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Experience the 101 Pet Parenting Course Before You Commit.
Book Session 1 – Foundation Skills
Build Communication • Establish Core Behaviors
TRAINING GOAL(S): Offers automatic “sits” at your side (reinforcement zone) as well as responds to verbal cue “sit”. DESCRIPTION: The “Sit” Cue is considered a basic & fundamental obedience cue that forms the basis for learning other more complex behaviors such as down, stay, & loose leash walking skills, just to name a few. So, we are going to take our time to perfect this crucial life skill and slowly build upon it with more advanced skills, tricks & games. But, no worries! We are going to make this a dynamic and fun experience for both of you! In this training session, your Pup will learn to properly “sit” at your side (reinforcement zone); offer automatic sits at your side, and respond to the verbal cue “sit”. Step 1 involves using a food lure to teach your puppy how to sit at your side, while Step 2 focuses on marking the behavior when your puppy offers a sit without the food lure. In Step 3, you will introduce the cue word "sit" and your Pup will immediately respond to it. Once mastered, we can begin loose leash walking work!
TRAINING GOAL(S): Patiently holds position until given the “okay” to eat, while also transferring value from the food bowl to you. DESCRIPTION: Let’s stop the feeding frenzy in exchange for some puppy patience! Here, you will introduce a designated physical spot that your Pup will automatically go to when it’s feeding time while you slowly build his impulse control to maintain an implied stay until “okayed” to eat. With these positive reinforcement techniques, you will be able to walk around the entire room while your Pup stays put, even with food temptation on the floor! Your Pup will totally dig this challenge as you slowly raise the criteria to the next level of impulse control!Your dog will learn that you are his source of food and that there is no need for mealtime anxiety or begging!
Get ready for some tail-waggin’ fun with the “Catch & Release” Game! Your Pup will learn the “come here” cue and promptly return to you when cued to do so - even in the midst of an exciting group play session with other fur-friends! Your Pup will happily accept being gently “caught” by the collar because you are going to “release” him back into play time after giving him a delicious food reward for just coming to you when called. It’s a “win-win” for both of you! Not only are you growing your dog’s trust, you will have peace of mind knowing that with this “come here” cue, you can keep your Pup safe whenever danger or trouble may present itself. Let the game begin!
Session 2 – Skill Building
Develop Focus • Build Calm Confidence
The “bed” cue is a fantastic way to teach your Pup to happily dash to his designated bed spot and stay there until given the “release” cue. This is a game-changer for those times when you need your Pup to stay calm, like when you’re traveling, entertaining or just want him to relax in a specific area. This week, your Pup will gain the impulse control to contently settle on his bed for up to 30 minutes, and will understand that implied stay until cued “release” equals positive reinforcement! Yes! You will practice encouraging your Pup onto a designated bed spot using hand motions & verbal encouragement. Your Pup will earn a yummy food reinforcement when he lies down & even more delicious treats while you teach him that good things happen while he’s just chilln’ on his cozy bed or watching the world go by. Before you know it, whenever you cue your Pup to his “bed”, he will happily run to his bed and stay there until “released” - even when someone rings the doorbell! Once your Pup has mastered this concept, we will move onto Part 2 of this valuable life skill. Until then, you will practice daily with one of your dog’s meal rations while real world life happens around you.
Seen at the Seam of your Pants
Get ready to dive into the exciting world of LOOSE LEASH WALKING and mastering DISTRACTIONS & TRIGGERS! Let’s talk about “Seen at the Seam of Your Pants!” This technique is all about strategically placing those tasty food rewards in reinforcement zone at your side to reinforce that perfect loose leash walking position. By consistently rewarding him at the seam of your pants, you create a "hot spot" that your Pup will absolutely love and seek out! Training Goals? Let’s crush them! First, we’ll build that value for being right by your side, where all the magic happens. Next, we’ll discourage any undesirable positions, like forging ahead or lagging behind, by delivering rewards in just the right way. And finally, let’s keep that focus and engagement alive—encouraging your Pup to look up at you, eager to earn his next reward! Let’s get started! 🐾✨
Full Circle Rotation
The "full circle rotation" is an exciting loose leash walking technique that turns your dog's pulling into a fun challenge! When your Pup pulls, simply guide him in a full circle to help him calm down and reconnect with you. This dynamic approach allows you to bring him back to reinforcement zone at your side; and redirect his energy without needing to stop completely by channeling his forward momentum into a circle. This gives him the opportunity to release that pent-up energy and refocus his attention on you—what fantastic way to bond with your Pup Friend! 🐾✨
Session 3 – Real-World Training
Practice Together • Master Loose Leash Walking
