Re-learning how to train a dog

For much of the past 10 years I helped out at the volunteer run Gregson Lane dog training club, which closed due to a change in circumstances for most of us, in 2017.  During that time hundreds of dogs and their owners came through the doors and most left happy, with confident owners and dogs who were well behaved having gained their gold or platinum awards.  I rarely got involved with the puppy classes, having what I now realise is the much easier job of the bronze, silver or gold classes where most of the time the dogs have already settled down a little and owners generally have some clue as to what they are doing.  The approach to training was very much about encouraging and praising your dog, but generally ‘telling’ it what to do rather than letting it figure it out.

For the past 6 weeks I’ve attended puppy classes, reading books and watching videos of positive reinforcement training. It is different in concept.  Essentially getting your dog to figure out what you want, marking then rewarding positive behaviour.  There is no leading your dog to heel with a treat or checking on the lead.  It’s more a case of encouraging the heel with a treat dropped behind your heel and continuing to do so, on a slack lead, until he gets it.  It’s a very rewarding approach and is certainly working for most things.  Biting is still an issue but there are days when i don’t get a hard bite! Much of the time my focus has been on things which will calm him, and ditching the food bowl so I have masses of food to reward good behaviour has been a bit of a revelation.

Marley loves people. He is interested in other dogs but not had that much opportunity to properly play with dogs his own size.  I need to find more opportunities to do that I think, in part so he wears himself out a bit but more so that he learns more about ‘play’ and what’s acceptable. 

Walks have been short, much shorter than I did with Finney at the same age, as I now know that it’s not necessary or particularly good for puppies to walk too far. 5 minutes for each month of age until they are grown, a couple of times a day, is the conservative approach.  I’ve not stuck entirely to that but he’s not walked more than a mile in one go.  Mental stimulation is equally good to tire him out. 

Not been off lead yet but I bought a long line today so we will start some training on that tomorrow, maybe at the beach at St Annes if the weather is good.  I might even get my camera out again!