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“E D U C A T I N G    R O V E R”

Professional Dog Training by
Sue Harper (APDT MIACE), Malvern, Worcestershire
Please call 01684 568067 for further details

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10 Super Hints
How to Keep your Dog Interested and Happy

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  1. Be unpredictable, keep Rover guessing what, where and when you will teach him, throw in 2 minutes teaching in the park, the garden, wherever! Vary everything you can vary, the type of reward, the timing, sometimes nothing but a verbal or smile.

  2. Suddenly throw in a play session hide-and-seek, ball hunt, the dinner. Then throw-in how many sits, downs, stands in 1 minute, then throw the ball or whatever he likes best.

  3. If your dog doesn't get the hang of something, let him finish on something easy and rewardable, then come back to it later, sometimes latent learning occurs.

  4. Find out if your dog really knows the meaning of words - lie on the floor and ask for a sit! Turn Your back and ask for a down!

  5. Your dog's name should be a signal for him to give you 100% attention. Call and only with 100% full eye contact (not looking at clicker, to fool him, try putting it behind your back!) go click/treat.

  6. Rover5 Dogs only repeat what is profitable for them to repeat. example: hand, eye, voice contact is rewarding to a dog jumping up, even if the hands are pushing him down, the eyes are cross and the voice saying "get down!" He has got your attention, he will continue. If the behaviour is ignored 100% i.e. turn away, no hand, eye, voice contact it is the opposite to what he wants. Then reward bum on floor. The rule is :- Ignore what can be ignored. Interrupt what cannot be ignored, get an alternative behaviour and reward that.

  7. Let your dog be a dog, let him hunt down his own food by scattering it around the garden. He will enjoy this at no cost and little effort to you, and it's exercise for him too.

  8. Hunting games have a calming effect upon excitable dogs. Put holes in margarine tubs, hide them around the garden or house, make it successively more difficult.

  9. Play hunting games on walks, 'nose' dogs soon learn you offer more entertainment than the pheasants and rabbits that are the competitors for Rover's attention.

  10. Use life rewards. Don't be a doormat to a rude dog. Rover says 'Please' by sitting prior to the door being open or 'wait' (spoken very quietly) and the door left open until 'Rover Come'. No sit? Don't open the door, walk straight away from him, return, say it again and he will do it!

    Rover wants his lead on to go out - 'Sit' or 'Down' once only. Rover doesn't'? Put the lead back, walk way, ignore for 3 minutes whatever he may do. Return, and tell him again etc.

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[Created 18 Dec 2000. Last updated 11 Mar 2006 - 06:45 by Rosemary Lockie]