Dog Training Do's And Don'ts

• DON'T feed your dog in the late afternoon or evening before training. Wait until after class. It will not harm your dog and may actually enhance the training.

• DO play with your dog before and/or after training. Make the learning fun.

• DON'T over train. Start with two or three five minute sessions per day. Gradually increase lessons to fifteen to twenty minutes as more material is taught. Shorter, more frequent training sessions bring the best results.

• DO be consistent. Always use the same command for the desired response. Avoid saying, "Rover, down" and then, "Rover, lay". Inconsistency causes confusion.

• DO be patient! If you start losing your temper stop training, Resume your training session later after you have cooled off. To continue training while angry may only make your dog fear the training sessions.

• DO vary the work. Work your dog quickly, continually changing direction, pace, etc. If you keep things moving, you will keep its attention and not allow for boredom to set in, Do not repeat the same training pattern continually or several times in a row.

• DO be firm. Demand obedience, Once you give a command, make sure the dog performs it. Never let it get away with not doing it even once, or it will try to get away with it again,

• DON'T be afraid to back up and review basics if you encounter a training problem.

• DO lavish praise and kindness on your dog as a training reward for a job well done.

• DON'T punish the dog unless it knows what it is being punished for. You may not have made yourself clear and it is simply confused. Go back. Start over.

• DO end your training sessions on a happy note. Always finish your lesson with an exercise the dog can perform and praise it for a good job.

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