug themself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and they will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove them from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk them away. Once you observe that they are no longer adrenalized, stop and have them sit. Praise them with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

6. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). We will first start with Coco. Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Coco. Slowly step away from her (facing her) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If she doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once she reaches you, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes. Now, switch to Hatter and Trooper.

7. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Coco. Stand next to Coco and say “SIT” once. If she doesn’t sit, give her your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If she doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind her head. At the same time guide her rear end backwards until you see her rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that her head is moving backwards and her rear is still descending. Once she is sitting, praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Coco a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

Now, switch and repeat with Hatter and Trooper.

8. STAY – Please Note: Hatter, Trooper, and Coco must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If any of them still have a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until Hatter, Trooper, and Coco can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place them in a Sit before you start this command: (We will start with Coco.)

Level One: Stand directly in front of Coco, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Wait until she is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Coco, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Wait until she is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Coco’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of her, and stop when you have reached his other side. Now, move back until you are in front of her again.

If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Coco, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around her. If she begins to move, give her your correction noise to have her stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to her. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

Remember that Coco may be at one level as you are going through this exercise while Hatter and Trooper may be at another level. Just be sure to practice individually.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Hatter, Trooper, and Coco when they break a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when they break your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Diana Barton
Visit Date: 2/14/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 400
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Bailey is crazy, Mollie will listen and come out of her “crazy” Bailey nips and talks back. Used to be on ranch with lots of stimulation. Can’t have company over.

Training Notes:
Mollie and Bailey are really great dogs and I enjoyed working with them. They are just two, happy, energetic Boxers. Once we were able to get their attention and let them know “who is the boss”, they responded very well.

Lastly, you must understand that they communicate mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting them. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get their attention. We were using the “GRRRRR-y” sound today. Any sound that gets them to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get their focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need. We saw that the shake bottle seemed to work best during our exercises yesterday.

Step on the leash if they start to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk them to a calm area until they are deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on yesterday were:

1. WALKING – Make sure that Mollie and Bailey have their collars or harness (we suggest the Easy Walk harness) and leashes on while performing this. Walk one at a time. We will start with Mollie.

Although I normally don’t go directly to the “outside lesson”, that is where we started yesterday, and we were getting good results. Take Mollie up to the door and have her wait while you step out first (more on that later). Keep her next to you as you walk down the stairs and to the driveway. Pause on the driveway for a moment. You can have her sit for a moment, but that is not necessary. All you need her to do is to remain calm and stationary for a moment.

If, at any time, she starts to adrenalize and lose focus with you, correct her with your correction sound and give the leash a firm (but not crazy) tug. You should now regain her focus. If not, walk her around in a circle or up and back for a moment until she is calm and focused on you.

Now you are ready to start your walk. Verbalize your instructions (“Walkies”, “Let’s Go”, “Heel”, “Onward”, Mush”, etc.) and begin walking. She doesn’t need to be directly by your side as if you were in a dog show. She needs to be near you, not highly focused on things around you, and not pulling on the leash”. If she is not doing all the “above stuff”, she is probably walking like a respectful dog with you. Both you and she are probably having a “nice walk”.

Letting Mollie have “room to sniff and passively check things out” helps to enhance her “nice walk” and builds the appropriate level of bond and respect.

Again, if she starts to lose her focus on you or starts to tug on the leash, you must correct her as we discussed above. You can also walk her in another direction until you have regained her focus.

You can now trade off and work with Bailey.

2. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Mollie and Bailey’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Have their collars and leashes on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause them to bark. As soon as either starts to bark, step on the leash and place the handle in your hand. Briskly walk them in a direction away from the distraction to a point where they are giving you focus and have lost interest in whatever was causing them to bark. Once they are “respectfully calm”, praise them with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before this exercise.

3. JUMPING – Remember to always have Mollie and Bailey’s collars and leashes on when you are concerned that they might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and they approach to jump, stand up, give them your correction sound, and use your physical correction (the shaky bottle seemed to work best yesterday). As soon as they stop and give you focus, praise them with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. (We saw how this worked while sitting at the kitchen table.)

If you are standing and Mollie or Bailey begin to jump on you or John (or anyone else), use your shake bottle with your correction sound to stop them. You can also step on the leash so they don’t have the ability to jump. As soon as they calm down, praise them with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Wait a moment to see that they remain calm and then remove your foot from the leash.

4. FOLLOW THRU DOOR – You always want to go through a doorway before your dogs. Have leashes and collars on Mollie and Bailey. You can practice with one and then the other. Let’s start with Mollie.

Walk her up to the doorway and have her sit. Hold your hand out like a traffic policeman while you slowly step backwards through the doorway. Always face her.

Once both of your feet are across the threshold, pat your leg to allow Mollie to proceed. Once she has crossed the threshold, have her sit again. Praise her action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

You can now practice this with Bailey. After both are “good by themselves”, practice this with both of them.

5. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Mollie or Bailey come up to you and nudge your hand for a pet, ignore them until they turn away. If you want to pet them, call them over to you when you want to pet them. This assures they are responding to you.

If either brings you a toy, ignore them until they turn away and you can then call them back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

6. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Mollie and Bailey’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on them at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or they will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Mollie or Bailey.

As either begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If they are moving, let them go to the end of the leash, tug them self slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and they will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove either Mollie or Bailey from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk them away. Once you observe that they are no longer adrenalized, stop and have them sit. Praise them with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

7. JOHN COMING UP THE STAIRS TO THE FAMILY ROOM – Have Mollie and Bailey on their leashes in the family room. Make sure that they start off calm and somewhat still. You are in the vicinity with your shaky bottle. John is at the bottom of the stairs and out of sight.

Now, cue John to come up the stairs. He should do this slowly and calmly and should not engage the dogs in any way. He should come to the top of the stairs but not open the gate.

If the dogs start to adrenalize, bark, or jump at the railing, you need to correct them with your correction sound and shaky bottle. If needed, you can step on their leashes and guide them away as discussed above. Once they are calm, John can open the gate at the top of the stairs, step in, and close the gate. He should always be facing the dogs while he is doing this.

He should pause again for a moment so you and he can analyze the situation one more time. If the dogs show that they are about to “ramp up again”, correct them and direct them away from John. If all is fine, John can now proceed into the room and about his business.

The important point here is that John is not engaging Bailey and/or Mollie as he is in a submissive situation during his travel up the stairs and into the room. You are there as a consistent reminder to them that they are not in charge.

Repeat this exercise often. After several days, you can try only having John correct them by standing tall and calm while making his correction sound and using the shake bottle. (Getting to this point may take a little time.)

8. JOHN COMING UP THE HILL AND ONTO THE FRONT PORCH – Have Mollie and Bailey on the porch with their collars and leashes attached. You are there with your shake bottle and John is on the path at the bottom of the hill leading to the back yard.

Now, cue John to come up the path and to the point on the ground by the back porch where we were practicing yesterday. John should stay calm and should do nothing that would engage the dogs. If they start to become adrenalized, you can correct them with your correction sound and shake bottle (obviously standing). You can also step on the leash and (if necessary), pick up the leash and walk them away.

Once they are calm, John can slowly approach the porch from the path so that he is standing and looking at Mollie and Bailey through the railing. As they remain calm, he can quietly engage them and softly pet them. If they start to act up, John should back up while you correct. (I am having you correct them because John is standing far below them. His lowered stature does not communicate “leadership” to them at this time.)

