Brad and Helen Carlson
Call: 717-597-5076     Email: info@gooddogpaws.com
15271 Williamsport Pike, Greencastle, PA 17225

Training Tips

PROBLEM PUP TO PROPER POOCH - Training Tips for Puppy and Dog Owners

Build a Strong Relationship

• You must be the center of your dog’s universe
• Keep a longline on your pup whenever you are out.
• Respect is essential.
• Between 8 and 16 weeks is a critical period for socialization.

Make Training Fun

• Consider every moment you spend with your puppy a training session. 
• Incorporate play into your training.
• Play creates Fun; Fun creates Focus; Focus induces Learning
  • Play Tips:
    • Keep play interactive (you and the pup play)
    • You become the primary object of interest and fun
    • Channel play to learn commands or behaviors in a fun way
    • Put a cue word to every behavior you want to reinforce: for example:  “Look!”  “Give me kisses”  “Good Jump”  “Find It”
  • Keep the Games Fun:
    • Create Excitement
    • Let the puppy win sometimes
    • Quit before the puppy tires
• If you want to control your puppy when he is an adult, you must be able to control the play when he is a puppy.

Motivators

• Your Voice, Toys, and Treats
• The key to good training is finding out what makes your puppy motivated.
• Praise is a motivator, the type of praise your puppy needs depends on the personality of the pup.
• Always look at your pup when you praise.

Compulsion and Correction

• Correct only when the puppy clearly understands what is expected, yet chooses not to comply.  So, always teach before you correct
• Effective correction is immediate and meaningful
• Correction is taking a behavior that is wrong and making it right.
• Corrections Should be Unemotional
• Nagging is Not a Correction

OBEDIENCE  SKILLS

• Ready for Heelwork - pup at your left side
• Sit - lure with treat, tuck bottom
• Stand - from sit, right hand on collar, left hand goes under dog and pops knee up - OR - from sit, lure dog forward into standing position
• Down:
  • Folding Down - from a stand, take food treat down from chest and back between legs
  • Lie Down - from a sit, take a treat and bring from nose straight down, then drag forward
• Come - “Rover, Come”
• Stay - from a sit, leash gathered in left hand, right hand palm facing dog in front of nose, step out on right foot in front of dog, “Stay” (Do NOT use dog’s name)
• Let’s Go for a Walk - informal walking together, no pulling allowed
• Heel - pup at left side in a sit, “Rover, Heel”, step out on left foot.

ADVANCED OBEDIENCE SKILLS

• Hand Signals:
  • Down - dog sitting at end of leash, face dog, right hand up palm toward dog, leash in left hand.  Hand signal, then, “Down”.  Step into dog to prevent dog from coming to you.
  • Sit - dog in down, leash in right hand, left hand used for signal.  Left hand comes up under leash, “Sit”, step in to help dog sit.
  • Stand - dog in sit, treat in right hand, take treat from nose to chest, “Stand”
• Front:   dog in sit, step in front of dog facing dog, straddle legs to build chute, call dog, “Rover, Front”.  Dog comes and sits in front of you.  Start from one foot in front of dog.
• Finish:  dog sitting at heel, step in front of dog. Take leash behind you, to left hand, treat in right hand, step back, guide back with treat around behind you, bring treat to left hand.
• Heel:  dog at your left side.
• Side:  dog at your right side.