"Training Tips"

PRAISE - PRAISE - PRAISE
This is one of the most important and effective tools in obedience training! If you don't praise your dog when it perfoms a behavior correctly - it will become unhappy and confused. Remember - obedience training should be an enjoyable experience for you and your dog. Both of you should look forward to daily training sessions, not dread them!

The Wascana's training motto is:
FUN - FAIR - FIRM
Have fun with your dog. He/she will learn quickly if they enjoy doing what is asked of them. Be Fair in your corrections - small mistake - small correction. And be Firm. Don't let unwanted behavior go unnoticed. It is easier to promote good habits that to try and break bad ones!

When training you should use a minimum amount of corrections and a maximum amount of praise to get the required results.

Only call your dog for positive interaction (play time, feeding, etc...) Never call your dog to punish it, cut it's nails, etc... You will never get him/her to come to you if you are doing something negative when  he/she gets to you!

Deliver your commands in a sensible, no-nonsense tone of voice, loudly and clearly enough for your dog to hear - but never yell! Don't whine a command "Tiiigggeerrrr, ssssiiittttt, bbbaabbbbyyyyyy" and don't give the command angrily or rough. Give the command as if you expect and are confident it will be obeyed.

Basic Reqirements for Successful Dog Obedience Training
Summitted by Nellie Gordon - 24 Years Training Experience

Patience
Dogs learn at different speeds and they all have days when they don't feel like training, which they relay to you by goofing off. Don't dispare! He will eventually get it all together and do everything right. As dogs' learning increases, so does their confidence and a happier attitude toward training. Never lose your temper during training - if this occures, cease training for that session.

Attitude
Make your training sessions a happy experience for your dog by using a pleasant tone of voice, by playing with him between exercises( for instance, throw a toy for him to retrieve). PRAISE is of the utmost importance. Praise him when an exercise is performed correctly, let him know how pleased you are and in fact you can jump up and down, clap your hands and act a little hysterical. On the other hand, if an exercise is not performed correctly, don't make a big deal of it. Simply show him how it should be done and repeat the exercise. Remember - He wants to please you!

Devotion
Listen to your instructor and preform the exercises as explained and demonstrated. Be determined to reach your goal which is to have an obedient dog. Attend all classes and practice every day. With proper training, together with a bunch of patience and love, the end result will be a happy obedient dog. Furthermore, you will be so very thankful that you devoted your time and effort toward this achievement. Dogs are wonderful, intelligent creatures and they all deserve obedience training.

Things to keep in mind when working with your dog:
Dogs learn through repetition, consistency, and praise. Training should be a positive experience for both of you. Your objective in training should be to create a mutual respect between you, your family, and your dog -- not a relationship based on fear!

Consistancy
The same commands and body language must always be used. Whether you are formally training or not. If different commands and body language are used to achieve the same action, your dog will become confused. Your dog is constantly learning. Not all learning occurs in a formal setting. Although certain behaviors are a matter of personal preference (ie if you dog is allowed on the furniature) it is an all or nothing situation. Either a behavior is always allowed to occur or never occur. Be consistant in your expectations, commands and corrections for unwanted behaviors.
Tone of Voice
Develop three different tones for your dog. Use a happy, upbeat tone for heeling, recalls, and praise. A level no-nonsense tone for the stay commands, and a deeper, disapproving tone for corrections. Never yell at or strike your dog!
Patience
Never lose your temper with your dog during training or you will lose weeks of training. If you are in a bad mood, you will not likely have a good training session. If your session starts to go bad -- STOP! Play with your dog instead.
Progress
Our dog's are limited only by what they are taught. Dogs learn at different rates because of breed, age and ability to learn. Don't compare your dog to others. As long as you see progress in your own dog, be happy with that!

JUMPING UP!
Jumping up is a commom problem. There are different ways of curving this behavior but you need to be very consistant!!! Introduce the word OFF to your dog. This will mean "get your front feet OFF of whatever they happen to be on, whether it's you or the kitchen counter".  One method that you can try is when your dog jumps up, grab his front paws with your hands and gently squeeze until he/she lets out a whimper of discomfort - telling him/her OFF at the same time. When all four feet are back on the ground - praise him/her!!!

DIG - DIG - DIG
Digging is a natural behavor and if you can - it is easier to endulge your dog than to correct it. Find an area in your yard and designate it as the 'DIG ZONE". Go out and bury some bones and old toys, then take your dog out to the area and dig with him/her until he/she finds a treasure. You can be sure they will dig there again to see if they can find anything else. If your dog goes elsewhere in the yard, Firmly tell him/her NO and take them back to the "DIG ZONE".

CRATE TRAINING
Follow these steps and you'll have a dog that pops into his crate anytime!!!
** Set the crate up in any area your dog will inhabit. Put a blanket in it if your wish, and when you feed your dog, put the food bowl in the crate so he just has to lean in and eat. Each time you feed, move it a few inches further back until he's actually in the crate when eating.
** When you tidy up his/her toys, store them in his crate. Leave the door open and when he/she wants a toy, he'll go into the crate to choose one.
** Once he's comfortable moving in and out of the crate, set him in there with a cookie or something else he sees as special and close the door. BE PREPARED: HE'LL FUSS. Just tell him to shush. If he continues, firmly chastise him (verbally). Keep it short and pointed. Once he's quiet for a nano-second, praise him prfusely, open the door and let him/her out. Do this several times a day and leave him/her in the crate longer each time before releasing him.
If you follow these simple guidelines, your dog will be crate trained in no time at all.
KEEP YOUR CANINE PAL SAFE - USE A CRATE!!!

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