Once John can calmly engage the girls through the railing, he can continue his walk to the stairs and up to the top of the porch entrance. Mollie and Bailey should not “be crowding” the gate. If they are, correct them and direct them back.

John can now come through the gate and close it while facing Mollie and Bailey. He can now calmly walk on the porch. Correct the dogs if they start to adrenalize at any point. Remain on the porch for a minute or two and observe that Mollie and Bailey remain calm and respectful.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Mollie and Bailey when they break a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when they break your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Dustin Frix
Visit Date: 2/14/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 500
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Buddy is really a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with him. He has a great personality and always wants to engage. We were able to easily get his focus during the training. These are excellent things that will help with your continued educational process. He is a perfect “boy’s and guy’s” dog.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRRRRRRy” sound yesterday and during board and train process. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on yesterday and during our board and train program were:

1. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this. Please review the documentation as needed. You can find all the information in the “Potty Training” section of your Personal Dog Training Web Site. I have also attached a Microsoft Word version of the “Potty Schedule” for your convenience. With that said, I would like to provide emphasis on some key points:

a) Food Management: We often overfeed our dogs because we are Americans and love our Big Macs. Measure his daily food allowance at the start of the day and only give him that amount for the entire day. (As always, if there is a situation where your Veterinarian suggests differently, do that.)

Based on his potty schedule and “accidents”, you can adjust his feeding times. If he is making accidents in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning as he wakes up, give his dinner earlier and cut off his water completely earlier. You can also adjust the amount of food given in each meal. If your dog is making more poopie accidents at night, you can also adjust his feeding amount to 60% at breakfast and 40% at dinner.

Put his food and water down and pick it up after 20 to 30 minutes. Remember that it is a meal and not a buffet. Leave about 1 inch of water down between meals to allow him to hydrate as necessary. Check the water every hour or two and refill when needed. Always make note of when you refill so you can adjust if he starts to make wee-wee accidents. (You have gone from giving water for hydration to giving too much water (overflowing dam).

b) Water: We all need water for hydration and puppies need extra water because their bodies are in a state of rapid growth and development. We want to give Buddy enough water to hydrate for his growth, but not so much water that he is bloated, and the water just passes through him (like flood waters overflowing the top of a dam.)

After each meal, leave the water bowl down with 1 inch of water. Check the bowl every 1 or 2 hours. If the bowl is empty, refill with one inch at that time. If he starts to make wee-wee accidents in the house, you may be giving him too much water between meals. If this is taking place and you see that the water bowl is empty, wait for 30 to 60 minutes before you fill the bowl (1 inch) again. Continue to adjust your “refill” until the wee-wee accidents decrease and are eliminated.

c) Watch: You NEED TO WATCH BUDDY. This doesn’t mean “I think he just went over there”. It is constant “eyes on your little puppy”. When you are always watching him, you can catch any mistakes, document them and improve for tomorrow. You will know when he made the mistake. You may see him do some “poppie dance” that first confused you.

You now can hypothesize that that funny dance was saying “get me out!”. You can also check to make sure you didn’t leave the food and/or water down by mistake. You can also check your schedule to see if you forgot to take him out earlier or didn’t take him out again after he didn’t go last time.

d) Schedule: We talked about creating an initial schedule that is really the documentation for a “Poopie Project Plan” (we attached a blank copy for your convenience). Dogs normally need to go outside after they wake up, after they eat, before you go away for a long time, after you come back after a long time, after adrenalized play, and last thing at night. For Buddy, we noticed that his bladder is currently developed to “hold it” about two to three hours. Start with this information as your initial plan.

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Buddy. Slowly step away from your dog (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Buddy. Stand next to your dog and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Buddy a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. STAY – Please Note: Buddy must be able to sit with a single command and no assistance before you can work on this exercise. If he still has a problem sitting, work on Sit.

This exercise has several levels. Work on each level until Buddy can always perform the actions before you move on to the next. Remember to place Buddy in a Sit before you start this command:

Level One: Stand directly in front of Buddy, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Two.

Level Two: Stand directly in front of Buddy, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Wait until he is sitting quietly for about five seconds. Step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Three.

Level Three: Stand directly in front of Buddy, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk in a partial semi-circle to your left until you are all the way to Buddy’s side. Slowly move to the right, pass in front of him, and stop when you have reached his other side. Now, move back until you are in front of him again. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command. Once you have accomplished this, you can move on to Level Four.

Level Four: Stand directly in front of Buddy, hold your hand up as if you were a traffic policeman, and say “STAY”. Slowly back up (always holding the leash) until you have reached the end of the leash. Make sure you do not tug the leash. Walk completely around him. If he begins to move, give him your correction noise to have him stop. Make sure you keep your “Policeman’s hand” up the entire time. Now, step back until you are next to him. Praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your command.

5. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Buddy comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you. If Buddy gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore him for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet him at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Buddy brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

6. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Buddy’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on Buddy at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or he will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Buddy.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Buddy from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Buddy when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Sammi Lin
Visit Date: 2/24/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 340
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Needs Potty Training, just got a few weeks ago, wild, jumps, pulls on leash

Training Notes:
King is really a great dog and I enjoyed working with him. The big issue that I observed with King was his “over the top” adrenaline level. I will be talking about that in detail.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRRRy” sound yesterday. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine.

After the body language (calm, still, standing) and the vocal (GRRRR), comes the passive physical communication. We were using the water bottle with King. That worked with the jumping and (in some instances) directing him off the sofa and off your boyfriend.

Because of King’s current, high adrenaline level, we also needed to use the leash as a corrective and directive tool. We had the leash on him at all times he was out so that we could take control while not increasing adrenaline and becoming physical.

Let’s talk about some of the key points of yesterday’s lesson:

1. THE LEASH – King’s adrenaline greatly distracts his ability to provide you with the respectful focus you need to teach and guide him. In most cases the standard correction of “Stand tall and calm, make your correction sound (suggested GRRRR) and squirt bottle will not be sufficient to get his focus. You need to redirect his focus back to you.

The leash is the tool you can use for this. Have the leash on him while he is out. As soon as he starts to become adrenalized, step on the leash to stop his movement and to gain control of him. Pick up the leash in your hand. I suggest that you hold it by the handle. If he starts to pull you to the point you believe you are losing your balance, straighten your hand as I had demonstrated to release the leash.

Firmly tug on the leash as you make your correction sound to have him focus back to you. As soon as he does, calmly walk him away from the situation to a place that is quiet and devoid of distractions. Have him sit and focus on you.

Once he has done this, praise him with a high toned “Good Doggie” and calmly walk him back into the prior area. If you see him start to adrenalize as you return to the prior area, give him the sharp tug and walk away again.

With King’s current high level of adrenaline and energy, this will probably be an ongoing and common practice for the next few weeks. Consistency and repetition will be needed to educate King that he should not be crazy.

One more thing on this subject. If your guests “encourage” King to be crazy, the process will take longer. This is because you are not sending King a clear and consistent message. If you want “crazy”, take it outside to the back yard.

2. CALM – I have mentioned this before, but I need to emphasize its importance. Body language is the prevalent method of communication with King. Being calm and still is the most visible aspect of body language. This is what King is “translating” when he is looking at you for information. Whatever you may say is unimportant and “silent” if you are “crazy and adrenalized”. Remember the teachers you always respected. They were always calm in the classroom.

