In the Well Mannered Pet program I will teach your dog to walk properly on a leash. Your dog will stay at your left leg and walk even with you no matter what the distractions are around him. On one of our lessons we will go somewhere public to ensure that your dog will heel properly in public. You dog is also taught to sit and stay. Most dogs around your neighborhood know how to sit but very few know how to stay for a prolonged period of time. That time is determined by the release command. So I teach your dog that he has to hold the position until you say you’re through. This tells the dog that the command is over and it’s time to get his praise. Sit stays are normally good for about 2-3 minutes and are not that comfortable. For longer stays we would go to the down command. This teaches the dog to lie down and we can build up your dog to usually 10-15 minutes in this position. This is useful in the vets office or when you are in the kitchen and don’t want the dog underfoot. You would then put the dog into a down stay.

Your dog would be taught to get back away from open doors. This is extremely useful when you are entertaining guests and you want to let people in and out. This is for a dog that might get stepped on such as the toys breeds or a larger breed that might knock over your guests. By teaching your dog to get back away from a door, we also can ensure that he or she will not run out that door. This allows your guests to come in or out without the dog being right there underfoot. Once the door is closed and secure, then we release the dog up to the people and teach him how to greet people properly.

The most important command a dog learns is the come command. Your dog would be taught that on the command come he should run directly to you and then sit and wait for further orders. He is also taught the place command. This is by far my clients’ favorite command in that you can use this in so many different areas of the dog’s life and yours. I take a dog bed or throw rug and on the command place, I teach the dog to stay there as a time out. This is an extended time out because he has the freedom of movement on the place and he’s allowed to have toys. Also we can move this from room to room so he never feels exiled. We can put it in whatever room you are entertaining in. You can also bring it with you to someone else’s house if you use a dog bed, throw rug or some type of a mat. Because your dog is extremely comfortable on place in whatever room you’re in we can expect your dog to stay there approximately 45 minutes plus. This is ideal when company initially comes over.

So now we have taught your dog to get back away from an open door. Once your guests are in, he’s been taught to come up to them without jumping, and then we send him to a place to calm down for the rest of their stay. This is ideal for a dinner party, anytime the kids want to play on the floor and don’t want the dog in their face, or anytime you are watching a movie and maybe your dog is a little too active. These are all situations where you can put your dog in place rather than having to put them outside or put them away. Also part of this program is to teach your dog all of the rules of the house. This would mean anything that you determine as improper behavior in your home. Everything from stealing socks to digging holes in the yard, jumping up on people, or going up on counter-tops. Whatever you deem to be improper behavior is corrected.