Mannerly Mutts Dog Training

Dog and Puppy Management tools are a way to give yourself a little break from training.

Using these tools will give your a little break from training and hyper vigilance. These are your physical management tools
and their uses:

1. Crate: You can use this to feed either dog while the other is out. Use it as a rest time. Active dogs and puppies could use more sleep than they will voluntarily get. They also need space to just relax. Let your dog relax in it ideally at predictable times.
2. Long Line: You can use this outside. Make sure to use the appropriate training collar. Alternatively, attach it to a slip leash. This ensures you safely practice distance exercises.
3. Quality Dog Collar, Slip Leash or Training Collar: These can be used to attach a leash your dog is dragging. Use them only when you can supervise closely. This approach allows you to correct your dog when ready to do this training faux off leash. You can step on the leash. You can also correct the dog for not responding to a command. I advise that a cheap nylon leash is used for inside supervision. You can cut the handle off if it is getting caught on or under things. NOTE: These collars and leashes should never be left on your dog unsupervised. Use them only when working with or closely supervising your dog. They can inadvertently choke your dog if they get caught on something.

Other ways to work dog and puppy management at home

Dogs need to live with a variety of opportunities to thrive. Think about how you do when your self care needs are not met. Dogs need the following in their lives in order to thrive:

1. Activity and Play-It is important that both dogs get activity and play time during the day.
   Dogs do really appreciate interactive play with their owner. It satisfies them emotionally
   as it tires them out physically and sometimes mentally.
2. Down time-All dogs can use just down time. Time to nap or just do nothing but laze
   around. It cannot be all work or all play all the time.
3. Outside Free Time-Long line is good to use on walks. There should be space for your puppy or dog to wander a
   little, like a field. Keep safety in mind all the time.

Ways to use basic obedience commands and exercises for dog training maintenance

Communicating with your dog involves telling them what you would like them to do in various situations. Training and behavioral exercises are how we teach and habituate our dogs to domestic life. These are just some examples of how to use basic commands as you maintain them and create a habit for your dog or puppy:

1. Let’s Go-Great for turning your dog towards you and/or away from something in many different scenarios.
2. Sit and Sit Stay-Also great stationing dogs for a short time around guests or other
   distractions.
3. Place Long Place-This helps improve impulse control. Practice it while you are doing chores, answering
   the door, or have company over inside and outside.
4. Proactive Preparation-Practice doing sit stays at the door beforehand. Have someone, like a family member or friend helper, open and/or knock at the door.
5. Send to Place-The ability to send your dog away from you has value. Keep practicing this so that in times of excitement or expectation you can send your dog away to their place. It is another impulse control exercise as well.
6. Sit on The Dog-Great to use when sitting down to supper. It’s also great for watching tv. Use it later on out and about at a park. If you use this a lot, then your dog will become more and more relaxed in different settings and scenarios.
7. Attention to Name-Continuing to use this and even lengthen the time. You want to get an automatic response to their name in hopes of getting their attention immediately

Ways to Advance and Maintain Basic Obedience Dog and Puppy Training Commands Going Forward

After working on dog training commands, you may want to advance them on your own. Maintenance of these dog training commands is crucial to keep the communication viable between you and your canine companion. Here are some ways you can maintain and advance your dog training on your own:

1. Start working more than one command at a time. Practice commands in different patterns while training at home or on the road.
2. You do not have to do every command every day any more. Keep a spreadsheet or record of the commands and behavioral exercises you practice each day. Work on commands you did not get to on the following days.
3. Be sure to work on the three Ds; duration, distance and distraction. When training in familiar environments or distractions, you will need to decrease duration and then work on distance if appropriate.
4. Get creative with distractions and observe things that distract your dog or cause them to
   react. There is usually a safe way to duplicate different distractions. If you know your dog will react, start with YouTube audio and/or video of dogs. Then work your dog a good distance from infrequent leashed dogs. Begin getting closer to where you see your dog is indifferent to those distractions.

© 2005 Robin Rubin DBA Mannerly Mutts