3. YOUR CORRECTION SOUND – As I just discussed above, body language is the most important part of communication with King. It is 80% of his communication process. Sometimes we need to help highlight your body language to help King look and “see what you are saying”. This is where the verbalization enters the communication process. Making a sound can have King look towards that sound (and you) for more information. He will then observe your calm and still demeanor (proper body language) for the completion of the communication process.

We communicate in words. A single word can have multiple definitions and, thus, communicate multiple meanings. King communicates in sounds. Sounds mean one thing. They have unique meanings.

Because of this, we need to use a unique sound for King to let him understand “No, that is wrong”. We were using the “GRRR” for the verbalized sound to correct King. The “GRRR” is our suggestion because we have observed that most dogs respond to this sound and will give you respectful focus. If another unique sound causes King to provide you with calm and respectful focus, use that sound.

4. SQUIRT BOTTLE – After using your body language (calm, still, standing tall) and verbalization (suggest GRRRR), you may need to add a passively physical method to gain King’s focus and attention. We will discuss another method later, but the ones we reviewed yesterday were the squirt bottle and the shake bottle.

These are used as the third accumulated process (first is body language and second is verbalization) to have King give you calm focus. From interacting with King, we found that the squirt bottle was effective in getting him to stop jumping.

As King starts to jump, standing tall, GRRRing, and squirting him with the water bottle (several times) stopped his jumping. The water doesn’t “hurt or frighten him”, it momentarily disorients him to release the adrenaline and focus that was causing the jumping. Once he has stopped jumping, acknowledge his obedience with a high toned “Good Doggie”.

The squirt bottle can be used in other instances, but it seemed to work best with the jumping. Again, you need to stand tall, make your GRRRy sound and give him a few quick squirts simultaneously while he is jumping or just about to jump.

Since I am still asking you to have the leash on him, I would then direct him away from the person or place that was causing the jumping to assure de-escalation of the situation.

5. CHEWING – You had mentioned that King was “chewing things”. All dogs chew from time to time. Trying to stop them completely will simply make them find something “they want to chew”. The best answer is to provide him with something “you want him to chew”.

We suggest giving him a deer antler or Kong toy. You can put some chicken broth on the deer antler or peanut butter in the Kong toy to make them “tastier and more attractive” to King. If you see King chewing something that is inappropriate, correct him and move him away from that item and give him the deer antler or Kong toy. Pick up the thing you didn’t want him to chew.

Also, try to keep things you don’t want him to chew off the floor. He doesn’t understand that you didn’t leave it on the floor for him.

6. JUMPING – Have the leash on King when he is in the house. You don’t always need to be holding the leash, but be ready to step on it and pick it up, if needed. If you see King start to get excited, that is the time to step on the leash and pick up the end (see LEASH section earlier).

If he starts to jump on you, use the spray bottle and method we discussed in the SQUIRT BOTTLE discussion (earlier). If you see him start to jump on someone else, step on the leash to deter his ability to “get airborne”. You can also give the leash a firm tug back towards you, causing King to stop jumping and focus on you.

As soon as King is focused on you, calmly walk him away to an area with minimal distractions and remain there until you see he is calm and focused on you. Have him sit, praise him with a high toned “Good Doggie”, and then return to the prior area.

7. CRATE – Crates are great when you need to safely contain King inside. We talked about a heavy-duty crate that (hopefully) King can’t destroy. I suggested a crate that you can find on the “Training Tools” link on my website that will take you to an Amazon vendor selling a 48” heavy duty crate. ( https://northgeorgiadogtraining.com/dog-training-tools/ ) We have used crates like this in the past for our very strong German Shepherd who could easily break out of regular crates.

If you get this crate, I suggest that you get some chain to secure the door and top of the crate (that can open too). Use (what they call) a “quick link” to secure the chain. This “requires thumbs” to open so King won’t be able to get out. (Home Depot has all this stuff.)

8. SEPARATION ANXIETY – You mentioned that when you had King in a crate, he barked all the time. This is often a sign of “Separation Anxiety”. He is anxious and adrenalized because of the situation of being alone in the crate. You will need to socialize him to understand that “the crate is OK”. Separation Anxiety is one of the more challenging issues to resolve with dogs, but can be done with patience and perseverance.

First, you need to have King understand that the crate isn’t a bad place. Set it up and don’t make a big deal of it. Do not force him into the crate; that only provides negative reinforcement that “the crate is bad”.

Put his toys in the crate and/or feed him in the crate. Let him go in there by himself and never, never close the door. Let him come out when he wants. If he isn’t going in, start putting the toys and food near the open door on the outside of the crate. Once he will get the toys and/or eat the food, move them closer to the opening and finally inside the crate. Once he will go in the crate for “good stuff”, you can move on to the next step.

You need to add yourself to the picture. Once King is inside the crate, sit outside the door. Talk to him and interact with him. Try and have him stay in there by creating a situation where you and he are “having a good time” with him in there and you right outside. As before, do not push this. If he wants to come out, don’t stop him. Continue to work on this until he is happy with the situation of his being in the crate and you right outside.

Once you are successful with King’s willingness to be in the crate while you are right there with the door open, start closing the door for a moment. Close it, count to three, and then open it. Don’t make a big deal of the action and continue to interact with him as before.

As you see him “not caring that the door was closed for a moment”, increase the time you close the door. Once you can keep the door closed for (let’s say) fifteen seconds, latch the door. This adds a new sound to the situation and is something that he will hear when you eventually leave.

Continue the above process, never going too fast or allowing him to become adrenalized in the crate. If this happens, open the door and let him out. As things are going well, not only latch the door, but put the chain around the door and secure the quick link. Repeat this (lock/unlock, door open/door closed) until King could care less.

Now, stand up and walk around the room. Do not make a big deal of it and return quickly back to the crate. Always slow down or back off if King becomes adrenalized. As he is calm with your moving away from the crate, extend your walks around the room; farther and farther from the crate and closer to the door. Repeat this using the same “slow and go” techniques as mentioned before.

Now, let’s go and open the door. Do not go out, just open the door so King can hear the door open and see the open door. Close the door and walk around some more. Continue this for a while until King does not focus on the open door.

Next, step through the door and out of sight of King just for a moment. Step back in and walk around the room again. Continue this, slowly extending the time you are out of sight. When you are out of sight, still make sounds so King knows you are still there but just not visual.

(Remember, each one of these steps may require several days for King to accept. That is why I said that this is one of the most difficult issues to resolve with dogs. It isn’t hard, just terribly time consuming.)

Now, close the door momentarily when you step out. Start closing the door just for a moment and then come back in. Increase the time in the same manner that you did when you stepped out with the door open. If King starts to whine or become adrenalized when you shut the door, you can try using your verbal (GRRR) correction from the other side of the door. If he remains adrenalized, return and walk around again. Shorten the time you are on the other side of the door.

When you can leave the room and close the door, you are done. Make sure that there are toys and other goodies in his crate, so he has something to keep him focused. This can distract from the fact that you are leaving and gone.

9. WALKING – You mentioned that King likes to pull and that is what we focused on during our visit yesterday. Get a large Easy Walk harness and fit it so that the strap that goes across King’s chest is as high and as close to his neck as possible. This will minimize the possibility of it sliding down and allowing King to “step out of it”.

