In this pack, we have compiled together resources we believe are important to ensure your bully breed is ready for any eventuality with the upcoming requirements set out in the law change.
It is a very scary time for many who have loving pets that will unfortunately be classed under the dangerous dogs act as a banned breed and this will result in strict controls set upon your pet. The level of scrutiny you and your dog will be under will unfortunately be much higher than any other dog, that is why it is imperative that if your dog does have any known behaviour issues these are worked on and resolved prior to the legislation change.
However, preparation is key! To ensure your family pet is ready for any assessments or comfortable with controls that may be required such as muzzles in public, it is paramount that you begin working on these things now.
Please note the information compiled below is not to scare monger, but to provide you with as much information as possible as the guidelines provided by the government are still so vague. We want to ensure you and your pet are as prepared as possible for all eventualities.
What we have included
- Muzzle Training – should be made super fun for your dog, to ensure they enjoy wearing the muzzle as much as possible. We have also added some additional links to help in selecting correct muzzles.
- Crate Training – will help ensure if your dog is required to be assessed, they are comfortable in a crate both housed and in the car during transportation. It is also important they are comfortable with other people placing them in crates other than people they are familiar with.
- Body Handling – many dogs can find unfamiliar and familiar people touching body parts such as feet or ears scary and can try to protect themselves, to ensure this is not a scary process for your dog and they feel comfortable as possible with this process should this occur during assessment, we advise using Body cue predictors.
- Resource Loss – Most dogs do not enjoy having a resource removed from them, however, in case of assessment they may check this is not an issue for your dog. To prepare for this eventuality we have included how to prevent resource guarding.
- Lead Walking – your dog is going to be required to walk nicely on the lead and appear under control at all times, this means not pulling, chasing, barking, even in a friendly manner – this requires excellent loose lead walking, arousal control and frustration tolerance. If your dog has known triggers for the behaviour listed we advise seeking help from a behaviourist or trainer before legislation changes.
- Visitor Manners – dogs are required to be under control in the house and can still receive a complaint if a guest/ intruder enters the home and feels threatened. This section is also to ensure in case of assessment, your dog makes a great first impression. If reactive to the door, visitor predictors need to be worked on and the relaxation protocol and Boundary game can help in teaching appropriate behaviour while visitors are in the home
- Home Security – This may not be a requirement, however, this step will ensure you are proving to be as responsible as possible in preventing the accidental escape of your pet.
- Qualified trainers and behaviourists – where to find them and local list.
Muzzle Training
What are the best dog muzzles?
Dogs that are required to wear muzzles for any length of time must be very comfortable with them. A muzzle created recently by The Muzzle Movement specifically for bully breeds is the – Harry muzzle.
Muzzle should allow for – Panting, Drinking and taking treats.
Muzzles should not – obstruct the eyes, cause pain through rubbing, push up against the nose or close the mouth.
Cloth muzzles should never be used as they close the mouth fully and remove the dog’s ability to do any of the behaviours listed above.
The picture above is an example of a perfectly fitted muzzle, with an open basket weave which allows the dog to breathe freely. Make sure you get the correct size for your dog. The piece that goes across the nose must not rub their eyes. Here is a link on how to obtain measurements: https://fb.watch/nCg3tXwNYI/
How to properly fit a muzzle
When your dog is used to the muzzle, make sure it’s properly fitted. If it’s too loose, they may be able to shake it off. The clasp around the neck should not allow more than ONE small finger to be inserted under the strap. When you’re sure it’s tight enough stitch the strap so that it’s always the correct length and doesn’t work loose.
How do you muzzle train your dog?
To get your dog used to wearing the muzzle, put some of their favourite food in the bottom of it (cream cheese is useful as it’s sticky) and hold the muzzle out for your dog to approach and investigate. They’re likely to smell the food inside and put their nose into it themselves.
Keep the muzzle still, do not try to push further on or try to fasten the muzzle at this stage, just let the dog eat the treat. Do this a few times and make sure that you behave in a jolly and positive way throughout. IT IS VITAL THAT YOUR DOG APPROACHES YOU AND THE MUZZLE, this is their consent to the activity and ensures they are not being forced into doing something they are not comfortable doing.
