A common challenge that all dog owners share is incorporating their dogs’ training into their busy schedules. Suddenly the whole week has passed without any opportunities for the dog to practice the skills he’s learned in class. As class time approaches again, you may feel guilty and skip sessions because you’re embarrassed by your dog’s lack of progress. This situation can be avoided if you concentrate on practicing two or three behaviors a week in short bursts of training which can be part of your normal daily routine.
You will be relieved to learn that practicing in five to ten minute sessions with your dog twice a day will help him learn a behavior more quickly than longer sessions. Do these training bursts at the same time each day and it will become a routine for both of you. If various family members are involved in the training, creating a simple chart and checking off practices will help you stay on top of things. Another idea is to use a seven-day pill container and a coin as a reminder of when the dog has been trained. Just move the coin forward each day the dog is trained.
Looking for motivation to exercise more? Have your dog accompany you when you exercise and cue him to do behaviors such as Sit and Down and Stay while you do leg lifts, sit ups, etc. on a par course. This is great for teaching your dog to ignore outside distractions. Ten minutes of rollerblading with your adult dog on a chest harness will likely tire him out so he’ll be calm enough to focus on your commands.
Use one of the dog’s meals per day for training. In a rush? Just give him a handful of food for each behavior you ask him to do. On days you have more time, put the kibble in a bag and feed him a few pieces as rewards as you put him through his exercises. Just walking with kibble as a reward for loose leash walking will result in a big reduction in tugging in just two weeks. You will be amazed at how focused on you and your cues the dog becomes when his dinner is at stake!
If your dog gets excited and barks and jumps at meal time, you have the perfect opportunity to teach him to sit and stay quietly before you allow him to eat. Hold his bowl up and have him hold the sit before you set it down and release him to eat.
Here’s another example: When you are teaching your dog “Down” start the praise as soon as the dog gets his belly and all his elbows on the ground. Gradually he will learn that a finger pointed at the ground means “Down.” After a week of this practice you can begin increasing the time he holds the position. Then you can have him practice “down” when you brush your teeth, set the table, or during commercial breaks on TV.
There are so many ways to incorporate training into your daily life with your dog. When you set smaller goals, you will soon see your dog’s progress improving and your frustration will vanish. Oh, and one final recommendation – make it fun!
Jean Cary’s in-home dog training program for companion dogs and service dogs, Service Dog Tutor, serves people and dogs on the San Francisco Peninsula. She helps clients adapt their dogs to do specific service tasks. Her 25 years of experience with Pet Assisted Therapy make her uniquely suited to work with seniors, disabled owners, and their dogs. Contact Jean at 650-593-9622 or jeancary@me.com.
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