basic dog training
DESCRIPTION
Basic Puppy TrainingTRANSCRIPT
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 1/11
Basic Dog
Training
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 2/11
After bringing your new puppy home, there will be a period of adjustment as
you get to know your puppy and he gets to know you. Be prepared for a few
housetraining accidents, your puppy may try to escape or make a bolt for anopen front door. He may even try to dig under or jump over fences, and the
puppy you bring home may not be the puppy you fell in love with, but this thisis just a temporary step whilst he get used to his new surroundings. Once your
puppy has settled, he will become more relaxed, calmer and his true
personality will be there for all to see.
It is helpful to understand some basic training and handling skills, as they will
make your experience more enjoyable and also help you avoid some commonmistakes and accidents that new puppy owners make.
Basic Commands
Puppies need a routine and they need leadership. You may have heard of the
term ‘pack leader’ this is what you need to be for your new puppy. As they are
pack animals they need leadership and guidance and it is up to you to teach
them good and appropriate behaviour. If you don’t show any leadership then
your puppy will try to take charge.
Always supervise a new puppy when outdoors even in the garden. If left for
just five minutes, he will find a way to escape from your garden. It is vitally
important to keep your puppy on a leash when out in public or in unfencedenvironments in the early days. This is because they have not yet had any
proper training and their instinct will be to chase and potentially tussle with
other puppy’s, run up to a small child or even run out into the road into thepath of an oncoming car. Do not allow your puppy on your bed or other
furniture, especially if all of your family members haven ’t yet been established
as leaders. Puppy’s will often try to be more dominant when on a higher
surface like a bed or chair.
So what are the key basic commands that you should teach your puppy?
Well I feel that there are 4 key commands which are great for beginners.
These are:
SIT
STAY
LEAVE
DOWN
Each has a purpose and will give you control and help to shape your puppy asthe perfect four legged citizen.
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 3/11
Types of Training
There are a couple of methods which you can use to train your puppy. Themost popular are treat/praise training and treat/clicker training. They are
pretty much the same. With treat/praise training you use your voice to tell thepuppy that it has performed the given task correctly. With clicker training you
use a clicker to tell the puppy that they have performed the given task
correctly.
Rewarding Good behaviour
I have always used the treat and praise method where you reward the puppy
for good work with a treat and praise. The treat can be a puppy treat or toy,but a treat is definitely easier to start with. I know that clickers have becomeextremely popular, and the purpose of the clicker is to associate a click with a
treat, so every time they hear a click something good has happened. I feel that
praise and a treat works just as well as you can take your voice with you
everywhere you go, whereas if you forget your clicker then it can be a little
harder. At the end of the day the decision is a preference thing, there is noright or wrong and it should be up to you to choose whatever you feel most
comfortable with.
When the Puppy Gets It Wrong
There will be times when your puppy doesn’t do what you want, and in order
for the puppy to learn we need to let the puppy know that they haven’t
performed what we have asked. I have found the best way to do this is to
simply ignore unwanted behaviour, or take some time out if your puppy is justnot getting it. Sometimes a puppy can just be mentally exhausted and may need
a break. So if your puppy doesn’t respond to your command, ignore them until
they do what you ask (you may need to keep repeating the command). If they
still don’t get it, let them have a break and try again later or the following day.
Sometimes if a puppy is ignoring your command and being naughty you can give
a forceful ‘NO’. Don’t shout it in the puppy’s face, just say the word loudenough to make the puppy look at you, and you can then call them. When they
do look, do not respond with praise as this will just confuse the poor little
fella. Sometimes they will just ignore you, so you have to go get them…
If you puppy is not responding to your command DO NOT shock, choke, pin
down, hit, kick or hurt your puppy in anyway. This is just not ethical, and yourpuppy will be fearful of you and become unpredictable and potentiallyaggressive going forward.
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 4/11
Before You Start Command Training
In order for your puppy to associate reward and praise with good behaviour,
the best way to do this is with a treat. So call your puppy over, make a fuss,
praise him or use your clicker and give them a treat. Once he understands thepraise and reward concept, you can then begin command training your puppy.