With time, you can actually work up to fastening the muzzle. At first, just fasten it and take it off right away or fasten the strap on the loose setting so that it can be slipped on and off easily. Gradually leave it on for longer periods – but be unpredictable. Sometimes remove it immediately; other times leave it on for longer. Vary the places where you put the muzzle on (including doing it outside, in the garden or while you’re out for a walk) and vary the times of day that you practice. But remember to always associate wearing the muzzle with something your dog likes, such as going for a walk or being fed food/ treats while wearing the muzzle. By keeping your dog active and feeding those treats you’ll also reduce the opportunity for them to try and take it off.
If you find your dog will try to remove the muzzle after a certain period, watch for these signs and remove it before they attempt to remove it to ensure the practice session ends on a positive note.
This information is taken from https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/dogs-and-muzzle-training they have a great video available to watch too, if you have access to the internet. There is also a great group on Facebook called Force-Free Muzzle Training on Facebook for more help and tips. Chirag Patel also has helpful videos on YouTube for muzzle training too.
Pawfect Fit Dog Muzzles and The Muzzle Movement on Facebook can help with more comfortable muzzles, tailored to your dog’s measurements, to be used daily.
CRATE TRAINING
We’ve all heard of dog crates and many of us have used them, but do you know how and why it’s best to train your puppy/dog to view the crate as a safe and happy place to be? You should ideally not lock or leave your dog in the crate alone until you have followed the steps below, this can take days/weeks/months. Any vocalising or soiling can be a form of distress so we need to avoid this happening if at all possible.
CHOOSING A DOG CRATE
The crate you choose for your dog needs to be large enough for bedding, allow your dog to turn around, lie down comfortably and to stand up properly. Your dog should always have access to water, you may choose to use a bowl that attaches to the crate bars or a non-spill bowl. You may choose to start off with a smaller crate if you have a little puppy but remember to assess the above size requirements regularly as your puppy grows.
Benefits and rules of crate training
Crate training can help give your dog a safe space that is their own and so help create a sense of security for them. The crate, if introduced properly, can help them to calm down in stressful or new situations.
It is strongly advised to teach everyone including children to allow the dog to rest and not to approach the crate when your dog is in the crate. This will help enforce that the crate is a safe space for your dog and that he/she has nothing to be wary of while he/she is in the crate.
However, In case of assessment, we would advise once your dog is comfortable and happy with the crate, you periodically approach and reward your dog as they rest in the crate to prevent risk of kennel guarding.
HOW TO CRATE TRAIN A PUPPY OR DOG
- Choose a room for the crate to be placed in, this should be a frequently used room to begin with. Ensure that your dog is not in the room when you set the crate up so as not to scare him, they can be quite noisy to move about. Place the crate away from direct sunlight and ensure there is no clutter on the floor around the crate that could be a distraction to your dog. Secure the door to the crate in an open position, it must not be allowed to swing shut. Place the bedding in the crate and get a tub of your dog’s food or treats ready.
- Let your dog into the room and allow them to explore and investigate at their pace. If your dog approaches the crate place some treats on the floor near the crate. If your dog enters the crate, place treats on the bedding in the crate. Continue doing this each time the dog approaches/enters the crate. You may find that your dog sits down or even lies down in the crate, reward this by dropping a larger amount of treats on the bedding. The door must still be open at this stage to allow free access and exit. We want the crate to be used in a positive light so it is important not to scare or rush your dog. Reward your dog for voluntarily investigating their crate or for going inside their crate. It is important that you do not use treats to lure your dog into their crate.
- Now that your dog is entering the crate willingly, we need to make it an even more appealing place to be. This can be achieved by feeding them their meals in the crate, offering food filled toys such as Kong’s, chewy treats are also great (do not give rawhide chews as these can be dangerous). Once you notice that your dog lies down and settles into the activity you have provided, gently close the crate door BUT do not lock it and try not to let it make a noise or bang shut. Continue this for several days but always ensure your dog remains settled and relaxed throughout and that you stay near or in the same room as the crate. Use filled toys or long-lasting chews to help build duration.
