More about Obedience Training with Jack

Positive Obedience Training Rules

I want to take a moment to share some of the rules I use when training with Jack. When I call them rules it does not mean to say that they are set in stone. I strongly believe that each dog is different. Not to mention each trainer will be unique. I am simply passing along an outline of rules that can be helpful for success.

• MAKE LEARNING FUN ! If your dog is having fun he will learn enthusiastically
• Avoid training when you or your dog are over heated, ill, or hurt. This will only lead to frustration.
• When it comes to dog training be a quitter. If you or your dog are having an off day just call it quits for the day. Tomorrow will be so much better. This is not to say quit all together just for that session.
• If your dog is having trouble with a specific task take a step back and try teaching it in smaller steps.
• Keep sessions short and sweet. About 15 min is a good session length for most dogs.
• Remember to Guide not Force your dog. The general rule is if your dog is thinking about resisting he is probably not learning.
• If you give you dog a chance to work things out on its own you will get to see just how smart he is.
• Last but not least remember that your dog has not read the rules.

Can you train a dog to stay calm during the fireworks?

I live about a two blocks from the field where our local fire department puts on one of the biggest and longest firework shows in the country. The whole town turns into one large block party. And from dusk on the 3rd till daylight on the 5th there is fireworks, lots and lots of very loud fireworks. I love it. But what about the animals? Specificaly the dogs I have known dogs who needed to be sedated and others who just hide under the bed shaking. Then I see other dogs who seem to understand it's all in good fun. (kinda)

Jack P Diddy is somewhere in the middle. He is ok with them but they do make him nervous. He is however content to sit on your lap and watch the big show. Now my question is: Did I train him to be ok with fireworks or would he have been fine either way? The other side of the question would be are dogs who are terrified trained to be that way?

I started trying to teach Jack about fireworks the first year. I used high value treats all day and everytime I was close to him and a loud one would go off I would tell him it was ok and treat him. I did this throughout the day, of cource I could not have treated him for every shot during the big show but I did keep treating him throughout the show. The result was he sat on my lap throughout the entire show seemingly unaffected by the booms overhead. I do not know if this training was truly any help at all or if he would have just been that way anyway. I do know that it could'nt have hurt things. So I would recomed giving it a try.



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