Walk King when the neighborhood is quiet and devoid of distractions. Allow him to have most of the six-foot leash loose. If he starts to pull, give the leash a firm tug to have him swing around and look back at you. This is the same thing that you have been doing with the leash with all the correction processes inside the house.

Start by walking down to the sidewalk and only one house length up or down the street. Correct him as soon as he starts to pull. Also, try and keep him on one side. This will minimize the possibility of you “getting caught up in the leash”.

Once he can walk one house length down the street and return home, slowly increase the length of the walk. If, at any time, you feel that you are losing control, stop the exercise for the day and decrease the length of the next walk. Also, walk when there are minimal or no distractions. You want him totally focused on you.

Once he is walking and not pulling for a standard walk with no distractions, begin to change your time to that there are some distractions during the walk. This could be another dog or kids just out of school. Walk only one house length with these new distractions and slowly increase the length of the walk as he isn’t pulling.

Again, take it slow and always firmly correct if he is pulling, lunging, or completely unfocused.

10. PRONG COLLAR – This is simply a suggestion to provide you information. As I mentioned during yesterday’s visit, the collar that King is wearing provides the minimal level of correction when used. When used properly, a Prong Collar can give a little “pinch” that should not hurt or intimidate King. It should only get his attention and have him focus.

If you decide to try a Prong Collar, it should fit so that it is normally loose around King’s neck. When you pull the leash, the collar should contract slightly so that the prongs give a slight tug on the neck. You can also get plastic covers for the tips of the prongs so the pinching sensation caused by the leash tug is less intense.

As I mentioned, this is only a suggestion and is not needed if King is responding with his regular collar. If you use the collar and see any redness or loss of fur around his neck, stop using the Prong Collar immediately. The collar is either too tight or you need to switch to a different method.

11. ELECTRIC (SHOCK) COLLAR – We briefly talked about the possibility of needing a Shock Collar for King. This would be needed if you are being unsuccessful in gaining his calm and respective focus using other methods. It is simply a “ramping up” of the passive physical process that we initiated with the Squirt Bottle. As I mentioned yesterday, we use this tool in under 1% of the dogs we train. Because of King’s high level of adrenaline, there is a slight chance that he would need it.
I have experience in training with the E Collar ET-300 Mini Educator ( https://www.ecollar.com/products/et-300-mini-educator-e-collar-1-2-mile-remote-dog-trainer ). I have also had luck with the products from Dogtra (I believe the one I have used in the past was the 1900S https://www.dogtra.com/products/remote-training/obedience ).
I would only suggest looking at this if the other, less evasive methods are not working. It doesn’t change the teaching/learning process. It increases the intensity of the passive physical correction. Please call use before you consider moving ahead with this.

12. DOGGIE DAYCARE – King is full of adrenaline and is also at the age where he is starting to “feel his oats”. This means that he is always ready to run and jump and play. If you can’t give him at least several hours of run and jump and play time a day, you need to look at a Doggie Day Care Facility that can fulfill this need.

I do not believe that the Day Care that King previously attended can fulfill his need of “run, jump, and play”. My experience with dogs like King has shown me that he needs to be with other young and big dogs in an environment that allows them to “go 100%”. This normally means that the Day Care has a large, fenced outside area for them to “have fun”.

I suggest trying to take King to the facility 2 or 3 times a week. We have had prior clients in situations similar as yours and they reported success in calming their dogs down when going to a doggie Daycare two or three times a week.

One place you may want to check out is Camp Bow Wow. ( https://www.campbowwow.com/lawrenceville-ga/services-pricing/dog-day-care/ ) I have had a good experience with them in the past when they boarded our Springer Spaniel. I have not had experience with the one near you in Lawrenceville. You might want to give them a call and see what you think.

13. YOUR IDEA – Always make sure that it is your idea. If King comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you. If King brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

14. POTTY – We went over a great deal of information on this. Please review the documentation as needed. With that said, I would like to provide emphasis on some key points:

b) Water: We all need water for hydration and young (and still growing) dogs need extra water because their bodies are in a state of growth and development. We want to give your dog enough water to hydrate for his growth, but not so much water that he is bloated, and the water just passes through him (like flood waters overflowing the top of a dam.)

c) Watch: You NEED TO WATCH YOUR DOG. This doesn’t mean “I think he just went over there”. It is constant “eyes on your little puppy”. When you are always watching him, you can catch any mistakes, document them and improve for tomorrow. You will know when he made the mistake. You may see him do some “poppie dance” that first confused you.

You now can hypothesize that that funny dance was saying “get me out!”. You can also check to make sure you didn’t leave the food and/or water down by mistake. You can also check your schedule to see if you forgot to take him out earlier or didn’t take him out again after he didn’t go last time.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct King when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Josie Ceccoli
Visit Date: 2/26/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Leash walking, aggressive behavior towards each other and when around other people, trying to get attention, jealous of each other

Training Notes:
The most important news that we can take away from yesterday’s session is that your doggies have the ability to focus, respect, and obey you. At first, they were a little “crazy and excited”, but we saw that they had the ability to focus as you began to direct them. As we discussed yesterday, that is the cornerstone of the entire behavioral process.

Lastly, you must understand that they communicate mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting them. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get their attention. I was using the “GRRRRy” sound, but you can use any unique sound that will get their respectful and calm focus. “Success” is when they have stopped what they were doing, turn, and calmly look at you. Their faces will “look like” they are thinking “so, what do you want now?”.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get their focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need. Although it was getting the floor wet, it appeared that the squirt bottle was most effective with the bunch yesterday.

Never leave the squirt bottle or shaky bottle out in plain sight when not in use. Only introduce them when they are needed, and you are about to correct. This will help associate the mere sight of the squirt bottle (or shaky bottle) as the start of a correction. They will often stop and give you respectful focus as soon as they see these devices.

Some general exercises we worked on yesterday were:

1. GENERAL CORRECTION – This is the action you use for all “breaking of your rules” and is the function displayed on the lower right of the training process chart. (Right after “You Broke My Rule” and before “You Have Gained their Focus”).

Anything they do that annoys you can be considered “breaking your rule”. If they break your rule, you need to let them know that what they are doing is wrong and teach & guide them to the correct action.

The first thing you must do is to correct them and gain their focus. This is done through proper, canine communication. Body language is most important. IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU STAY CALM AND STILL DURING THIS PROCESS. This is the body language of a leader and someone that will keep them safe and happy. Also, you must be standing during the process. Height is dominance and dominance displays leadership.

Once you are standing tall and calm (like the teacher you always respected), you must introduce a verbal action to assure they are looking at you. Make a unique sound that you will only use when correcting them. As I mentioned earlier, I used the GRRRR.

If needed, reinforce the sound with a passive physical action such as the sensation of a squirt of water or sound of the chain bottle or clapping of hands.

These three actions must be done simultaneously for proper effect. They are also additive. This means that you may eventually not need to use the squirt, shake, or clap to get their focus. As with my Shepherd, you may not need to use your verbal sound and “the look” (your dominant and calm body language) may be all that is needed to get their focus.

As I mentioned before, the only goal from this action (the correction) is to get their calm and respectful focus. If you see they are becoming scared, tone down your actions. If they are scared, they can not learn. If they can not learn, you can not direct them to the proper action.

