09/12/2024
✅️ Traning in your FRONT YARD ✅️
We find that many people do lots of wonderful training inside their house and in the backyard, then get upset when they take their dog out and their dogs behaviour changes - they are distracted, pulling on the lead and not listening to commands.
This is because dogs don't "generalise" very well. Just because you've taught them a new skill in one environment, does not mean that they will understand it when the environment changes.
It is also important to start new skills in areas of low distraction, such as inside the house or the backyard, then once they understand the skill, we need to spend some time re-teaching it in other environments of increasing distraction.
Don't worry though! You usually won't have to spend the same amount of time re-teaching the dog in these new environments - once you show them, they usually pick the skill up relatively quickly, if you've spent enough time teaching it reliably inside and in the backyard.
Your FRONT YARD is a great next environment to progress your dog's understanding of their engagement and obedience skills. It offers a change of environment, with different distractions and stimuli from the backyard - but not as distracting and difficult as the footpath.
So...don't forget to TRAIN IN YOUR FRONT YARD 😄
If your dog struggles in the front yard, then they are definately not ready for the footpath. Once the front yard is easy, then you can try re-teaching out on the footpath in front of your house, or a QUIET park ✅️
After practicing some Place Training, Koda the Samoyed, demonstrates learning his distance Sit-Stay in his front yard during his Private Lesson with Trainer Katrina last week.
