Today I want to explain my framework for basic obedience. This is how I like to simplify your first commands with your dog, and while there are other useful commands, if you master this framework there is a good chance that anything else will be a bonus. 3 Positions: This is simple to understand. Really there are only 3 practical positions your dog can be in, sit, down, and stand. I’ll explain them just to limit confusion but also I’ll add a tidbit about where and how they are useful. Sit: “Put your butt on the ground”, the most basic position. The reason this is such a staple is because it is quick and easy for your dog to perform but it causes them to be stationary. Down: “Put your chest and butt on the ground”, takes more work but still it's a basic command. A solid down is so important to create a dog that is more locked in place. The decision to break this command is a big one in most dog’s minds, it’s less likely that your dog “accidentally” gets up from Down. Stand: “Stand up on all fours”, the hardest of the 3 to teach. Stand is certainly the most difficult to convey to your dog and has the least practical uses but showing your dog that this too is a position I can ask for really rounds out the concept of all 3 positions. It is also helpful for grooming/medical exams and regular practice ends up being more useful than most people think 3 Locations: I like to boil this down to there being only 3 places we would ask our dog to be, Front, Heel, and Away. Front: “I want you in front and facing me”. This is where most dogs default when focused. In this position, we have eye contact and it is the easiest spot to hold our dog's attention, it is also where it is easiest for us to Lure and position our dogs. I think of Front as our “Attention and Learning” location. Heel: “Beside me, head and front feet lined up with my leg”. This is our “Real World” location. Heel is where we want our dog the majority of the time when out and about in the world. It is for traveling and moving with our dogs and allows us the most control with our leash. In reality, this is where I encourage my own dogs to default, when in doubt/fear/stress/uncertainty they’re never wrong to be by my side.

Today we are exploring one of the most potent tools in dog training, the Marker, often referred to as Clicker Training. Most people think of this as communication with your dog, and it is! But it can be so much more powerful than that when we peel back some layers. What is a “Marker”: At its face, a Marker is a signal to your dog. Most people are familiar with the term “Clicker Training”. A clicker is a Marker, but a Marker does not have to be a clicker. A Marker can be a word, a sound you make, a whistle, or anything that we can teach the dog to associate with our communication. There are many Markers that you can take advantage of but the first and most essential is called a “Terminal Marker”. This Marker simply means they are done, they can “terminate” the command, and come get their reward. It is a release and a cue for their reward in one. Loading the Marker: The Foundation of Success: Loading the marker is our first step and it is relatively simple. Simply bring your dog to a distraction-free environment, click or say your Marker, and immediately give them a treat/affection/a ball or whatever you want to associate with this Marker. Now repeat, repeat, repeat. Repeat until your dog knows this like it was carved into their brain at birth. You can not possibly have this association be too strong, when you think you’re done with this exercise you’re not even halfway there. My framework when teaching a group class is I want them to do at least 20 repetitions a day for the first week. Understanding Marker Training's True Potential: Now, it is easy to see how this can improve communication, there is another layer I would like to emphasize. When done properly we create a conditioned response to our markers. Meaning when you are loading your marker you want to create such a strong association between the sound of your Marker and the reward being delivered that they feel like one and the same. This “conditioned response” is backed up by the theories in Classical Conditioning, you may be aware of this concept if you have heard of Pavlov’s Dogs. Explaining this process in detail will be done in a different blog post but the takeaway is that when you have a cue (click) followed by an emotion (happiness to get a treat) they start to blend together such that when the Click happens, your dog’s brain acts as if they already have the treat. We essentially can put a positive emotion on cue! Really think about how powerful that can be.