2. YOUR IDEA – Although not a specific “breaking of a rule”, this is an underlying, critical notion that makes or breaks the entire educational process. You can not let your dogs tell you what to do. If they are always telling you when to pet them, demand attention, that it is now play time, etc.; why should they ever respect you and give you focus?

They “snap their fingers” and you jump. They don’t need to pay attention because “they snap and you jump”. This creates an environment where you will never be able to get their focus and teach them.

Everything must be your idea. Everything must be on your terms. You must start all interactions. This will demand that you are the one receiving the focus. You are the one telling them what to do. This is the only way that you will be able to teach them your rules. IF YOU DON’T DO THIS, IT DOESN’T WORK.

3. WALKING – Although I normally suggest starting with one dog, we worked with both dogs yesterday and were getting positive results. Let’s continue with that unless “things get crazy”. If that is the case, walk one dog at a time for a day to get things back in control and then walk both again.

My rule is that as long as you can walk them and they are not pulling or annoying you, all is fine. This means that they don’t have to be right at your side. They may be a little ahead or to the side. As long as they will look back to you when you give a slight tug on the leash or they aren’t pulling and going nuts; your rules are being maintained.

You need to let them know, from time to time, that you are “still the one driving the car”. In order to do this, you should stop walking every once in a while. If they are still moving forward, give the leashes a slight tug and quietly make your correction sound. Have them stop and look back towards you. Pause for another moment or two, and then continue your walk. You just created a moment that enforced yourself as the leader and the one in charge of the walk.

If you see others approaching, you may need to cross the street or move out of the direct approach of the oncoming people/dogs. This helps eliminate any issues with the adrenaline created by a direct approach of another. Move away and then have them sit or, at the very least, remain stationary.

They will feel the least threatened and you will have the best chance of keeping control if they are stationary, at a distance, and not in the direct path of the people/dog approaching. If they are still adrenalized and focused on the approaching people/dog; increase the distance between you and the approaching people/dog.

I also suggest that you start the “walking process” during quieter times where there are less distractions that could cause loss of focus. This will allow them to build up a trust and sense of safety with you while “out and about” with you. Start to walk when more distractions are on your walk to slowly allow them to see that you “can still keep them safe and secure”.

4. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – The goal of this exercise is to keep your dogs away from the door when you need to open it for a visitor or delivery person. You must establish a boundary that they cannot cross when you need to open the door. Yesterday we established that boundary to be about six to eight feet away from the door.

When someone rings the doorbell or knocks on the door, your dogs will normally bark and run to the door. This is not a concern because you will be in charge momentarily. Calmly take your squirt bottle and walk to the door. If they are within your “don’t be here boundary” at the door, correct them and squirt at the same time to direct them behind the boundary.

Always remain calm and facing them. Once they are behind your boundary, calmly reach for the door handle and slowly open the door. Always remain facing the dogs. If you turn your back, you have given up control and leadership. They may take advantage of this and “rush for the door”.

Continue to slowly open the door. If they start to cross your boundary, make your correction sound and squirt them to stay back. If needed, close the door for a moment while you deal with the issue.

Continue to open the door and let the person in. Close the door. Your exercise is now complete because the person is now inside and your doggies remained behind the line. Praise them with a high pitched “Good Doggies”.

5. FIGHTING – This is where they are just getting out of hand and you are generally annoyed with the situation. As with our discussions above, you need to remain calm during this whole process.

When you become annoyed because of their fighting, calmly approach them with your water bottle. Don’t rush over because your quick and approaching movement may spike their adrenaline.

Once you are next to them, stand tall and calm, strongly verbalize your correction sound, and give them several squirts. You may also need to make your correction sound several times. This should disorient them and direct their focus back towards you.

Remain calm. As soon as they are focused on you and no longer going after each other, praise them with a high pitched “Good Doggies”. You are done and can move away. I may suggest that you back away while still facing them. This will provide a continuance of your leadership role as the situation is dissipating.

6. JUMPING – This is a sign of dominance, disrespect and demanding attention. It doesn’t mean that they are bad doggies, they are just “testing you” to see if you still think you are in charge. If they start to jump, you need do engage with the standard correction.

Stand up, stay calm, use your correction sound, and use the spray bottle (if needed). This should cause them to return to the floor and focus on you. Praise them with a high pitched “Good Doggies” now that they have stopped jumping.

If they are highly adrenalized, they may reengage once or twice again. Repeat your correction and remain calm. Your consistent demonstration of correction and direction will quickly let them know that “I don’t think I should jump”.

7. NIPPING – This is caused by the same issues as jumping. They want your attention. If they are “nipping at your heals”, you will need the water bottle with you. You will need to engage them with the same correction method as described above.

You feel a nip at the heels or you see that they are about to nip. Turn to face them. Stay calm, firmly verbalize your correction sound, and give them a squirt. Repeat this several times, if needed. As soon as the stop nipping, praise them with a high pitched “Good Doggies”.

There may be the instance where they are nipping at your hands. There are two methods you can use to curtail this problem.

First, if they are nipping at your hand or they are about to nip at your hand, stay still and firmly verbalize your correction sound. If you can reach the squirt bottle, you can use that. If they have already started to nip, you don’t want to move the hand they are nipping because that may cause you injury. During the entire process, remain calm, stoic, and repeat your correction sound until they have released. Remove your hand from the area, stand up if you were not standing before, and praise them with a high pitched “Good Doggies”.

The second way of correcting their nipping of your hands is kind of fun and “a little bit evil”. If your hand tastes yucky, they probably won’t want to put it in their mouths. I suggest that you get some Bitter Apple and put it on your hands when you think they are in “a nippy mood”.

If they come up to nip your hands, they should first smell and then taste the “yucky” Bitter Apple and turn away. Some dogs like Bitter Apple. I then suggest “ramping up the yuck” by using Tabasco Sauce or Jalapeno Sauce. If you do this, be sure to wash your hands afterwards to remove the “yuck” from your hands.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct them when they break a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when they break your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Dawn Callaway
Visit Date: 3/9/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 350
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Typical puppy issues, doesn’t listen, doesn’t come back, walking

Training Notes:
Jax is really a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with him. Although he showed some headstrong tenancies at the start, he quickly decided that it was best to “listen to you”. Being the boss is not a bad thing for Jax. He still gets all the “goodies and love” you want to give him. All he needs to do is to listen and obey.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRRRRy” sound today. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need. He seemed to respond well to the squirt bottle.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you. The only “gotcha” with the leash is that he loved to chew it. Put some “icky” stuff on it like the Bitter Apple, Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, or Habanero Sauce. At six months of age, he is still experiencing some teething.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. WALKING – You mentioned that Jax’s biggest problem with walking is pulling. Luckily, he is not a large dog, so this is something that can be thoughtfully managed. The major change that we introduced was to stop walking him on a collar and walking him with an Easy Walk Harness (size: Medium/Small; make it as small as possible). This changes the attachment point of the collar from the back of his head to the middle of his chest.

First, you need to understand “the rule” you want to maintain when walking Jax. We discussed that as long as you and he were walking and his actions were not “bugging you”, all would be fine. This means that if he is near or around you, not pulling on the leash, and you can easily get his focus redirected back towards you; all should be good.

