WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE WISE DOG TRAINER

1. Read the obedience rules and regulations thoroughly.There is nothing worse than an NQ or poor score for something you did. You are the intelligent one of the team and should know better. Right?
2. When teaching a new dog or a new exercise pretend your dog knows absolutely nothing. Never assume your dog knows what you want. It is very unfair to the dog and will be very frustrating for you, if he doesn't live up to your expectations.
3. Never train when you are in a bad mood. If you had a bad day at work or hectic day at home never train your dog. It will surely be conveyed to the dog. Train when you are feeling good and your dog will feel good too.
4. Is your dog becoming bored? Look who's boring him? Never drill your dog or nag him. Motivate the dog to do what you want. Make training fun for you and the dog. Keep training sessions short and end on a happy note. It is much better to have allot of short sessions than a long tiresome one.
5. Never ever blame your dog for what he does wrong. Especially in competition. Find out what you are doing wrong in your training. You are the Teacher and the Leader of the team.
6. Learn as much as you can about dog training. Go to seminars, talk with other trainers and observe good performances. The same training method does not work on all dogs. All dogs are different, even in the same breed. So you will need a backup method if the one your using doesn't work. Sometimes you will have to be creative.
7. If your dog is not doing well in training, don't expect a miracle at a dog show. Don't be a "Hope Trainer". Make sure your dog is ready. How do you know when? Here's how. Take your dog to a place he has never been before.(hopefully and enclosed area) Take him from the car to the area. Take the leash off, and give the command to heel. If he does it perfectly. He's ready for heeling. Now do it with the rest of the exercises. If you have to correct, go back to training, he's not ready!
8. If you only train at home, your dog will only perform at home. Same thing with a training class. You must take your dog to different places and train under different conditions. Be prepared for whatever happens at a dog show. "Will your dog sit when the ground is wet?" Only if he has done so in training. This trainer learned that the hard way.
9. Learn to roll with the punches. If you have a bad performance, don't take it out on the dog. Learn to be a good sport and enjoy the day out with dog friends. Find out what went wrong and re-train if necessary. Never lose your temper at any cost.
10. And last but not least. Enjoy your dog and the training. Obedience is a fun sport for everyone to enjoy. Remember what you put into your training is what you will get out of it. You know, you always get the dog you deserve.


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