Today we are going to explore one of the most useful beginner commands - the “Place” command. This simple command involves sending your dog to a predetermined spot and stay until released. It isn’t just a useful command, it also is a great command to start working on basic communication and eventually nudge them towards self-control and the ability to be calm in any situation. Let's dive in! The Basics of "Place": To start off, lets decide what Place is to your dog. Your dog’s place can be anything you decide, it can be a dog bed, a blanket on the ground, or anything that the dog can see as a distinct Place. With that said, I recommend starting with an elevated dog bed, sometimes called a dog cot. These beds create a clear elevated surface, making the choice to go on and off Place more distinct to both the dog and trainer, as an added benefit they are cheap, provide cooling, and are easy to use outdoors. Any time we can eliminate Grey Zones we are going in the right direction. When you have chosen your Place the next step is to teach the command. Use a lure or leash pressure to encourage your dog to go on Place, then mark and reward them for it. When they seem to get the idea that going on Place is a great thing, say your command “Place” before you apply your lure or leash pressure. Put some practice in and they should be enthusiastically going onto the bed in no time. Especially if this is one of their first commands, it is a great opportunity to practice your basics such as your marker, practicing following a lure, and giving to leash pressure. Remember, there is only one rule for Place, keep four paws on the bed. Simple, clear, and obvious, everything you want in a command. Impulse Control and Self-Soothing: Once the command is pretty solid we start to work on duration. This is where the real benefits kick in. Start by working up to a decent duration, aim for at least 10-15 minutes. Then add some distractions, these don’t need to be anything crazy, even doing the dishes while your dog maintains this command will serve as a great real-world distraction when starting out. Now your dog isn’t just practicing their command but also impulse control.

Today we are going to solve a common problem, one often made worse by training classes and professional trainers! How do you train your dog while having a busy schedule? The truth is it is much easier, and often better for your dog to skip the marathon training sessions and just make use of small moments throughout the day. The Myth of Lengthy Sessions: First off, let’s clarify something. Just because you go to group training, or your trainer charges by the hour does not mean that training sessions should be an hour long. In fact, I believe it should be quite the opposite. Ideally training sessions are not longer than your dog’s attention span, and there is nothing wrong with a quick training session thrown in whenever you have the time. Often times clients will try to replicate their last group class as their practice but they end up making training tedious and too drawn out for both them and their dogs. Keep most of your sessions short, frequent, and highly engaging. As far as planned-out training sessions go, 90% of mine are 5-10 minutes. Seizing Micro-Moments: Find micro-moments to seize. Practice sending your dog to Place while your coffee brews, practice Heel around the living room while your partner decides on a movie, Recall your dog from across the house, throw a belly rub party, and then move on with your life. You don’t need to carve out hours of time to train your dog. Incorporating into Daily Routines: One of the best ways to make sure you are training every day is by using your training daily. During your regularly scheduled walk, you can practice the things that take more time like working on how long your dog can stay in heel. I always recommend working on Place duration while watching TV or while eating dinner. One of the most powerful moments is in the 5 minutes before a meal. Use the food they are going to get anyway and work on some high-energy obedience, they’re hypermotivated anyway, so use it without adding significant time to your routines. The more you can integrate training into your day, the stronger these patterns become and the more usable they will be.

This time we are exploring an aspect of the canine mind that I personally find endlessly interesting: their knack for patterns. Both humans and dogs rely on routines and patterns to go about their day but once you start seeing it you’ll start to notice just how much your dog might be relying on pattern recognition over true understanding. We can use this trait to our advantage or it can be an endless battle to break bad habits, lets explore! The Power of Patterns: Most people who have done some internet research know that dogs thrive on predictability and structure. They seem to have an internal clock that dictates their day in incredible detail, they know what you do first thing in the morning, and they probably know your daily walk better than you do. In the wild, this skill keeps them alive and is clearly incredibly refined. Steering this incredible pattern recognition is one reason why dogs play this role in our lives, they adapt and learn how to live with us incredibly well. Simple obedience training relies on this. We consistently reward a behaviour, the dog realizes that repeating this action earns them that reward so they do it again. Pattern recognized. The Flip Side: However, patterns can also work against us. If we aren’t careful we can easily create bad habits. If your dog learns that barking at you will get your attention, they’ll keep barking. Even when you try and break that habit the pattern is so ingrained in them that they stick to it until they get their way or they are convinced the pattern has shifted. In obedience training I see accidental patterns all the time. My favourite is when clients teaching their dog to lie down. They will say “sit” then “down”, over and over and over. Then I will challenge them, “Get them to lie down without saying sit”, in theory the dog knows how to lie down, this should be no issue. In reality this new world is upside down! Without the pattern of “sit, down” the dog doesn’t have a clue what you want from them, this isn’t the pattern they learned so they are truly confused.