At first your puppy will have no knowledge that food and praise are associated
and this is why we need to repeat the behaviour. So again make a fuss and
praise him and say ‘good boy’ and use your clicker (if you have one) then give
him a treat. Repeat this about 10 times. Let your puppy go play for a while and
then start again, make a fuss, praise or click and then give a treat.
Your puppy will quickly learn that when they get praise or a click they will be
rewarded, and he will start to become more interested in what you are doing.
NOTE: Before starting any training make sure you have your puppy’s
attention and that you can keep it. Only teach one command at one time. Also
keep training brief, training for long periods leads to overstimulation and your
puppy will forget what you are trying to teach him.
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 5/11
Teaching Your Puppy to Sit
1. Take a small puppy biscuit, and hold it between your thumb andforefinger.
2. Show the treat to your puppy and let him smell it, hold it just in front of
his eyes, and an inch or two above his head.
3. Say “SIT”, at the same time you say the command, move the treat twomore inches above his head.
When your puppy looks up, he should sit at the same time, it might take a
couple of seconds before he does.
4. Make sure your hand is in the right place, too high and your puppy might jump up, and too low he just won’t sit.
5. As soon as your puppy sits, reward him with the treat and give praise.
Say “There’s a GOOD boy!” or ‘click ’ if using a clicker when giving the
puppy a treat.
If your puppy doesn’ t respond to your command on his own, say ‘ SIT ’ again, and place your
left hand below his tail just above his knees and put your right hand on his chest and gently
put him in a sitting position. Keep him in that position for 10 seconds and then reward him
with a treat.
6.
Don’t pet your puppy at this stage, only give verbal praise. If you pet him
he may stand up.
7. Practice the command and make your puppy sit around 5-10 times.
If your puppy is a fast learner, he will get the idea quickly and will sit in front of you when he
wants a treat.
8.
Once your puppy is sitting on command, start reducing the number of
treats you give him. So start rewarding him every other time until he is
able to sit without a reward.
9. Then reward your puppy randomly whenever they sit. A random rewardis a great reinforcement.
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 6/11
Teaching Your Puppy to Leave
Stage 1
1.
Take a small puppy biscuit, and place it in the palm of your hand.
2. With your hand open and palm facing upwards show the treat to the
puppy
3. When your puppy tries to take the treat say “LEAVE” close your hand
and make a fist, so that your palm now faces down towards the floor.
4.
Keep watching your puppy until he loses interest in the treat either by
looking away or making eye contact with you.
NOTE: It might take a little time. Most puppys with either try and get the treat out of your
hand, or just stare at your hand, but they will lose interest from the treat eventually.
5. When he loses interest reward him with a treat and praise “There’s a
GOOD boy!” or ‘click ’ if using a clicker when giving the puppy a treat.
6. Keep repeating this until your puppy either looks at you or looks away
when you say leave.
It may take a few attempts but you are teaching the puppy that he will get a
reward only when he looks at you or looks away from the treat.
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 7/11
Stage 2
1. Take a small puppy biscuit and place it in the palm of your hand.
2. With your hand open and palm facing upwards show the treat to the
puppy
3. When your puppy tries to take the treat say “LEAVE”
4. When your puppy leaves the treat, and looks at you reward and give
praise or a click.
If your puppy takes the treat, then they still have a little learning to do, so go back to
Stage 1. Continue with the closed fist method until they can leave the treat when your
hand is open.
5. Next get yourself comfortable on the floor. Show your puppy the treat
and place it on the floor, and then cover it with your hand.
6.
When you puppy either tries to sniff your hand or take the treat, say“LEAVE”
7. Again wait for him to lose interest, reward him and give praise or a click.
Do this a few times.
8. Next place the puppy treat on the floor, but this time cover it with just
one finger, and follow steps 5 and 6. Again do this a few times, until your
puppy gets the idea.
Stage 3
1. Keep your hand on the floor.
2. Take a small puppy biscuit, show it to your puppy and place it on thefloor about an inch in front of your finger, so it is visible to your puppy.
