Week 2

Lesson 1 - Verbal cue for “bed”

Once we have built that magnetism or love of the boundary/bed, it’s time to introduce the verbal cue.

Lesson 2 - More impulse control - “Mouse Game”

Further developing impulse control. This is the start of being able to one day leave food unattended but within reach, and not have your dog dive in and steal it!

Leaving food unattended may be months away, progress this one slowly ensuring success at each stage!

Lesson 3 - Intro to Loose Lead Walking

Grab your coffee, this video is a bit longer than the others!

Lesson 4 - Lead handling skills - Giving in to lead pressure

Part of loose lead walking is improving our own handling skills. In this exercise you teach your dog the opposite of opposition reflex. When they feel pressure on the lead, instead of pulling against it, they learn to give into the pressure and move towards you instead.

If you can get this exercise right it’s a gamechanger and can really help your walks.

Lesson 5 - Emergency about turn

Sometimes when out with your dog, the ability to turn around quickly and walk the other way is crucial! It takes practice to do this smoothly though and have your dog happily come with you.

Lesson 6 - Orientation Games!

Fun, high energy games that reward your dog for turning back to you! As your dog plays these games he will start to learn how to tune out distractions and turn back to you instead - because the fun is with you!

Combine with the Funder games from last week, mix it up and have fun with your dog!

Lesson 7 - progressing Middle/straddle
Teaching “chin rest”

Lesson 8 - starting and progressing a “drop/down” and the name game

Lesson 8a - initial stages of teaching “drop”

If you’re having trouble with the beginning stages, watch this to see how we start with puppies.

Your criteria is elbows hitting the floor (don’t worry if their backside stays up it’s quite tiring and will eventually go down!). That’s when you use your marker word “good” or clicker.

If you’re still struggling try sitting on the floor, legs together straight out in front of you and raise your knees (knees up, feet on the floor to make a bridge) just enough for your dog to crawl under them, watch your dog’s elbows and mark “good” when the elbows hit the floor. It just takes a few repetitions for them to make the connection and then you gradually remove your legs & go to the stage on the video.