Contently settles on bed for 1-hour with minimal reinforcements even with household and environmental distractions present. DESCRIPTION: Now that your Pup happily responds to the “bed” cue & can chill for about 30 minutes while you move around the room, it’s time to kick things up a notch! Let’s add some tempting distractions and increase his settle time to 1-hour to really challenge his impulse control power! With consistent practice at home, your Pup will zoom to his designated chill zone at the sound of "bed" and happily relax for up to an hour even with exciting distractions present. Let’s keep the momentum going in preparation for Bed Part 3! 🐾✨
follow the leash cue
Get ready to dive into the exciting world of LOOSE LEASH WALKING and mastering DISTRACTIONS & TRIGGERS! Let’s talk about “Seen at the Seam of Your Pants!” This technique is all about strategically placing those tasty food rewards in reinforcement zone at your side to reinforce that perfect loose leash walking position. By consistently rewarding him at the seam of your pants, you create a "hot spot" that your Pup will absolutely love and seek out! Training Goals? Let’s crush them! First, we’ll build that value for being right by your side, where all the magic happens. Next, we’ll discourage any undesirable positions, like forging ahead or lagging behind, by delivering rewards in just the right way. And finally, let’s keep that focus and engagement alive—encouraging your Pup to look up at you, eager to earn his next reward! Let’s get started! 🐾✨
leash anchoring + follow the leash cues
Get ready to transform your walks with the Leash Anchoring Technique! Picture yourself as a steadfast anchor, staying still when you Pup pulls, helping him learn that pulling won't get him what he wants. When he applies pressure, the adventure pauses, only to resume when the leash is nice and loose! If he lunges toward distractions, leash anchoring lets you wait for him to calm down before moving forward, preventing him from dragging you forward or backwards; and teaching him that staying calm gets him to the fun. Plus, leash pressure becomes a cue when he discovers that releasing tension means earning rewards, making it easier for you to guide him in over stimulating situations!
Session 4 – Impulse Control & Reliability
Increase Reliability • Build Everyday Manners
Get ready for some exciting progress! We are raising the criteria again with longer durations and more distractions! Your Pup will dash to his chill spot and automatically lay down upon hearing you give the verbal cue “Bed!” and remain there for a fantastic 2-hours with minimal food reinforcement and with common household distractions present. Now, let’s put this to the test by gradually increasing the distance from which you call out “Bed,” especially when the doorbell rings! This will become your dog’s cue to zoom right to his “Bed”!
it's your choice game
“It’s Your Choice Game" is all about making good choices and having a blast! It’s designed to boost your dog's focus (eye contact) and impulse control, even when tempting food distractions are around. Your Pup will discover that the tastiest treats come straight from you, essentially teaching him to hold his position and resist the urge to snatch food off the floor or out of your hand. This fun exercise lays the groundwork for your dog to confidently ignore any food he finds on the ground, all without needing a “leave it” cue!
"LET'S GO" CUE
Now that your Pup has mastered auto sitting by your side when you stop, it's time to kick things up a notch! We'll work on expanding the distance your Pup can maintain a loose leash while gradually introducing a few typical environmental distractions around. Plus, your Pup will learn the super handy "let's go" cue! This verbal signal will help redirect your Pup’s attention back to you, encouraging him to move away from distractions and walk nicely by your side—perfect for those moments when he gets a little excited about a passing dog or a fascinating smell! “Let’s Go” for a walk!
Session 5 – Mastery & Graduation
Celebrate your Success • Continue your Journey
The “Switchback Technique” is based on the premise that dogs pull because they want to get to something in front of them. By changing direction every time the leash tightens, you teach your Pup that pulling is counterproductive, while paying attention to you and walking in reinforcement zone at your side is rewarding. When your Pup pulls ahead, you abruptly turn and walk the opposite way, which teaches him to pay attention to your movements and prevents him from being rewarded for pulling. This creates an exciting and engaging experience that reinforces the desired behavior of walking by your side. Let’s make those walks a rewarding experience!
SWITCHBACK + U-TURN METHOD
Whenever your pup pulls ahead, unleash the power of the “Switchback + U-Turn Combo Technique” to gently correct the pulling and regain focus away from the trigger/distraction and back to your side without missing a beat. As he catches up, make a fun 180 U-Turn towards him until you’re back on track, and then continue your joyful journey together!
FIGURE 8
Now that your Pup automatically sits at your side when you stop walking, it’s time to work on increasing the distance your Pup can maintain a loose leash walking position while gradually increasing distractions in the environment. We will head outside on leash to start practicing loose leash walking in various patterns while gradually increasing distance between stops as your Pup gets better and better at remaining along your side with a loose leash. Let’s keep the momentum going with lots and lots of practice at home in preparation for your next session's more advanced level of distraction challenges. You’ve got this!