Start walking Jax when it is calm and (you hope) there are no deer in the immediate vicinity. Try to keep him on one side of you. Either side will do. If he starts to move ahead towards the extent of the leash, give the leash a slight tug and make your correction sound. This should swing him around and look at you. Once he is calm, start walking again.

If you see Jax start to become too focused on any object in the vicinity or you see his adrenaline start to climb, correct him with your correction sound and give the leash a slight tug (enough to have him swing around and look at you). Pause for a moment, staying calm, tall, and immobile. Once he is calm and focused on you, continue your walk.

Your initial walks should be over short distances. This may be only halfway down the driveway and back. The important thing is to have a calm, respectful, and enjoyable walk. If you need to correct him often, shorten the walk. This will ensure that your corrections are consistent and repetitive. As I mentioned about my Coach Heinz and pushups, quality always wins over quantity.

As he is walking fine and you can easily have a great walk at one distance, slowly increase the distance to whatever you desire. As you proceed with this, you can add a new distraction such as nearby deer. Walk when there are some deer around (not in the immediate back yard, but on the hill within view). Correct him if he starts to lung, overly focus, or adrenalize. The “deer walks” will probably be very short at first. But, as before, extend the walks when you have the ability to keep the walk calm and respectful.

2. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Jax. Slowly step away from your dog (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD DOGGIE”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

When he is always coming at one distance, extend the distance by attaching another leash or getting a training lead. Once he is always coming to you, unhook the leash and continue practicing without the leash.

You can also work on this exercise outside. As before, start with a six-foot leash and extend the distance as he is always obeying without the need of a directional tug.

3. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Jax. Stand next to your dog and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD DOGGIE”. Move Jax a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

4. JUMPING – Jax jumps because he wants your attention. He wants you to focus on him and do what he wants to do. This is not the right thing for a puppy to be doing to “his bosses”.

Do not react to his jumping in such a way as to exclaim “So, what do you want me to do?” Since jumping is breaking your rule, you must correct and only correct. This will teach Jax that he can’t jump.

I have found that the best “tool” to mitigate jumping is the water bottle. When Jax jumps or starts to jump, you must stand tall, be calm, make your correction sound, and give one or more “squirts to the body and face”. I did that several times when he wanted to jump on me and he immediately backed off and stopped jumping. In fact, he just backed up and looked at me. As soon as he did this, he was no longer breaking my rule so I acknowledged his good behavior with a high pitched “GOOD DOGGIE”.

5. CHEWING – I have included this because Jax was chewing on the leash today. There are two things you can do to mitigate this behavior.

First, you can correct him in the act. As I saw him chewing on the leash, I corrected him by standing tall & calm, making my correction sound, and giving him several, quick squirts with the water bottle. This action diverted his attention away from the leash and back to me. I needed to repeat this multiple times over the course of the lesson.

The second action to mitigate chewing is to make the thing that Jax wanted to chew taste icky. We used Bitter Apple today with some but not complete success. We put Bitter Apple on the leash to make the leash taste bad. We also gave him a little squirt of Bitter Apple in his mouth so that “the icky taste” will register with his taste buds (in the back of his mouth).

The Bitter Apple worked for a while but became ineffective. That is when I would suggest ramping up the “icky stuff” to Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, and finally Habanero Sause. Put these items on the leash (do not physically put these items in his mouth). The increasing “ickiness” of these items will eventually turn him away from the leash or anything he may want to chew.

On a final note, it is best to give him something else to chew that is fine with you. We suggest Kong Toys with frozen peanut butter in the food hole or deer antlers with a spray of low sodium chicken broth for a little extra zing. He will focus on these (acceptable by you) things and not on the items you do not want him to chew.

6. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Jax comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you. If Jax gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore him for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet him at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Jax brings you a toy, ignore him until he turns away and you can then call him back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

7. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Jax’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on your dog at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or he will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Jax.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Jax from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD DOGGIE”. Drop the leash and walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Jax when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Hillary Robbins
Visit Date: 3/10/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Robin
Paid Today: 1,400
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Potty Training, General Commands, Puppy from Petland

Training Notes:
Mason is really a sweet dog and we enjoyed working with him. Although he was “a little rough around the edges” when he first arrived, he turned into a wonderful, obedient, and loving dog when we sadly had to see him go home.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRRRy” sound today. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on during the Board and Train Program were:

1. COME – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Mason. Slowly step away from your dog (facing him) until you have reached the end of the leash. Drop to your knees and say “COME” once. If he doesn’t start to move towards you, give a slight tug on the leash. Once he reaches you, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Now, stand up. Repeat this process for several minutes.

2. SIT – You must initially perform this exercise in the house when it is quiet (no distractions). Put a collar and a six-foot leash on Mason. Stand next to your dog and say “SIT” once. If he doesn’t sit, give him your correction sound and a slight tug on the leash. Say “SIT” again.

If he doesn’t sit immediately, pull the leash up and behind his head. At the same time guide his rear end backwards until you see his rear moving towards the ground. Continue to slightly pull the leash so that his head is moving backwards and his rear is still descending. Once he is sitting, praise his action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Move Mason a few feet and repeat the exercise for several minutes.

3. JUMPING – Remember to always have Mason’s collar and leash on when you are concerned that he might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and your dog approaches to jump, stand up, give him your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as he stops and gives you focus, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

If you are standing and Mason begins to jump on you or your guest, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop him. You can also step on the leash so he doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as he calms down, praise him with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”.

4. CHEWING – Let’s talk about the method of stopping Mason from chewing when you can “catch him in the act” and then your method when you can’t “catch Mason in the act” of chewing.

If you “catch him in the act”, you must correct him in the moment. Calmly approach him, stand tall and stoic in front of him, make your correction sound, and use the squirt bottle to get his attention focused on you. It may take two or three corrections (Stand/GRRRR/Squirt’s), but Mason should stop chewing, drop the item, and move away. Once he is moving away, calmly pick up the item and praise his correct decision with a high pitched “Good Doggie”.

Once you correct him, you need to give him “an acceptable thing to chew”. One example of “an acceptable thing to chew” is the Kong Toy. Take the Kong Toy, put some peanut butter in the food hole, and freeze it. Give this to Mason to direct his chewing to something you find acceptable.

As soon as you take away the “thing you don’t want him to chew”, give him one of these. You can also leave them out for him to naturally locate and chew.

Remember, you can only perform the above procedure if you see Mason in the act of chewing.

If you can’t “catch him in the act”, you will need to find a way to passively discourage Mason from chewing. To do this, you need to make the thing you don’t want him to chew to taste yucky. We suggest that you use Bitter Apple.

You need to let Mason understand that anything that tastes like Bitter Apple is yucky. You do this by spraying a very small amount of it into his mouth. You are not trying to have him drink it; you want the mist of the spray to reach the taste buds in the back of his mouth. This will trigger a “bad taste”. He will then associate other things with this same smell as tasting bad.

Now, spray Bitter Apple on things you don’t want Mason to chew. The Bitter Apple will not last a long time on the object, so you will probably have to re-spray from time to time. At the same time, put a Kong Toy or Deer Antler next to the thing you don’t want him to chew.

As he equates that one thing is bad (the thing you don’t want him to chew), he will find something good (the thing you want him to chew). After a few encounters, Mason will ignore the thing you didn’t want him to chew (it tastes yucky) for the thing you want him to chew (tastes good).

