Week 1 – Orientation Seminar
Links for More Info
YouTube, Facebook, Separation Anxiety Book
- Included with in-person classes or available for purchase separately
- If you paid for the course, the link should be in your email inbox. If not, let us know and we’ll resend it to you.
Graduation Expectations
- Sit, Down, Come, Heel, Stay…we will also learn Leave It and Loose-Leash Walking but it’s not on the test.
- Graduation Promise – You may repeat class for free until you are ready to pass
Extra Credit
- The group will set the pace for extra learning.
Behavior Modification
- May require private training. This class follows a structured plan for teaching and reinforcing the bacis commands.
Balanced Training Explanation
- Blending “Modern” and “Old School” styles
Obedience Training
- CPR = Command, Praise, Release
Supplies and Treats
- 6’ leash, inescapable collar, super-tasty-soft-treats
Attendance
- Make ups available but try to make all classes in sequence. Following the videos helps as well.
Parking
- Best if everyone parks facing north or south.
- DRIVE SLOWLY…very, very, slowly.
Questions During Class
- Please ask politely and pertaining to what’s going on. Off topic questions are welcome but may need to be answered after class or at another time.
Homework
- Choose a release word
- Research your dog’s breed
- Watch: Luring and food play
- Read: 8 Tips for a Better Group Class Experience, The Four A’s of Dog Training.
- Watch DVD Videos
Quiz Yourself:
Week 2 – Name Game, Sit and Down
Take Roll – with casual greetings
Playtime – 15-20 min with treat and collar hold interruptions
Playtime Rules
- Don’t open doors or gates for anyone while puppies are loose, clean up after your pup, don’t coddle fear, protect pup’s space, block/correct/redirect bullying, interrupt if too rough/overstimulated, correct your pup so others don’t have to, watch and learn about canine body language, ask trainer if your are unsure about behaviors
Luring and Engagement Exercises (Circle/Spin)
Name Game
Sit – lure, pressure point, leash pressure
Down – lure, pressure point, leash pressure
Treats as Lures & Rewards, NOT Bribes (extrinsic motivation, seeking mode, Scent-Sight-Sound)
Petting and Praise (intrinsic motivation, relationship, fading of treats)
Difference Between Praise and Release. (Continuation Marker, Bridge)
Importance of Pressure Conditioning
- Conditioning means combined with rewards for maintaining a happy, cooperative attitude. Should not cause resistance or distress. Benefits = faster and more reliable results, clear communication, trust, authority, deeper bond, avoids touch sensitivity and biting, avoids treat dependency, empowers the human, calming effect
Homework
- “Don’t name it until you love it” and “only say it once.”
- Practice Sit and Down – 15 x day divided into 3-5 short sessions.
- Days 1-2 use leash and body pressure every time, with and without a food lure. Start using verbal commands and fading lures into hand signals
- Days 3-4 use verbal command and hand signal. Use leash and body pressure at least every other time…whether needed or not. No more luring. Give the treat only after the dog follows the sit or down command.
- Day 5-7 use verbal commands and hand signals with no pressure and no food lure. If dog follows the command give treat and/or petting and praise. If not, follow through with pressure.
- Build duration – hold positions a few seconds longer each day, goals is 15 seconds before the release by next week.
- Socialize – get out of the house, meet 10 new people and 5 new dogs.
- Read articles: Leave Them Wanting More, Always End On a High Note, The Three Paths to a Well Socialized Dog, The Importance of Socialization
- Watch DVD Videos and take quizzes.
Week 3 – Come, Heel and Loose Leash Walking
Playtime – with Sit and Down interruptions
Take Roll – Check Sit and Down fluency
Review – Sit and Down
- Up Sit & Puppy Push-Ups – lure & leash pressure, fade both for verbal & hand signal.
Come (reverse recall) – back up and lure the dog to Sit in front.
Heel – lure and reward, change direction, leash pop
Loose Leash Walking – change direction, leash pop
Leash Skills – best way to hold and handle the leash
Discussion
- Importance of a Slack Leash
- Flexi and Harness – casual walking, adding distance to recalls, allowing dog to pull?
- Recall Rules – mandatory and rewarding, never punish for coming
Reminder – physical pressure, fading lure, only say it once. (Most clients will still be luring, repeating and not using pressure.) “My dog does it perfectly at home!”
Homework
- Prep for stay = 30 second Sits and Downs, leash pressure comprehension for Sit.
- Get out in the world, meet 10 new people and 5 new dogs.
- Walk, exercise and train every day. Mix brief training sessions into your life and always end on a high note.
- Read Building a Reliable Recall. What’s The Deal With Heel? How To Stop Pulling
- Watch DVD Videos and take quizzes.
Week 4 – Review and Stay
Take Roll with CGC Greetings
Playtime – interrupt with Recalls, Sits and Downs, Pass the Puppy
Review – Sit, Down, Come, Heel
Granny’s Rule Recalls – treat distraction, puppy pair ups, Three Second Rule
Stay – We start with Sit-Stay. Extra credit if you can do Down-Stay!
Wait – Keep dog from rushing through doors and gates.
Left Turns
Auto-Sit
Homework:
- Build stay to end of leash for 5-10 seconds.
- Get out in the world, meet 10 new people and 5 new dogs.
- Walk and exercise every day.
- Mix brief training sessions into your life and always end on a high note.
- Read articles: If You Don’t Eat Your Meat, You Can’t Have Any Pudding, The Three Second Rule and The Four D’s of Dog Training.
- Watch DVD Videos and take quizzes.
Week 5 – Long Line – Let’s Go, C’mere and Come
Playtime – with Recalls, Sits, Downs, leash walking and on-leash greetings
Take Roll – CGC greetings, inspect Stay
Long Line – direction changes, casual and formal recalls (Let’s go, C’mere, Come)
The Long Down
Restraints – vet checks, trust and calming exercises
Homework:
- Practice The Long Down during commercials.
- Meet 10 new people and 5 new dogs.
- Walk, socialize, exercise and train every day.
- Mix brief training sessions into your life and always end on a high note.
- Read articles: Long Line Training part 1-3.
- Watch DVD Videos and take quizzes.
Week 6 – Review and Leave It
Playtime – with recalls, sits and downs
Take Roll – CGC greetings
Prep for Graduation Test
Out For A Walk – Heel and loose leash walking with no pacing
Recall – from leashed puppy greetings
Leave It
Homework:
- Practice for graduation.
- Get out in the world, meet 10 new people and 5 new dogs.
- Walk, socialize, exercise and train every day. Mix brief training sessions into your life and always end on a high note.
- Watch DVD Videos and take quizzes.
Week 7 – Graduation Day
Playtime – with recalls, sits and downs
Take Roll – CGC greetings
Graduation Testing
Intro to Agility
Discuss Continuing Education (basic, intermediate, drop in, clinics, agility, private training, etc.)
Graduation Photos (optional)
Homework
- Training never stops and the “teenage years” are coming. Don’t let bad behavior go unchecked.
- Read: WHAT’S NEXT? After Puppy Class
- Walk, socialize & train every day. Mix brief training sessions into your life and always end on a high note.
- Post glorious reviews and photos on the Internet. 🙂
Thank you very much for coming to class. I look forward to seeing you in future classes! Please stay in touch.
Chad Culp – Certified Dog Trainer, Canine Behavior Consultant, Owner of Thriving Canine.
© Thriving Canine 2020
We offer in-person training in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as virtual consults anywhere in the world.
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