Best Retrievers Basic Obedience Packet

     TRANSITIONING HOME - TIPS, TRICKS, & NEED TO KNOWS 

TRAINING EQUIPMENT

• Prong Collar (Safest training collars)
• 6ft Leash
• Tab Leash / Handle 
• E-collar (NOT a shock collar)
• Kuranda Bed (used for place command)

TEAM MENTALITY

If your dog stays focused on what you want, everything else will fall into place.

• Attentive leash walking - remaining attentive to handler and not allowing tension on the leash.
• Eye contact 

TERMS TO APPLY

• Good - keep doing what you are doing
• No - change your behavior
• Quiet - use when barking/whining in crate or demanding attention 
• Off - no jumping on people or things
• Free - release word from commands

REWARDS (Love Languages)

Dogs are all unique in how they respond to rewards! They have love languages just like people! We evaluated your dog and determined his or her main love language(s). We use their primary love languages to reward your dog for positive behaviors. Positive behavior can be commands or respectful behaviors. Timing in rewarding behavior is very important! 

• Treats 
• Praise - understand your dog’s temperament and choose a good tone and energy level when praising 
• Petting - only if they stay in the command
• Quality time 
• Retrieving/Toys - interactive games

DISRESPECT

Disrespectful behaviors have not been tolerated in this program. Your dog knows right from wrong on behaviors listed below. Correct timing with collar and verbal corrections are necessary to continue preventing disrespectful behaviors! However, remember to have balance and reward your dog when they are offering respectful behaviors! 

• Jumping - reward when four feet on the floor
• Biting - mouthing, nipping, etc.
• Barking - vocally demanding your attention
• Leash pulling and biting - it is your dog’s job to remain attentive to you when walking 
• Snatching treats - keep fist closed when treating until your dog offers eye contact and ducks their head back and waits for you to bring the treat to them 
• Pawing - putting paws on your arms or stepping on your feet
• Body checking - not respecting your space

COMMANDS

The following obedience expectations and commands are taught formally. We don’t teach STAY. Sit means sit, etc. They are expected to hold any command until being released when told “Free”. If they break the command, they are verbally corrected with “No”, followed by the command. If they still don’t listen, then they chose a correction on the collar. Be consistent and hold high expectations! 

• Here - recall all the way into heel swing/sit
• Heel - walk next to handler’s left side and sit when they stop
• Sit 
• Down - avoid belly rubs in down
• Place - get onto something and no other commands given when on place
• Kennel - go into something

AVOIDANCES

Keep an eye out for the avoidances listed below - ignoring is the most common. If they happen each time you give a command, it is an avoidance behavior! It is important to prevent them from becoming a habit. Ensure any command you give is obeyed on your timing!

• Not looking at you (animals, people, etc)
• Turning body away
• Not listening
• Scratching/Shaking
• Sniffing the ground
• Trying to run through your legs to get petted
• Laying down without being told
• Peeing (mostly intact male dogs)

KEYS TO KEEPING THE TRAINING IN PLACE

Timing, consistency, and balance are the three most important keys to success in the transition home with your dog! 

Timing 

• Rewards or corrections must be within 1.3 seconds.
• Dogs see in picture form rather than video form like humans. You must reward or correct their behavior as it is taking place. 

Consistency

• Follow through if you give a command. Be aware of the environment that you are in. If it is overstimulating for your dog, then do not give a command unless you ensure they obey it.
• Always have training equipment on when giving commands. Keeping an e-collar and/or prong collar with leash on your dog when you get home gives you a way to correct for disrespectful and avoidance behaviors. 

Balance 

• It is important that your dog receives both rewards and discipline from you. 
• If you find that you are constantly correcting and disciplining your dog, make sure that you find some scenarios to also offer one of the rewards - even if it is as simple as just sitting respectfully near you!  

DAILY ROUTINE

The most important thing your dog has learned is respect and how to be a team player. Key to lifelong success is consistently reminding them of how to stay respectful. This is 24 hours a day. In addition to respect, 10-15 minutes per day conditioning the commands that they learned while they were here will help them not to revert back to their old behaviors. 

HOMEWORK

Day 1 - 5

• Don’t have a welcome home party for your dog. You will get frustrated with the lack of effort they will give you until you have learned how to be a team. 
• Focus on keeping the environment sterile and quiet. This allows more opportunity for success.
• Gradually add new distractions to the environment. 
• Take advantage of the place command.

TRANSITIONING HOME

The first few days are the hardest. STAY CONSISTENT! Since they learn in situations, they are going to test where the old habits happened the most, HOME. The key to successfully keeping the training in place is staying on track the moment you leave Best Retrievers. Their behavior is environmental and relational! It is important that they realize your newly learned expectations. 

RESOURCES

Your trainer is the BEST resource! Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions whether it is as soon as you get home or down the road. Listen to the podcast from Sporting Dog Talk that features Kristin Best for tips on dog behavior! Ask us for the link if you are interested!