If the Bitter Apple becomes ineffective, you can ramp up to Tabasco Sauce, Jalapeno Sauce, or Habanero Sauce (in that order). Because of their potency, only place the sauce on the item you don’t want Mason to chew. Do not put the sauce directly in his mouth.

5. MANNERS AT THE FRONT DOOR – Stand at the front door facing into the room and towards Mason. Imagine an invisible boundary about six to eight feet away from the door. This is the area you will not allow Mason to cross. You should have your spray bottle and/or shake bottle with you. Have your dog in another part of the room.

Now, have someone knock on the front door. At the same time, make sure that Mason is completely free to do whatever he wants. If he begins to approach the invisible boundary, face him, give your correction sound, and use your spray bottle or shake bottle to gain his attention and stop his forward movement. This may take several attempts and one of the devices (spray/shake) may be more effective than the other.

Once he has stopped, slowly reach for the door handle while always facing him. Slowly open the door for the outside visitor. If Mason makes any attempt to continue his approach, close the door, give your correction sound and use your correction device.

Open the door and let the outside visitor inside. Now, close the door. Praise Mason’s action with a high pitched “GOOD PUPPY” for obeying your rule of staying away from the front door when you are opening it. Repeat this exercise daily with family members, neighbors, and strangers (UPS, Domino’s, etc.)

6. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Mason comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore him until he turns away. If you want to pet him, call him over to you when you want to pet him. This assures he is responding to you. If Mason gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore him for about thirty seconds.

7. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Mason’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on your dog at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or he will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Mason.

As he begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If he is moving, let him go to the end of the leash, tug himself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and your dog will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Mason from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk him away. Once you observe that he is no longer adrenalized, stop and have him sit. Praise him with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD PUPPY”. Drop the leash and walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Mason when he breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when he breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Stephanie Jeffers
Visit Date: 3/13/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Jumps on people, Pulls on leash
Training Notes:
Lula is really a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with her. Although she was a little rambunctious at the start of the lesson, she quickly became a well-focused and obedient student.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get her focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if she starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk her to a calm area until she is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. WALKING – You mentioned that Lula’s biggest problem with walking is pulling. Luckily, she is not a large dog, so this is something that can be thoughtfully managed. The major change that we introduced was to stop walking her on a collar and walking her with an Easy Walk Harness (size: Medium/Small). This changes the attachment point of the collar from the back of her head to the middle of her chest.

First, you need to understand “the rule” you want to maintain when walking Lula. We discussed that as long as you and she were walking and her actions were not “bugging you”, all would be fine. This means that if she is near or around you, not pulling on the leash, and you can easily get her focus redirected back towards you; all should be good.

Start walking Lula when it is calm in the neighborhood. Try to keep her on one side of you. Either side will do. If she starts to move ahead towards the extent of the leash, give the leash a slight tug and make your correction sound. This should swing her around and look at you. Once she is calm, start walking again.

If you see Lula start to become too focused on any object in the vicinity or you see her adrenaline start to climb, correct her with your correction sound and give the leash a slight tug (enough to have her swing around and look at you). Pause for a moment, staying calm, tall, and immobile. Once she is calm and focused on you, continue your walk.

Your initial walks should be over short distances. This may be just a few house-lengths up and down the block. The important thing is to have a calm, respectful, and enjoyable walk. If you need to correct her often, shorten the walk. This will ensure that your corrections are consistent and repetitive. As I mentioned about my Coach Heinz and pushups, quality always wins over quantity.

As she is walking fine and you can easily have a great walk at one distance, slowly increase the distance to whatever you desire. As you proceed with this, you walk when the neighborhood has more distractions. Two distractions that we encountered today that are very common were:

a) Neighbor in Yard: When you are walking and you see a neighbor in their yard, in their garage, etc., be proactive with Lula. Give the leash a slight tug and make your correction sound. Have her look at you as you and she continue to walk. If she begins to bark and pull towards the neighbor, continue to walk and increase your pace (do not run). Continue to tug the leach in the direction of your walk. If necessary, increase your distance from the neighbor by crossing the street.

b) Neighbor Walking Towards You on Street: When someone comes directly towards you and Lula, she will take that as a possible act of aggression. You need to move out of the line of direct approach and set yourself in a strong and stable position. Walk off the side of the road about twenty feet. Stop and place Lula in a sit or stable stand. Step on the leash so she can’t lunge or jump. Stay calm as the neighbor passes. If Lula starts to become too adrenalized, increase your distance from the passing neighbor. Continue your walk once the neighbor has passed.

2. BACK LEASH – During the walk, it may become hard to keep Lula from pulling and paying attention to you. The Back Leash method, when used in conjunction with the walk, is a great way to regain control and to teach Lula that she needs to pay attention to you and give you focus. Here is what you do:

a) Walk Lula as you normally would near you.
b) As she starts to pull, stop and let her have all of the leash. She will quickly move away from you until she is at the end of the leash.
c) When Lula reaches the end of the leash, give the leash a slight tug to swing her back and facing you.
d) Start walking the other way as you calmly direct her back to you.
e) If Lula starts to pull away again, stop and let her have all the leash again. Repeat the above steps.
f) Change directions and continue to walk on your previous path.

Repeat the above actions as necessary until Lula stays next to you and pays attention to you.

3. BARKING – Barking is always annoying and can be caused by many things. This exercise is designed to redirect Lula’s attention away from the distraction causing the barking and to place the focus on you.

Have her collar and leash on in the house when you know there might be things that normally cause her to bark. As soon as she starts to bark, step on the leash and place the handle in your hand. Briskly walk her in a direction away from the distraction to a point where she is giving you focus and has lost interest in whatever was causing her to bark. Now, have her sit for you. As soon as she does, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD DOGGIE”.

Drop the leash and calmly walk back to whatever you were doing before this exercise.

4. JUMPING – Remember to always have Lula’s collar and leash on when you are concerned that she might be jumping. If you are sitting on a chair or sofa and she approaches to jump, stand up, give her your correction sound, and use your physical correction (spray bottle or shake bottle). As soon as she stops and gives you focus, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD DOGGIE”.

If you are standing and Lula begins to jump on you, your kids, or their friends, use your spray bottle with your correction sound to stop her. You can also step on the leash so she doesn’t have the ability to jump. As soon as she calms down, praise her with a high pitched “GOOD DOGGIE”.

5. NIPPING – Let’s review the active approach to stop Lula from nipping and then a “set the scene” method of getting her from nipping.

With our first approach, as soon as you see Lula start to become adrenalized, stay calm and still. If you are playing, stop. If possible, move your hands away from her and stand up. This should proactively send a signal to her that you will not engage her and do not condone her actions. If needed, make your correction sound and use the squirt bottle or shake bottle. Praise her with a high pitched “GOOD DOGGIE” when she stops trying to nip.

When you don’t engage, Lula will place additional focus on your calm demeanor. This will redirect her adrenalated actions and allow things to calm down.

Our second approach involves “setting the scene” when you want to discourage Lula’s nipping. Do this by placing some Bitter Apple or any other yucky stuff on your hands. Make your hands “available to Lula” but don’t “stick them in her face”. If she starts to go for your hands, she should smell or taste how “yucky your hands have become” and will not want any part of them.

