The snow began to fall as you watch the giant snowflakes disappear onto the ground. You got up and headed to the kitchen were you began to cut up carrots, broccoli, celery, potatoes,onions and some beef to make some yummy beef and vegetable soup. As you cut each ingredient up you began to toss it piece by piece into the pot. You make sure that you have looked at the recipe and added each ingredients so that it turns out perfect! You take one more look into the pot and see the carrot, broccoli, celery, potatoes and onions. No matter how many times you looked into the pot all the ingredients where still the same they never changed.
What does vegetable soup have to do with dog training? A lot actually, more than you would think. So many times we think that we can just expect our dogs to “know” what we want without relaying clear communication. Dogs think in black and white it is what it is. So if we are not clear on what we want and leave room for an area of grey the dog has to bobble between right and wrong. Now here is where you your ” side of vegetable soup” comes in.
To train or fix a behavior you will need a recipe/ training plan. You must have all the ingredients on how to fix the behavior and the exact steps on how to convey the correct message to your dog.
I am going to take the skill walking on loose leash as my “broccoli.” When I first put my dog on its leash I make it very clear that pulling is not allowed. How do I do that?
First ingredient: I first work with my dog on staying by my side and keeping the loose leash.
Second ingredient: I then work with dog walking on the leash several steps on keeping the leash loose. Once I see that every time I am home and I clip the leash on my dog it never pulls I stir the pot a bit and take my dog to the park to walk on a leash.
Third ingredient: Even with all the dogs and people around I am still expecting my dog to maintain a loose leash. My expectation of keeping the leash loose never changes no matter where we go or what is going on. Just like in our soup no matter how much we stir all the ingredients together they still stay the same.
I have followed my loose leash recipe and mixed it all together to get the final product of “walking on a loose leash.”
Every time I put the leash on my dog the expectations of keeping it loose never changes. I never give my dog room to question weather its a carrot or broccoli.
Does your dog training recipe come with a side of vegetable soup?
Key concept of a good dog training plan:
- consist on what message you are giving your dog
- being very clear on what is expected
- never changing the expectation no matter where you are or what is going on in the environment
call/text (989) 307-9711 or email trainer@northernmichigandogtraining.com