During this stage it is possible that your puppy or dog may only be happy in their crate for short periods. If your dog starts to cry or shows signs of distress in their crate, take a break and resume from step 2 again. Do not force your puppy or dog to stay in their crate.
- You can place a thick blanket or towel over the crate, leave the door uncovered, to increase the sense of security for your dog. Once your dog is happy and relaxed in the crate you can begin locking the door but ensure that you still remain in the room and keep the sessions short. When your dog is happy with this step, you can leave the room, after locking the crate door, for 1-2 minutes and very gradually increase the time that you are out of the room. Once you have built the duration up to 10 minutes or more, leave the house for a couple of minutes and continue to build the duration that you are out of the house in the same manner.
5 Top Tips on what your dog’s crate should not be used for:
- A crate should never be used as a means to punish your dog.
- A crate should not be used as an alternative to teaching toilet training.
- Your dog should not be locked inside a crate for long periods of time.
- Your dog should not be left to “cry it out” in their crate.
- A crate should not be used without responsible supervision. Consider investing in a webcam to monitor your dog if they are crated whilst you are outside to ensure they are ok.
BODY HANDLING
While we would usually advocate for consent based methods while training body handling, this may not be the correct method for your bully as under assessment your dog may not have the ability to opt out during the process.
Having someone grab your leg or any other body part and hold it for an unspecified time without explanation can be very scary, even for us, so it can be understandable for it to feel the same, if not worse, for dogs with no way of understanding our intentions.
We would suggest to work on making this procedure as comfortable as possible for your dog, by using predictable cues, so your dog is aware of the intentions when heard.
How to teach BODY CUES
- Grab a bowl of their favourite treats
- Sit in an area where your dog usually is most calm
- Sessions should only last 5-10mins for this training
In this training you are teaching the dog cues to predict you touching different parts of their body.
Example – first say “shoulder”, then touch/ stroke shoulder with hand – give a treat.
These steps should be used for every area of the dog’s body i.e., belly, ears, mouth, front feet, back feet, tail etc.
Remember these cues are to let the dog predict your intentions and thus the assessor’s intentions if needed. In practicing this your dog even if uncomfortable will become much more tolerant as each touch is predictable and also follows a lovely treat but in most cases the treats will increase your dog’s comfort level with these touches.
Once practiced and your dog is fully comfortable with the exercise, you can then ask another person to practice and so on to help ensure your dog is comfortable with cued touches by multiple people. However, if your dog shows any avoidance of certain areas with you, this should be investigated with a vet to rule out potential discomfort and you should seek the help of a trainer.
To help assess if your dog is fully comfortable we have included behaviours signs of fear and anxiety pictures to help you understand your dog’s subtle body language.
It is also worth mentioning to the assessor that they have had this training, so they are aware and can use these cues themselves when handling.
RESOURCE LOSS
Resource guarding can be a common problem due to a common misconception that owners believe we should be able to remove objects or food if needed from our dog. Which is correct however, in doing this without training first, we teach our dogs that they need to guard their food/resource to prevent it being taken away. To correct/prevent this problem, we must increase their perception of people near food or resources as a positive. This can be done by increasing or trading the resource never just removing it.
When your dog has something, we would like to remove, this should always be traded with something higher in value e.g. throw a short lasting treat/ toy a few meters away and allow them to let go of the resource and engage with the alternative before removing.
This includes toys, always replacing the toy with a treat or another toy.
Step 1 – During mealtimes – walking past the area, at a distance that does not cause a reaction from your dog but is still notice, and throw food into the room (do not give eye contact or speak – just throw the food and continue walking past.)
Step 2 – repeat every time your dog eats, you should start to see your dog anticipating you passing the door/gate
Step 3 – Once your dog is showing signs of anticipation you can then begin decreasing distance e.g. 1 step in door way, 2 steps, 3 steps etc.…(Keeping a close eye on body language (don’t stare) for signs of discomfort i.e. eating quicker, body stiffening, head lowering, lip curl, growling etc..)