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 8/11
3. When your puppy looks at the treat say “LEAVE” You might have to be
quick on this one, as your puppy might get to the treat before you cancover it.
4. If your puppy leaves the treat, say “Go On” and allow your puppy take
the treat and give praise or a click.
5.
Repeat a few times.
6. Next, stand up and place a treat at your feet and say “LEAVE”.
7.
If he leaves it say “Go On” and let your puppy take the treat and give
praise or a click.
If he takes the treat before you say “Go On” go back to the beginning of stage3, and gradually work through until he leaves the treat on your command.
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 9/11
Teaching Your Puppy to StayStage 1
1.
Stand in front of your puppy and settle him in a sitting position by using
the SIT command you learnt earlier.
2. Reward him with a treat for sitting. Once he has sat, say “STAY” andcount to 5.
3.
If he doesn’t move and his bottom doesn’t leave the ground, reward himwith a treat and praise saying “There’s a GOOD boy!” or ‘click ’ if using a
clicker.
4.
Continue this 5 times, and your puppy will get the basic idea of sit/stay.
Then gradually increase the time, so instead of counting to 5 count to
10, then 15 and then 20.
5. Next add a hand signal. So settle your puppy in a sitting position, rewardhim for sitting, then say “STAY” but this time hold your hand out with
your palm facing outwards like a stop motion.
6. Again count to 5, reward and praise “There’s a GOOD boy!” or ‘click ’ if
using a clicker.
7. Continue this 5 more times, and again gradually increase the time.
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 10/11
Stage 2
1. Settle your puppy in his sit/stay position, and position yourself so you
are facing your puppy.
2. Say “STAY” and give your STAY hand signal. Take a step backwards
away from your puppy, pause for a second or two and then step
towards your puppy.
3. If he remained in his sit/stay position reward him and praise “There’s a
GOOD boy!” or ‘click ’ if using a clicker.
4. Say “STAY” and give your STAY hand signal.
5.
This time take 2 steps backwards away from your puppy, pause for a
second or 2 and then take 2 steps towards your puppy.
6.
If he remained in his Sit/Stay position reward him and praise “There’s a
GOOD boy!” or ‘CLICK’ if using a clicker.
7. If he does move, take him back to his mark and make him sit stay then
try again.
8. The next test is to add distraction, so try using your sit/stay command
with a few toys or treats in the room and some family members in the
room, or try a different room completely.
9.
Practise your sit/stay command daily. Test your puppy, but remember to
reward whilst they are still learning. Make him sit/stay while you get the
mail or newspaper or whilst you put your shoes on.
7/17/2019 Basic Dog Training
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/basic-dog-training-568cbc8194bde 11/11
Teaching Your Puppy to Lay
Down
1. Settle your puppy in a sitting position by using the SIT command you
learnt earlier. Make yourself comfortable on the floor next to your
puppy so that you are side on to him, but make sure you have given him
enough room to lie down.
2. Take a small puppy biscuit, and hold it between your thumb and
forefinger.
3.
Show the treat to your puppy, hold it just in front of his eyes a couple of
inches from his head.
4. With your other hand, take hold of your puppy’s collar with two fingers.
If you are right handed sitting to the right of your puppy will be your
best option. You can use your right hand to give the treat and your lefthand to hold the collar.
5.
Lower the treat to the floor as you say “DOWN”. At the same time
apply a little bit of downward pressure to your puppy’s collar (do not
tug or yank) only a gentle pressure is needed.
Your puppy should then lie down. Reward him with a treat and praise
“There’s a GOOD boy!” or ‘click ’ if using a clicker.
6. Keep your hand on his collar and continue to reward and praise while
your puppy is laying down.
7.
When you are happy, give the SIT command to return your puppy to
the sitting position. If your puppy is unsure, use a treat to lure him upand give reward and praise when he sits up. If he stands up say nothing
and return him to a sitting position.
Repeat the ‘DOWN’ command approx 10 times, and each time gradually use alittle less force on the collar until you don’t need to hold the collar at all.Remember to praise every time your puppy lies down.