Habits

In How to Build Health Habits by Tara Parker-Pope in the special edition of the New York Times Magazine, title Self Care: https://www.magazine.store/the-new-york-times-self-care/ habits are not about willpower.

“Good habits happen when we set ourselves up for success.”

Sound familiar?

While this article speaks to the reader about creating health habits, as a dog trainer, I see creating habits in concert with our dogs.

Adding or changing habits require deliberate practice and consistency.

When clients call for help with their dog’s behavioral issues, I share with them about all the pieces needed to accomplish their behavior change goal.

The thing that often stops clients in their tracks is creating a routine with consistent and frequent practice.

Change doesn’t have to be a challenge!

I often share, practice can easily fit into your already established routine. According to this article, habits is best accomplished by building them into an already established routine.

Makes sense!

Your dogs need you to help them.

Here are some quick and simple activities you can build into your routine which doesn’t require huge commitments, but does need your interest and participation for it to work!

1. Add some training and enrichment into meal times. Get rid of the food bowl and you become the meal dispenser!

Make a burrito towel. As for a sit/wait (builds your dog’s concentration) and fold a towel lengthwise once. Roll one side once. Sprinkle some food where the roll meets the flat part of the towel. Roll again. Repeat!

Say the release word (Ok for example) and watch your dog unravel the towel (enrichment).

2. When taking your dog outside in your yard for a pee break, take high value rewards with you. Praise and reward when your dog eliminates. Also, say your dog’s name and when your dog turns his head to look at you, praise and reward. Now you’re working on strengthening name recognition. Also, when your dog starts trotting over to you, now you’re working on recall.

Simple.

This also helps your dog stay connected with you instead of being hugely distracted by all the goings on outside of that fence 😉.

3. Help your dog love when you leave. Or, maintain this love with regular practice. This is when you know your dog made it a habit!

Practice playing Find It. Once your dog understands the cue then when you’re leaving ask your dog for sit/wait. Go and sprinkle some rewards around your home. Come back to your dog and release your dog with the Find It cue. Then you can head out the door when your dog goes on a search!

Your dog will be rewarded every time he finds a little piece of goodness.

Easy peasy!

Wanting to find out more?

Schedule a free Discovery Call with me!

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https://fourpawsandyoudogtraining.as.me/

Words Matter

No matter how simple the word.

Words give meaning and are a reflection of our feelings and expectations.

This is especially important when we are helping another living being understand what we are trying to communicate.

Outdated training centered on discipline, demands and no room for error, the teacher uses commands.

Commands are dictatorial, one way and focused on doing the right thing always. If the dog makes the wrong choice, the dog is bad and there is no room for the pet parent’s role for teaching.

“Do x or else, you’ll be punished.”

Most often, dogs who experience this type of training are always motivated by avoiding punishment.

Avoiding a tug on the collar, avoiding a shock or pinch of a collar when the exact behavior is not performed.

Now, in reward based and Force Free training, the word of choice is cue.

Cue signals an ask and allows for your dogs to make choices.

If you dog is confused about what is being asked, now you as the pet parent must find a better way of communicating and objectively move at the dog’s pace.

Your dog is the learner in all circumstances and everyone involved in the dog’s life and experiences are his teachers.

Cues allow for a two way street of communicating and opens the door for your dog in becoming more reliable in the behaviors you’re wanting.

Not sure how to do this?

I can guide you in achieving a more relaxed and harmonious relationship with your dog.

Set up a time to chat with me that’s convenient for you!

https://fourpawsandyoudogtraining.as.me/

Cue or Command: Why Does Dog Training Terminology Matter?

Useful Cues for Real Life

Teaching Push is a great skill for your dog to learn.

It builds on the Touch cue.

Teaching Push and practicing the cue alongside Pull can be sued in a variety of settings.

You can teach your dog to shut drawers or doors.

This little cue gives your dog a job to do utilizing his desire of problem solving and being empowered along the way.

An emotionally, physically and psychologically fulfilled dog is more relaxed, content and satisfied in his life.

When you meet your dog’s needs, they are secure and confident dogs.

During a mid-week check in with another Growl to Grow client, I added some homework since the client and her dog seemed to reach a learning plateau. Giving them some added activities, which are both fun and challenging, can be an added mental boost.

Adding some enrichment along the way can prevent your dog from becoming frustrated when homework steps are mastered.

Putting together a client video demonstrating Push.