4 Simple Tips for Dog Training and Rehabilitation
Hi everyone, I am a balanced dog trainer in Portland, Oregon. If you are overwhelmed with your dog, look no further. Here is a guide with 4 simple tips for dog training and rehabilitation. This information will really help to turn things issues around with your dog.
Many times we struggle with our dogs because we haven’t figured out the right recipe to make things work. Every dog is different, but each has specific biological and psychological needs to ensure they buy into you as leader. Often times proper leadership helps to relieve anxiety in dogs and creates a smoother relationship with them.
How long does it take to train a dog? It depends on your skill level, your dog’s issues and the time you have to put into it.
1. Consistency – Dogs are like kids in that they thrive in consistency. Routines, rules and schedules work well for them because there is a certain comfort in knowing some things are always the same. Being consistent with rules is a game changer. Make sure everyone in your household is also on board with enforcing your rules. Let me give you some examples of rules you can be consistent with:
- Stopping at doorways (including the car)
- Making them sit when you come to an intersection
- Walking in a heel position
- Waiting for eye contact (before they can come out if the crate, before they eat)
- Kicking them out of rooms/the kitchen when you cook
2. Pressure – Most people disregard and misunderstand pressure as a method of getting amazing results in your dog buying into you as pack leader. Why is pressure important? Because dogs are not verbal animals – their communication lies solely in body language. What does pressure mean?
There are 3 Forms of Pressure in Balanced Dog Training
- Body or special pressure
- Leash pressure
- Electronic pressure or an e-collar
Pressure is a game changer and is the difference between a dog listening only to get a reward or listening because it buys into you as a leader or authority. For me, having my dog buy into me as a leader is really a safety issue. When I’m doing off-leash training in Portland, I train dogs to focus on me and the training even with distractions like squirrels and other dogs. Of course the repetition in dog training is a key to success, but if a dog also buys into you as a leader then you’ve got a dog that’s listening really well over-all.
3. Mindset – Whatever you are trying to teach your dog, don’t give up! Sometimes it takes even professional dog trainers a few days before a breakthrough occurs. Sometimes a breakdown appears to happen but remember on the other side of that is a breakthrough.
4. Guidance – Want to know the easiest way to get better results? Work with either a martingale or prong collar (which applies pressure), and leash your dog up 100% of the time until you start to have breakthroughs. If you hired me to be your balanced dog trainer in Portland, I would do exactly that. Doing this gives them guidance so they know what is expected of them in every moment.
I hope this is helpful! I help people with e-collar training in Portland, Oregon. I also assist people with behavioral issues and off-leash dog training in Portland.
I do in person training and zoom consultations.
