Dog Puppy Behavior Training Help

Troubleshooting: Capture Sit for Folded Arms

Truth is, most dogs default to sit when they reach the impasse, as presented during the ” capture sit for folded arms” exercise. The leash is a tool to reduce your dog’s choices. Ideally, the dog will not feel any pressure from the leash, unless he or she jumps up. The short leash will abruptly stop the dog’s upward progress, and the dog’s attempts to jump up will fail. Most dogs...

How’s Bentley Enrollment Forms – Group and Private Dog Training Services

Click Here for Group Mini Course Schedule, Details and Enrollment Forms: Click Here for Private Services Enrollment Form How’s Bentley – Memphis TN Tweet This Post

How’s Bentley Group Dog Obedience: Mini Course Syllabus – Beginner Course

How’s Bentley Mini Course Syllabus – Beginner Course For all friendly, vaccinated, puppies and dogs 16 weeks or older COURSE FEE & LENGTH – $90,  3 weekly sessions, 60 minutes each By Reservation only:- Click Here to reserve your spot -Online Enrollment Form DOGS - 3 -5  dogs per class – all friendly, vaccinated puppies and dogs over 16 weeks may attend. PEOPLE –...

House Breaking or House Training? Let’s Call it Potty Area Conditioning

Contrary to popular beliefs, the process of house training is largely governed by a naturally occurring, classical conditioning process. I propose we assign a more accurate, 21st century, label for house training. Let’s name it “potty area conditioning”! All of your actions will alter the natural process of “potty area conditioning”. You may hasten the process, delay the process, or...

Your Choice- Obnoxious Dog or Well Mannered Pet

Every day, I speak with clients about meeting their dogs’ basic needs. Most of us assume our dogs are getting plenty of exercise and stimulation when the dogs are alone (or with other dogs) in a large fenced area. The dog is in the great outdoors, so she must be getting enough exercise, right? Wrong. This is not usually the case, unless you have a turbo Jack Russell Terrier, like the one pictured...

House Training Quick Start Guide

Manage the environment. Close doors, use crates, baby gates, tethers, et cetera. Get a clean bill of health from a veterinarian. The dog should be leashed, confined or supervised at all times while inside. Anytime you cannot directly supervise your dog, use a crate or confinement area to keep your dog and your house safe. If you will be gone for periods longer than the dog can wait, place...

Short Dog Training Sessions Should End With Success

I always ask my clients to practice with their dogs during short sessions throughout the day. For puppies and dogs that are learning look and sit (the first 2 commands), I recommend 5 sessions each day, for 60 seconds per session. As the dog is introduced to more commands, such as here, stay and down, the sessions will be  longer. How you end the longer sessions makes a difference! Cool down before...

Limitations of Rewards Based Dog Training

Animals that already own rewards will not perform behaviors to receive the same rewards they already own. Animals that receive rewards without any behavioral requirements will not examine and modify their own behaviors in order to receive the same rewards they already have. This means dog training success via positive reinforcement depends on your ability to Identify -  Manage –...

Inappropriate Elimination Questionnaire- for Dogs that were Previously House Trained and Inside Elimination Represents a Change in Behavior

Sometimes I see clients whose dogs were previously house trained, but recently started eliminating inside. The causes can range from medical or dietary issues, attention seeking behaviors,  to anxiety and fearful behaviors. You’ll  need to determine the root cause before you can fix it. Here is the inappropriate inside elimination questionnaire that I use for remote house training consultations....

Easy & Lazy: Sit in a Chair & Teach Your Dog or Puppy to Lie Down!

Of all the methods to teach a dog to lie down, capturing is the easiest, but it is seldom used because people do not understand or believe it will be effective. Capture is when you set up the environment for the behavior to occur, or just wait for the dog to perform the behavior, then you mark and deliver a treat. You don’t say anything, or offer a food lure, or provide any other input before the...

**Danger! Don’t Kill Your Dog! Use Breakaway Collar for Safety

If you leave your dog unattended in the yard, laundry room, garage or kennel, beware! Your dog’s buckle or choke collar could kill! Every year, many dogs meet an untimely death from hanging via their collars. If you have more than one dog, play can morph into a tragedy! One dog’s tooth can get caught on the other dog’s collar. It happens very quickly, so even if you watch your dogs...

Does Your Dog or Puppy Pull on Walks? Start with the Basics. Capture & Teach Attention!

Dogs and puppies pull during walks because, from their points of view, it works. They get to move forward when they feel the pressure of the collar or harness against their bodies. Every time your dog pulls while walking on lead, he or she is learning to pull. The behavior is being fertilized! It will grow and become strong. Yikes! There are many methods and tools one might use to teach a dog or puppy...