Training Skills

Week 1 Training

Please read over the conditioning section in your binder/packet. It is important to condition your dog to verbal markers so you can isolate the behaviors you are trying to teach. There is also information on classical and operant conditioning for more insight and knowledge.

Week 2 Training

Keep working on verbal markers. Take your dog to different locations to practice Yes, and Good. 

Showmanship, Obedience, and Rally Demonstration

Week 3 Training

Please review the luring and foot target sections in the packet you received. Try these with your dog. For additional insight, this section also covers free shaping and assisted shaping. The Key to Complex Tricks video in the Videos and Resources is also a good source.

Week 4 Training

Loose leash heeling, Sit, Foot Target, walk with your dog heeling at your left side. At home, if your dog pulls on the leash, stop walking forward, wait for your dog to come back to you, give it a treat and start walking forward again. Work on the foot target using a feed bucket or book. Have your dog sit at your left side. Review the parts of your dog.

Week 5 Training

Sit Stay or Stay on the foot target, loose leash heeling with sits. Practice having your dog stay on the foot target. It is more important to work on duration at this stage rather than distance. Practice loose leash heeling with your dog on your left side. Have your dog sit at your left side whenever you stop. Practice the sit-stay tasks pages in your binder. These are set up for a quick daily lesson. Advanced levels - Practice the folding down and the down on recall

Week 6 Training

Work on Down and review all previous weeks. Please practice teaching your dog down. Watch the video Dog Trainers Secret Handshake in the Videos and Resources section. Review and practice what you have learned from all previous weeks. Remember keep training sessions short, sweet, and happy. Keep working on the Sit-Stay Task training sheets from your binder. Read through your binder for guidance and look through the 4-H National Curriculum Book. 

Week 7 Training

Stand, Sit, Down, Heeling with Fast and Slow, Sitting at Heel position when you stop, stays

Please practice having your dog stand. Practice Stays with your dog in each of the 3 positions (stand, sit, down). See if you can walk to the end of the leash (6 ft) while your dog remains in the position you told them to stay. In the show they will need to remain in the sit for 1 minute, the down for 1 minute, and the stand for the time it takes while the judge touches your dog and for you to return to heel position.

Week 8 Training

Review exercises and Practice

Please practice the sit, down, stand, and stay. You will need to tell your dog stay in each of those positions and walk to the end of the leash. Practice walking with a loose leash with your dog heeling beside you on your left side..

Week 9 Training

Finishes and Review all previous exercises

Go to classes, Obedience, Pre-Novice to read how the exercises need to be performed for show

Practice finishes with your dog. Start in heel position, tell them stay then step directly in front of them. Say a command (ie. swing, heel, around...).Either have your dog move toward your left side, turn around, and sit in heel position, or have your dog move toward your right side, walk behind you until they get to your left side, and then sit in heel position. Please practice the sit-stay tasks pages in your binder (Practice the same tasks with your dog in a down, and then with your dog in a stand).

Week 10 Training

Heeling variations and engagement Practice the figure 8, slow, fast, about turns. Keep your dog in heel position with a loose leash. Play engagement games to keep your dog interested in you. Quick movements, change in direction, make noises. Reward the dog when it focuses on you. Practice the stand for exam. Look over the score sheets and judging criteria for your classes on this site. Make sure to sign up to enter your projects (including dogs) on the fair website. The link is above. Advanced youth- command discrimination.

Week 11 Training

Showmanship and Obedience

Week 12 Training

Showmanship and Obedience

Week 13 Training

Rally

Week 14 Training

Rally

Week 15 through 21 Training

Agility if we are able to secure equipment