Step 4 – Increase duration of your presence, 1second, 2 seconds …1min before each reduction of distance
We have also included a link to the ‘drop-it’ training video created by Chirag Patel teaching you how to train a very solid ‘drop’. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndTiVOCNY4M
LEAD WALKING
Pulling on the Lead, Building Confidence and Focus
**Important things to note before training**
Let’s trouble shoot…
Is your dog only pulling in new places or at the beginning of the walk but walks beautifully when calm??
This likely means your dog has difficulty controlling his impulses when aroused, are you allowing him to sniff frequently? Sniffing is a calming activity, and encouraging your dog to sniff and even better forage, not only has calming effects but will only increase value in staying still rather than moving forward – win/win!
Do you pull on the lead to direct your dog stop your dog, and feel like you’re in a constant unhappy game of tug and war?
Like tug of war, both opponent’s pulling on either end of the lead often result in a balance whereby if one lets go the other would fall, this is the same for you and your dog, once they are off balance leaning on the lead with their body – you are holding them up!
Is your lead constantly taught…. continuing with a taught lead teaches your dog, to go forward there needs to be pressure on the lead, what we need to teach them to fully understand correct lead walking, is that any pressure on the lead from there end results in us stopping (not yanking/shouting/turning) just simply stopping.
If the lead goes slack, which it will when they turn around to see why you have stopped moving guess what that means they can move forward! Keeping things supper simple for your dogs to understand. But this also comes with strict rules for you…you can no longer pull either. So no using the lead to turn or move your dog, you must call and reward.
Remember the lead is a seatbelt not a steering wheel! Following this rule will not only help solve your pulling issues but also get your dog thinking and engaging with you because you are no longer doing the thinking/moving for him.
Above all remember walking on a lead is super frustrating for dogs, we are always stopping them from doing things they want to do, interrupting important sniffing, taking them away from things they like, walking too slow/fast, walking in straight lines! Remember this is their walk, make it as enjoyable for them as you can and consider why your dog may struggle at times to walk nicely and assist in making that easier.
Let’s get that lead smiling!!
Loose lead Training guide – back to basics
To work on pulling on the lead, we need to begin training this in the home first. No harness/head collar or other device will be able to rectify pulling on the lead, the dog needs to be retrained lead manners. During this training until the loose lead walking is reliable we advise using a different harness or only attaching to the back clip during normal walks to prevent any undoing of your work or confusing your dog.
Using a harness is best for dogs that pull and the type we recommend have a ‘y’ shaped font strap that goes between the fronts legs (look at Perfect Fit harnesses to see an example) and should have a ring on the back but also a ring on the front of the harness at the chest. Once you have worked on position in the house, as outlined below, you can then give your dog a clear indication of when you would him/her to stay close and walk calmly and when they are allowed to put more distance between you. This is achieved by attaching a double- end to both the front clip and the back clip of the harness for close work and then unclipping the lead from the front and only using the back clip for when he/she can explore more.
For this to take place we need a pocket or bag of treats (not high value as distractions should be low enough not to need extra incentive). NO LEAD OR HARNESS SHOULD BE PLACED ON YOUR DOG FOR NOW.
Position yourself next to your dog on your chosen side, his/her head should be level with your leg. As soon as you’re both in position, deliver 5x treats in quick succession. Then take 1 step forward and repeat, continue until they are fully engaged. Once he/she has got this step, take 2x steps and then reward, repeat with 3 and 4 and 5 steps. By this time they should be focused enough to be able to go and fetch a treat you throw away from you and then return to you, they may need some luring back into position until they understands where you want them to be each time he/she returns to you. Be sure to reward them as soon as they are in position. Once he/she is doing this reliably, it is time to introduce a cue for the position (I use ‘Side’). Be sure to let everyone know what this cue is. Repeat, repeat, repeat….
Once your dog is performing the activities well in your first chosen room, it is time to move to a busier section of the house, then the busiest. Once he/she is doing well in all rooms in the house, you can then move to the back garden then the front garden with the lead attached to a collar or harness. He/she will begin looking back at you to ‘check in’ as you are walking, it is VITAL that these check INS are rewarded EACH time they offers them. Be sure not to walk with your hand in your treat bag to avoid teaching your dog to anticipate treats, instead wait for him/her to check in, use a calm reinforcement cue (Yes, Good or Nice) and then deliver a treat or two. This will train your dog that your cue word also means they have done well so that the treats can be lessened further down the line.