6. MANAGE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR – Always make sure that it is your idea. If Lula comes up to you and nudges your hand for a pet, ignore her until she turns away. If you want to pet her, call her over to you when you want to pet her. This assures she is responding to you. If Lula gets on the sofa and gets in your lap, ignore her for about thirty seconds.

If you want to pet her at that time, it will be your idea and that is fine. If Lula brings you a toy, ignore her until she turns away and you can then call her back. Remember, the leader always says “I want you to…”. Make sure you are the leader.

7. USE OF THE LEASH – The leash is a passive training tool that is very effective in naturally redirecting Lula’s focus to you. We suggest that you place the leash on her at different times during the day when you are home. You don’t want to have the leash on all the time or she will equate the placement and removal of the leash as a distinct event. Be sure that you have the leash on at times when you expect higher adrenaline levels from Lula.

As she begins to perform an action that you don’t want, step on the leash. If she is moving, let her go to the end of the leash, tug herself slightly, and then look back at you. Your still and calm demeanor will display leadership and she will understand that you took control and you are the boss.

If you need to remove Lula from the area, calmly pick up the end of the leash and walk her away. Once you observe that she is no longer adrenalized, stop and have her sit. Praise her with a quiet but high pitched “GOOD DOGGIE”. Drop the leash and walk away.

IN CONCLUSION: You need to practice every day. When you establish your rules, you must always correct Lula when she breaks a rule. Persistence, patience, and perseverance are necessary for your success. Also, don’t get mad or go nuts when she breaks your rules. As the teacher, you need to portray a calm and non-adrenalized figure to gain respect and focus.

Client: Kama and Richard Palmer
Visit Date: 3/25/2020
Visit Number: 1
Trainer: Bruce
Paid Today: 300
Still Owe: 0
Comments:

Initial Issues:
Walking, Pulling on leash,crazy

Training Notes:
Benzo is really a sweet dog and I enjoyed working with him today. He started out a little crazy with his jumping and demanding of attention, but he responded excellently once he understood “who was boss”.

Lastly, you must understand that he communicates mostly through body language. Stand tall and calm when correcting him. Use a unique sound (if needed) to get his attention. We were using the “GRRRRRy” sound today. Any sound that gets him to calmly look at you is fine.

If needed, introduce a passive/physical action such as the squirt bottle or shaky bottle to get his focus. Sometimes, a loud clap of your hands may be all you need.

Step on the leash if he starts to adrenalize and focus away from you. If needed, walk him to a calm area until he is deadrenalized and focused on you.

Some general exercises we worked on today were:

1. WALKING – This is the biggest problem you are currently experiencing with Benzo.
Although one issue, it consists of a large number of tasks. Let’s start to work through them.

a) KEEP CALM WHEN THE HARNESS AND LEASH ARE PUT ON: Benzo often gets excited at the site of the leash and harness before the walk even begins. You need to get him to understand that they are “no big deal” and he should remain calm with them on. Place the harness and leash on him at different times of the day. Let him walk around with them “like nothing is going on”.

From time to time, pick up the leash and walk him around. Walk him near the back door and then walk him somewhere else. Continue this until he has no reaction to the leash and harness. He shouldn’t even have a reaction to walking up to and past the back door. This will probably take a while to successfully complete. Since you still want to walk him, this activity will need to be done while the rest of the walking process is proceeding.

b) THROUGH THE BACK DOOR AND INTO THE GARAGE: You need to start the walk calmly. This must start at the back door. Have the harness and leash on Benzo and calmly walk him up to the back door. Have him pause at the back door and keep the door closed. If he starts to act up, correct him with your correction sound and tug the leash. If needed, walk him around for a moment until he calms down. Once calm, open the back door.

Remain at the top of the stairs at the open back door. Benzo must still remain calm and stationary. If he starts to act up, correct him with your correction sound and give the leash a tug. Repeat this, if necessary. If needed, walk him around for a moment until he is calm. Return to the top of the stairs at the open door.

Once he is calm, slowly step down the stairs with a slightly loose leash. Closely watch him to assure he won’t lung forward. Once you are at the bottom of the stairs, pause momentarily and then proceed to the opening of the garage door. Pause there. If he is calm, you can proceed. If he is adrenalized, walk back inside and start again.

c) TRANSITION TO THE WALK: You are now at the opening of the garage and ready to “get out for the walk”. Put the long lead on him. This lead is a training tool that the secondary walker will use to help you correct Benzo. We were using a 30-foot lead today. I suggest that the secondary walker use about 15 feet of the lead. He/she should remain behind Benzo and the primary walker in a position that can easily observe what is happening. This person can correct with tugs on the lead, as needed. Please remember that the secondary walker should only assist as needed.

d) DOWN THE DRIVEWAY: Walking down the driveway from the house to the street allows you to prepare for whatever may be on the street. You have a good vantage point of what is going on around you. This allows you to prepare for any situation.

Slowly walk down the driveway with Benzo near you. If he starts to pull ahead, correct him. Stop several times as you go down the driveway to assure that he is focused on you and your movements.

e) PREPARE FOR FUTURE ISSUES: Once you reach the bottom of the driveway, look up and down the street. Are there lots of people out and about? Are there neighbors walking dogs? Are there a lot of cars driving on the road? Observe and analyze each of these issues as a possible problem. Create a plan to deal with each. Let’s look at an example:

Let’s say that there is someone way up the street walking their dog towards you. You don’t need to do anything immediately, but as they approach, you should be ready. As the person and dog approach, make sure that you and Benzo are on the other side of the street about fifteen feet onto a front lawn. Have Benzo stationary, calm and focused on you. Correct him with your correction sound and firm tug on the leash to keep his attention on you. Continue this if Benzo becomes excited as the dog and owner approach and pass. If needed, move him farther away from the dog and owner. Once they have passed and Benzo is still calm, praise him with a high pitched “Good Doggie”.

f) START THE WALK: Start walking. As we discussed today, your goal is to have a nice walk with Benzo in the same way you would want to have a nice walk with a friend. My general “rule of thumb” to define a “nice walk” is that Benzo is near you and not tugging on the leash. He is not highly focused on anything away from you and is in a position where the leash remains loose. If these things are in place, all is fine and you can maintain a nice walk.

g) WALKING AT YOUR SPEED: You want to make sure that you are walking Benzo and he is not walking you. To do this, he should be walking at your speed. You need to be aware of your speed and count cadence to maintain the timing of your step.

If Benzo starts to pull ahead, you need to correct him with a quick tug and correction sound. He needs to look back to you and slow down to your speed. Once he has adjusted to your speed, you should praise him with a high pitched “Good Doggie”.

h) TAPPING ON THE BREAKS: Another way to make sure that Benzo is paying attention to you is to stop every once in a while. If he stops too, that is great. Praise him with a high pitched “Good Doggie”. If Benzo continues to move forward, you need to give your correction sound and tug the leash. He needs to stop and look at you. I wait a moment, praise him with a high pitched “Good Doggie”, and then continue walking.

i) A NEW DIRECTION: You can also make sure he is focused on you by changing direction. As you are walking down the street, turn around. If Benzo turns too, that is great. If he continues to walk in the prior direction, give your correction sound and tug the leash so he turns and walks in your new direction.

After about ten of fifteen steps, you will turn around again. (You really didn’t want to go in that direction, you just wanted to make sure Benzo would follow.) If Benzo turns with you, that is great.

If he doesn’t, tug the leash and give your correction