August, 2001

The following is an editorial from our resident trainer Patti Samiac.

The following are some basic training tips that may be useful when adopting your new dog:
1.  Never call your dog to come to you to yell at him/her, or point to a mess that they made. Go get the dog and bring it to the area or you go to the dog to correct it. (ie. you come home and find the garbage torn up, go get the dog and bring it to the area and correct him/her.) Would you want to come to someone if they yelled at you? You don't want to defeat the purpose of the `come' command.

2.  When teaching the dog to `come' -- have the dog on a loose leash, call his/her name and say the word `come' while you are backing up and gently pulling the dog toward you. When they come have them `sit' and praise them. You want to do this in an upbeat voice so they enjoy coming to you. You want the dog to always sit so you have the opportunity to grab the collar if you have to. Dogs are smart and will get the idea that it is okay to come and then run offagain without you ever touching them.

3.  When training your dog take them to new places not just around the neighborhood or in your home.

4.  Use food for rewards as it is an excellent motivator. Give them a treat for every `sit', `down', etc. they do correctly the first ten/fifteen times.

Then start with just every other time, then only when it is a really good `sit', `down', etc. With each time you give them a treat your praise them (ie, `Good girl/good boy) pat them. So when you do elimante the food they will work for the praise. Dogs want to please you.

5.  Remember, to use one word commands such as `sit', `down', `stay', `wait', heal', `off', `stand'. Multiple words conduses the dogs. Also use the word `down' for laying down and `off' when they jump on you, the furniture, etc.

Hopefully, these suggestions will help you with your new family member.