Work on Impulse control – make it fun by placing a tub with food/toy (treasure) on the floor. Starting with something your dog considers low value i.e. kibble at a distance, practicing keeping a loose lead using your method of choice while moving closer to the tub with the treasure in.
Allow your dog to have the treasure when he/she gets to the tub with the lead loose. Repeat often, slowly increasing the value of the treasure and in different environments so that your dog can practice home, garden, empty field
Pulling on the lead can also be a sign that your dog is stressed in its current environment, working on keeping enough distance from the suspected cause will set your dog up for success, focus back on you using treats and the methods above.
Lastly – If your dog suddenly started pulling/ is immune to any of the above/ or is becoming more and more severe – get a vet check.
VISITOR MANNERS
Visitor Cues
This is an important step to ensure your dog is seen to be in control at all times and make a good impression if an assessment is needed.
Dogs often for many reasons react to visitor ques – doorbells, knocking, infrared lights… they may feel worried, threatened or they may just be super excited, but once they have heard that door knock there is no calming them down, and this only escalates once the person comes in.
To work on having a dog that can remain calm when the door knocks or people visit, we first need to work on these visitor ques.
Where does your dog first start to show signs of excitement/fear/worry? Footsteps up the path? Start here! Record the sound of someone coming up the path on your phone and play this at low volumes, 5mins max per session, less if overly stressed, max twice a day.
- If your dog is worried or nervous – throw biscuits on the floor as you play the noise.
- If your dog is excited by visitors – give them a long lasting lick or chew during, giving before you play the noise – to reduce the frustration this training may cause.
Once they can successfully hear this noise with no reaction, have a friend/ neighbour walk up and down the path, avoid anyone actually knocking or coming in at this point.
Once happy your dog can listen to people walking up the path move on to the next noise they would hear i.e. bell/knock. Again record the noise on your phone and follow steps above, once comfortable again ask a neighbour to ring or knock on door – not entering at this point.
The next step is working on the door and your movements to the door.
The door = people arriving changing it to, The door = nothing
Here is an example of a step by step guide, make sure to repeat each step until you’re dog shows no reaction, before moving on to the next one)
- Walk to within 6 feet of the door, turn around and walk away.
- Walk to within 3 feet of the door, turn around and walk away.
- Walk to the door and touch the handle/lock, turn around and walk away.
- Walk to the door and depress the handle, turn around and walk away.
- Walk to the door and touch the lock, turn around and walk away.
- Walk to the door and turn the lock, turn around and walk away.
- Walk to the door, open the door, close the door and walk away.
- Walk to the door, open for 3 seconds, shut the door and walk away.
- Walk to the door, open the door, step through the door without closing the door, shut the door and walk away.
- Walk to the door, open the door, step through the door, close the door, open the door, step back inside and walk away.
- Walk to the door, open the door, step through the door, close the door, pause for the count of one, open the door, step back inside, shut the door and walk away.
Important – Go at your dog’s pace, this is meant to take several days/weeks to implement. Only train for 5 out of 7 days, your dog needs a weekend too.
Each step should end with you walking away and doing something else i.e. going sitting on the couch, going making a brew etc.
Your dog may still look at you, but the step will need to be repeated if he is getting up to approach you or showing signs of stress /agitation/excitement etc.
Desirable visitor behaviours – relaxation and barrier game
Teach your dog how to relax
Through increased breeding of high drive dogs and an overall push for high levels of exercise or entertainment, dogs have come to rely on being given something to do 24hrs a day or exercised until the point of exhaustion to ensure a calm and relaxed dog in high stimulating homes. This shows great intentions from guardians caring for their dogs and wanting to give them the level of attention they deserve however, as with anything, too much of a good thing can lead to problems!
