13. What is your training process?

1st step
Avoid conflict. Engagement and Relationship building through rewarding games that enhance communication under low to no distraction (Verbal Marker System). Also, implement structure that engenders believable leadership and certainty in the daily routine. Knowing what to expect relieves anxiety and also builds confidence.

2nd step
Adding rules and criticism. As Confidence grows with the thrill of winning games, trust in our guidance grows as we repeatedly guide and direct our dog to the reward. When our dog is confident and trusting enough to accept criticism from us, we begin to add rules that make the games more challenging. The process of adding challenges teaches our dog that following rules is rewarding and taking direction from us helps them win the game. This creates a dog that willingly offers focus and engagement.

3rd step
Communication tools for clear communication under any kind of distraction. When our dog is confidently and enthusiastically performing all their basic obedience commands through verbal marker system games, we then layer gentle prong collar pressure and low level e-collar stimulation over all the communication our dog has already learned through the games. In this way our dog understands prong and e-collar pressure as communication that helps them win the game. The communication tools allow us to cut through any distraction to communicate under any circumstances.

4th step
The 3 D’s of dog training. Once our dog is giving us plenty of engagement, the trust is strong, and communication is clear, we then add Duration, Distance, and Distraction to all the obedience our dog has learned through the games. During this process we routinely interrupt our dog’s impulses while making it rewarding to focus on us. This creates a mindful dog who understands his choices matter, who is accustomed to having his impulses interrupted, and who recognizes direction from us as help to win the game. This is a dog who wants our input and is willing to accept guidance from his leader.