STAGES OF CORRECT DOG TRAINING THE HK9 WAY
The correct way to obedience train a dog involves three stages of training:
The Learning Phase- the dog is taught the meaning of basic dog training commands through motivational methods. This means we guide and teach the dog through different exercises by giving them food or a toy reward when they do what we want. This will be used in the HK9 4 week training course. You will need to decide from the beginning if your dog is more motivated by treats or toys. At HK9 we have found the use of a treat that is not mass manufactured works the best – we would recommend the use of dried sausage that is slightly moist and smells great to dogs!
- After a period of time going through the Learning phase we can then move on to the correction phase. In the Correction Phase we teach a dog that it will be corrected if it does not follow a command that it has learned in the LEARNING PHASE. We know the dog knows what we are telling him to do, but he refuses to do it. Correction is done using both verbal and physical commands using a suitable collar and lead combination.
It would be unfair to correct a dog for not following a command that is does not know.
In the Distraction Phase we teach a dog that it has to comply with all commands given all the time – no matter what’s going on around it. We do the training for the learning phase in a location the dog is totally familiar with. This could be on the daily walk, in the back garden or at the training facility.
In the distraction phase we gradually increase the level of distraction the dog is expected to perform in, this could be at the park or at the training facility.
In the later classes held at HK9 (CLASS 3) we incorporate a lot of distraction content to allow you to build up in this area.
In the Huddersfield area most dog training classes only concentrate on the teaching of the LEARNING PHASE and rarely do any work in the CORRECTIONand DISTRACTION PHASE.
The training groups that are totally against the Correction and distraction phases tend to
adopt the use of a tool that in my opinion is a restraining tool and these are called HEAD HALTERS (Halties) .
These trainers never gain success and are more content or keeping the “tree huggers” happy or to remain with membership in organisations that actually charge for people to gain letters after their names !
At HK9 we believe in teaching. We do
not agree with methods that restrain your dog and avoiding the issue.