We have created dogs that unfortunately have great difficulty when this level of stimulation cannot be maintained, and this can lead to future problems if these dogs remain at this high level for prolonged periods without the knowledge of how to calm themselves down. As with muscles used to complete a task they can form muscle memory, the brain works in the same way, in that neurons used more frequently will form stronger bonds and will become reflexive. (We can use this to our advantage)
One of the most valuable if not the most valuable lessons we can provide our dogs is how to be calm and switch off.
This skill, when practiced and perfected, can be used in any situation you would like your dog to relax in, when eating, when you have visitors, while you are working, during picnics, when visiting the pub/café, the list is endless but if we do not teach this skill, we cannot blame our dog when they struggle.
This skill can also be used by our dogs as a coping strategy when they feel stressed and is a great exercise to teach them to regulate themselves!
So how do we do this? Well, this exercise will be mundane and boring for both you and your dog but that is exactly what we want! Hopefully the knowledge of how important it is to work on this will help you see past the boredom.
Important steps before starting
Start off when your dog is in his/her most relaxed state but not asleep, use a specific place in the house that is free from lots of distractions i.e. windows/external noises.
Your job is to be as boring as possible! Avoid eye contact and any verbal cues apart from the ones listed below.
There are many differing variations of ‘the settle’ each one can work better in differing circumstances, be it the dogs personality or even the environment being used. So we have included 3 variations to choose from.
- The Settle
- The relaxation protocol
- Chill out
All these techniques can be used alongside each other, however, one technique may suit your dog more than the other when getting started.
Before you get started – First work on offered lie downs, to do this ask your dog to lie down, using treats. When your dog lies down say ‘good’ and throw the treat so they have to get up to get the treat. Repeat 4-5 times and once happy your dog understands the game don’t ask for the lie down – wait for them to offer it. If they offer it give a couple of treats where they lay and then throw a treat and wait for them to return and offer again. Repeat this step until they freely offer a lie down.
The Settle
This variation uses low value food i.e. Kibble. This works well for dogs that are not overly motivated by fusses from their guardian and get distracted or frustrated when not given a cue but get too frustrated if offered high value food. It can also be used in cases where the environment becomes more distracting/exciting for dogs that do enjoy fusses but less so outside.
Step 1 –Sit close to where you want your dog to settle with low value food in your pocket (out of sight)
**using a mat or blanket specifically for this training can help your dog understand what behaviour we are looking for in subsequent sessions, once learnt . **
Step 2 –Encourage your dog into a down position (lure with kibble). Once there begin dispensing the low value food (kibble) on the floor in between your dog’s front paws (one at a time waiting for him/her to finish each treat before providing the next) ** Ensure he/she does not retrieve the reward out of your hand. **
Step 3 –At some point your dog may get up/move towards you to gain more food, at this point stop feeding. (This is good, we want the opportunity to teach, if you move from the down position the food stops)
Step 4 –Count to 30 seconds – if your dog has not returned to the down position encourage them there as in step 2 and restart continuous feeding. (If he/she voluntarily lays down before the 30second is up – reward with continuous feeding)
Step 5 –Repeat these steps until your dog has learned lying down is rewarded continuously – and getting up results in the reward stopping.
Step 6 -When you have reached this step, you can begin to increase criteria, start this by slowing down rewards. (1 second delay, 2 second delay – 10 second delay etc…)
Once you have reached this step and can achieve the above constantly for long periods i.e. Minutes, you do not need to return to them unless your dog begins to struggle.
Step 7 – During the settle sessions from this point, you can start to only reward for signs of relaxation. Monitor your dog (discreetly) for any signs of calm and relaxation i.e., lowering of head, moving weight onto one hip, ears drooping, quiet tail, a stretch, slowing respiration, loud exhale – waiting for a little more before each reward.
Step 8 –Do not end the session with a handful of treats, we do not want your dog to look forward to the end. When you want to end the session (after the last reward) say a relaxed ‘ok’ and stop.
Important
- Ensure you end on a good note, don’t ask for too much! The smaller the steps, the stronger the behaviour will be. If your dog/you becomes frustrated, go back one step reward once for success and then stop.
- Only conduct this exercise for 5-10minutes maximum, 2-3 times a day.
‘Relaxation Protocol’ by Karen Overall
This variation is almost identical to the above however this technique uses high value food and has very structured steps to follow.
