DOG TRAINING 101

BettyB ✔️ working girl AND working dog ✔️

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

One of the most valuable lessons I learned over 26 years ago was to use the working environment as part of teaching a dog’s foundation behaviors. The environment wasn’t random—it was a training tool. Where we worked depended on the type and amount of friction I expected to encounter.

For example, when training Josef, my first Doberman, I often chose public places over my own neighborhood. That may sound backwards, but it made sense. Dogs in public are more likely to be on leash and subject to local leash laws. Those conditions reduce the number and intensity of unpredictable behaviors, allowing me to control the training picture while still exposing the dog to real-world distractions.

Different environments produced different learning opportunities. I intentionally selected situations that would help teach specific responses. The challenge was to expose the dog to enough pressure to learn, but not so much that the training fell apart.

Occasionally, people inserted themselves into the training—sometimes intentionally, sometimes without realizing it. Both can create unnecessary risk. Whether the interference is deliberate or accidental, the consequences can be the same if the trainer is unprepared.

This is where situational awareness separates professional trainers from the average dog owner. A professional is expected to anticipate problems before they develop, read the environment continuously, and make decisions that protect both the dog and the public. Most owners have never been taught to think that way, and we shouldn’t expect them to. It’s a skill developed through experience, observation, and countless hours of working dogs in the real world.

Additionally

Before sunrise, after BettyB reached Zone 1, she earned a piece of chicken jerky for the effort she put into the walk. I usually choose a larger piece rather than several tiny ones. The larger reward naturally creates pauses while she chews. Those pauses are useful. They slow the pace, give her a moment to process, and prevent the frantic gulping that can happen with some dogs or in certain situations. I don’t want rewards to create excitement that works against the calm behavior we’re trying to build.

HAPPY TRAINING, HAPPY DAY!