Laying a foundation of behavior and training with your dog so you can move forward with lifestyle dog training. Like a maintenance plan for your dog.
We discuss lifestyle training quite a bit on the website and with clients. But what does that really mean?
Set expectations early with your canine friend and then hold them accountable to those expectations. In any relationship, with people or pets, I am a firm believer that if you don't set expectations then you cannot manage your disappointments. How can you be disappointed in a behavior that you've never offered an alternative for?
Dogs need a guideline and boundaries for what is acceptable. If we give them boundaries and we aren't wishy washy on holding them to those boundaries then we will have a dog who naturally looks to us for leadership.
Once a foundation of solid training is instilled in the dog; lifestyle training means that instead of actively "training" your dog; training becomes part of your everyday life. If you've taught your dog the place command, have them place while you vacuum, once they know wait / stay, have them wait for you to give them the command before they go out a door or get out of the car. The things they know (your expectations) are reinforced through everyday actions and activities that don't require much effort from you. It becomes second nature to have your dog do things throughout the day that have several purposes.
It makes your dog feel fulfilled to please you.
It makes your dog feel secure that you are capable of leading them.
It keeps your dog accountable to the training principles you've instilled.
It reinforces the structure you want in your home.
Teaching your dog the behavior you expect is the first step and affirming it by incorporating it into your everyday life activities is the second. The basics apply in almost every situation and there is always a new way to use something that your dog knows to keep it fresh and fun.
Comments