RELAXATION PROTOCOL

This program is the foundation for all other behavior modification programs. Its purpose is to teach the dog to sit and stay while relaxing in a variety of circumstances. The circumstances change from very reassuring ones with you pre- sent to potentially more stressful ones when you are absent. The purpose of the program is not to teach the dog to sit; sitting (or lying down, if the dog is more comfortable) is only a tool. The goals of the program are to teach the dog to relax, to defer to you, to enjoy earning a salary for an appropriate, desirable behavior, and to develop, as a foundation, a pattern of behaviors that allow the dog to cooperate with future behavior modification (generally desensitization and counter conditioning). This protocol acts as a foundation for teaching the dog context-specific appropriate behavior. The focus is to teach the dog to rely on you for all the cues as to the appropriateness of its behavior so that it can then learn not to react inappropriately.

HANDFEEDING

If you’re looking for a simple way to teach your dog good manners, boost their confidence, and strengthen your bond, try feeding them by hand.

One of the greatest benefits of hand feeding your dog is that it’s an easy way to get your dog to start focusing more on you, and all that extra focus will make working with your dog in the future so much easier. It also has the benefit of creating some really great manners and impulse control.

Hand feeding your dog isn’t just great for training, it’s particularly useful for shy or fearful dogs because it builds trust, provides socialization, and helps boost a dog’s confidence. It’s a great way to strengthen the bond with your dog — and it’s an easy way to get your dog to really start paying attention to you.