1a. Welcome

Welcome to Family Dog Manners!

Family Dog Manners will teach you the skills to have a well-mannered dog who is fun to live with.

We will focus on teaching our dogs what the meaning and expectations are behind our words, such as sit, down and stay along with loose leash walking.

Course Navigation

The first section of this course focuses on teaching the basics about how dogs learn and training skills. Using the information highlighted in this section, you will also improve your relationship with your dog and your dog’s focus on you.

The following sections, Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Foundations respectively, have content that develops your knowledge and your dog’s learning. Each section is further broken into numbers and letters. The number lets you know what section you are on and the letters focus on the skill you are teaching your dog. For Example, 2b. Sit and Down, 3b. Next Level Sits and Downs and 4b. Defaults Sits. The games each section will your dog’s skills and will provide new alternatives for stretching your dog’s skills.

This navigation pattern allows you to move quickly to the skills you want to develop in your dog and easily find the material that will you help you level up the behaviors. It also helps to teach dogs to become fluent in new learned behaviors.

Ready, Set, Play!!!

Getting Started…

Below are a few “must haves” that we recommend to help you get the most out of this class.

1. Treat pouch– find your favorite but get one! You cannot train well with food always in your hand. It allows you to have multiple levels of rewards, a place to stash your keys and more!
2. A flat collar and a 6’ leash- The width of the leash should be strong enough for your dog as well as comfortable in your hand. Leather leashes are soft, easy to gather and handler friendly. Nylon leashes are affordable and sturdy everyday use however, they tend to be slippery and slide through your hold.
3. A harness- Y shaped harness with a front and back clip for the leash. A properly fitted harness will not impede your dog’s body function. A harness should have 2 points of contact, a front clip as well as a back clip for the leash.
4. Mat or boundary- This could be a rug used for training, your dog’s bed, a yoga mat, etc. It will be used to give your dog a place to go and to encourage calmness. Something you can take with you can give you a mobile calm spot. A raised bed can help clarify boundary training because there is no cheating on being partially on it.

Trainer Tips:

• The more you reward behaviors that you like, the more they will occur. Become a “YES”!
• Be patient and consistent while teaching these new skills to your dog as they take time to learn.
• Good habits make good manners!

 We are glad you are here!!

The Dog Training And Learning Center

Note: The Dog Training And Learning Center DOES NOT recommend or promote the use of aversive equipment such as prong, choke and e-collars. These products use pain and intimation to achieve a desired result.

Note: The Dog Training and Learning Center DOES NOT recommend retractable leashes for loose leash training. The leashes often break or get tangled on the user which can cause skin burns. These leashes always exert pressure and work by having your dog pull against the leash mechanism to move. This prevents your dog from learning good leash manners.