Dog Puppy Behavior Training Help

Teach Your Memphis Labrador Retriever to Respond to Your First Command

Some of my clients repeat a cue or command to their Memphis labrador retriever puppy or dog many times, either in efforts to get the behaviors, or to keep the behaviors. For example, many people repeat the word sit when their dogs don’t sit on the first command. Saying stay…stay…stay… while walking away and extending your hand out like a stop signal is another common example. I have a...

Neutrality, Patience, Observation, Adjustments – the Keys to Successful Dog Training

I am just like you. I want my dog to perform well. But, I am neutral to success or failures when training an animal. What I mean is, during training sessions, I don’t care if the dog obeys, or does not obey. It’s okay if the dog performs as asked. It’s okay if the dog does not perform. If the dog obeys, great! I know that with this dog at this point in time, in this context, my current...

Interrupters: Squirt Bottles, Newspaper Swats, Shake Cans – Are They Effective for Changing Dogs’ Rude Behaviors?

Interrupters are corrections people use to momentarily stop their dogs’ behaviors. Examples of potential interrupters are shouting “no”, squirting with a water bottle, shaking a can with pennies, tossing keys on the floor, swatting with a newspaper, or holding a pup’s muzzle closed. Interrupters can stop a behavior for the moment. Great, sometimes we need to stop a dog or puppy from misbehaving!...

Food Treats: Bribe vs. Reward

We want the food treat to act as a reward for performing, not as a signal to perform. If you use a food lure when initially teaching behaviors, when practicing in new locations, or in the presence of increased distractions, you should fade the lure quickly. If food is always presented before the behavior, then it’s considered a trigger for the behavior. If you continue to use food as a lure, your...