When working with clients I’ve found that over and over there are 3 crucial tools I recommend that help almost every dog and owner dealing with almost any unwanted behavior.
Those 3 behaviors are:
- Place
- Look
- Wait
Each of these behaviors effectively holds the same purpose, getting your dog to slow down and listen. The problem with most dogs is that they are running on their own accord. As a society we love our dogs, almost too much, by showing them only affection and setting no boundaries. While this feels good for you as a human (until your dog starts exhibiting behaviors you don’t care for) your dog actual would love some structure and direction from you. Each of these behaviors provides that structure in an easy to integrate way.
By teaching your dog these 3 crucial behaviors, you start to rewire their brain to slow down and look to you for answers. For example, say you have friends coming over and your dog tends to rush the door and jump on them. Teaching them place shows them where they are expected to be (and stay) until they are told otherwise. This allows your guests to get inside your home and your dog to receive affection and attention only once they are behaving calmly. Repetition is key and eventually your dog will learn they only get affection after they’ve behaved appropriately.
I created an easy to follow guide to help you not only teach, but also understand the purpose behind each of these behaviors. You can get your free guide here. It also shares the links to my YouTube page which gives easy to follow tutorials on how to start teaching these behaviors.
