08/04/2025
Training in real-life environments is super important! If we only ever practice with our dogs in the house/garden, then we can’t expect them to know what to do in any other environment/situation.
Part of training is ‘proofing’ your dogs taught behaviours. This can be done in various ways including:
1. Practicing them in new environments (Generalisation).
2. Adding variables (these ‘distractions’ can be anything from having something/someone present who isn’t usually there, to us doing random things out of the ‘norm’ for the behaviour we’re practicing).
3. Change your position. If we are usually standing directly in front of our dogs, try standing off to the side/in another way.
4. Add duration (increase the amount of time the dog needs to hold a position eg. Down, before their reinforcer).
5. Increase distance (either move away from the dog once in the position or practice asking from further away!).
Here is Kiba practicing hand touch, sit, down & settle outside McDonald’s whilst we had lunch🥰 & a bonus funny ‘touch’ at the end😂