Please see – https://www.karenoverall.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Protocol-for-relaxation_Overall.pdf
Chill out (adapted protocol, originated from CAB Danielle Beck’s ‘If in doubt – chill out’)
This variation of the settle, uses tactile reward for the most part. We would suggest using this technique for dogs that find treats/kibble too exciting.
** Introduce this technique when your dog is most likely to relax normally to increase likelihood of success, sessions should be no longer than 10 minutes**
Step 2 – Place your dog on a lead and sit on the couch – place your foot on the lead, ensuring you leave enough length for the dog to move positions i.e. from sit to lie down or to turn. But not enough to wander off or reach other distractions i.e. toys food, other people.
Step 3 – Your dog is more than likely going to show frustration related behaviours before offering the desired settle, this may be barking, pulling, jumping up – it is important you ignore these behaviours – this includes giving eye contact or talking to them. When your dog gives up and lies down you should slowly reinforce them with a slow short stroke and chill (‘Chhhiiilll’)
Step 4 – It is likely your dog will jump up to get more interaction from you, remember each mistake helps them learn what we are asking. Again ignore attempts to interact with you and wait for them to settle again, repeating the reinforcement – stroke and (‘chhhiiilll’)
Step 5 – To end the session, take your foot off the lead and say ‘finish’
This technique is advised to be practiced two times a day for two weeks before changing area or position you take during the session i.e., standing.
Boundary Game
This is a great behaviour you can teach to your dog to que getting onto a bed or matt/ while visitors visit or arrive depending on your dog.
How to.
Step 1 – make sure you have some food rewards and a boundary i.e., a bed or matt
Step 2 – position yourself near to the boundary and as soon as your dog approaches the bed/mat deliver a reward onto the boundary Feed the Bed not the dog
Step 3 – toss a treat away from the boundary and wait for them to return, when they do, feed the bed. Repeat a few times.
Step 4 – A moment before you toss the food away from the boundary, add a que i.e., ok or break, then toss food.
Step 5 – continue as before with the new que to release them for the treat away, remembering to que before throwing treat until practice lots. Once practiced steps above a lot and super quick to return you can then start to add durations. i. – A moment before you toss the food away from the boundary, add a que i.e., ok or break, then toss food.
Step 6 – continue as before with the new que to release them for the treat away, remembering to que before throwing treat until practice lots.
Step 7 – Once practiced steps above a lot and super quick to return you can then can start to add durations. i.e. waiting 5 seconds before feeding the bed, waiting for 10, waiting for a sit/lie down
Step 8 – Finally, once all the steps above are reliable and duration is reliable you can then increase difficulty, by placing the previously thrown treat at your feet, then saying the release cue. Working towards being able to throw the treat as before and then releasing to go get the treat on cue.
List of Local trainers
The information provided in this pack is to assist in getting your dog as ready as possible in case of assessment but also to ensure you feel confident your dog’s behaviour is secure and reliable in as many eventualities we could list here. However, if your dog has a known behaviour problem as mentioned above you may need more support than this handout can provide and getting started now will ensure you have a good amount of time to start seeing improvements and stand you in good stead with assessors.
It is important to be aware that the canine behaviour and training world is largely unregulated, and it can be difficult to find reliable trustworthy trainers.
Ones that can do the most damage often rely on fear to convince you your dog needs a heavy hand and boss to keep in line. However, we strongly advise against these methods and if you would like to discuss or understand why we are more than happy to discuss with you, no judgement here!
We also have compiled a list of local trainers/ behaviourists that may be of assistance.
1 to 1 and Group Trainer List
- At Your Dog’s Pace – Buckshaw, Chorley. PR7 7HQ. 07891 142957
- Harrisons Positive Dog Training – Hesketh Bank, Preston. PR4 6RU. 07749 954161
- Canny Canines – Leyland, Preston. Pr25 5T. 07495 521439
- 4. Confident Canines – Leyland, Preston. Pr25 3UT. 01772 302144
Referral behaviourist (APBC)
- Dannielle Beck – Control the meerkat –requires vet referral.
