Integrating training into everyday life.

In order to get your puppy to respond here, there and everywhere, you need to train here, there and everywhere.  With total integration, your puppy should see no difference between playing and training. Fun times will have structure and training will be fun.

Train him in small sessions, perhaps fifty a day (SMART 50 prorgram), for a few seconds each. The secret is to totally integrate training into your puppy’s lifestyle, and into your lifestyle.

Integrate short training interludes (quick sits and releases) into your puppy’s walks and off leash play. Each quick sit is immediately reinforced by allowing the dog to resume walking or playing—the very best rewards in domestic dogdom. 

Integrate short training interludes into every enjoyable doggy activity—riding in the car, watching you fix their dinner, lying on the couch, and playing doggy games. For example, have your dog sit before you throw a tennis ball and before you take it back. Progressively increase the length of sit stay with each repetition.

Insert short training sessions before all your puppy’s enjoyable activities. For example, ask the pup to lie down and rollover for a tummy rub, or to lie down and stay a while before invited for a struggle on the couch. Have it sit before you put it on leash, before you open the door, before you tell it to jump in the car, before you allow it to get out of the car, and before you let it off leash. And be sure to have it sit for its supper.

Watching television offers a wonderful training opportunity. Put your puppy’s bed plus a couple of stuffed Kongs in front of the television. During the program it is easy to keep an eye on your puppy as it settles down, and commercial breaks are an ideal time for short training interludes. Alternatively, have your puppy settle down while you’re on the computer and then periodically have a short training session of a few seconds with your puppy.

 Every time you open the refrigerator, make a cup of coffee, read a page of the newspaper, or send an email or text message, call your puppy for a quick training session.

 

 

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