06/09/2024
I had two great classes this week! I taught my first adult basic behavior/manners (CGC readiness) class in 4 years! COVID, then life issues got in the way, and p**f... 4 years went by. Teaching again really brought back so many thoughts of why behavior training is so important. Training definitely increases the bond and respect between the owner and the dog and builds trust and understanding. Without it, the household can become quite chaotic.
Of course, the very best time to start training a puppy is from their first day of life. (I have used Puppy Culture training methods for my last three litters. Love the program.)
But there's never a wrong time to begin training a puppy/dog. Most of my dogs in the class were over the age of two. At this point, some dogs need to be 'untrained' in the bad behaviors that were not corrected in the first place. Sometimes this can be frustrating to the owners as it's a process. Some owners just give up, unfortunately. For those that stick with it, the rewards are delicious.
CONSISTENCY is my key word. Verbal cues and hand signals have to be consistent with each member of the household working with the dog. For instance, if a dog is jumping on someone and one person in the household says "down" and the other says "off", the dog gets totally confused. Two different words, expecting the same result. Doesn't work.
Training needs to be fun and enjoyable for both the owner and the dog. When I was young and first learning to train dogs, the techniques were so different. Dogs became bored easily. Owners became frustrated easily. It just wasn't a good way of training. I love the new techniques and I love that people are finally understanding that a dog is not a dog is not a dog. Every dog has a different personality, a different level of intelligence, and a different level of energy, just as humans do. Each dog learns differently and at a different pace and each dog is motivated by different things. Most dogs are food motivated, but for those who are not, a toy or really exuberant praise, will do the trick.
After a short break to raise a litter of puppies expected the end of this month, I plan to hold two classes in September. Puppy Preschool and Adult Basic Behavior/Manners. Each class will be 50 minutes for six consecutive weeks. Class size will be limited to 6 dogs and their people. If you are interested in joining, please drop me a message here. 🐾🐾🐾
