DOG Training TOYS

Why it’s so difficult for people to get a dependable off-leash response from their dogs. Part of the reason is that for many years, most training techniques were based on punish¬ment and involved using a leash and some sort of collar as a correction tool. Dogs were taught to avoid being yanked, and while this type of training sometimes generates decent control on leash, when the leash is removed the dog realizes your ability to inflict punishment on her no longer exists. At that point, the dog often does not comply. Today, modern training methods are based on reward rather than punishment, thus eliminating that focus on punishment tools—such as the leash.

The other reason owners have found attaining off-leash control to be so difficult is that some dog owners inadvertently teach their dogs not to respond to them off leash. This happens when owners givehundreds, and sometimes thousands, of off-leash commands from the first day they bring their dogs home, without any reinforcement at all. If you are unclear about why this creates problems in getting an off.

The focus here will be to teach you an effective way to establish off-leash control of your dog before you start on-leash training. In point of fact, if this is done correctly, the leash and training collar will probably not even be used to teach “sit,” “stay,” “come” and “down.” Instead, it will be used as a safety measure (just in case) when you take your dog around difficult distractions, such as other dogs, cats, people, public places and so on. Of course, it should also be used to teach loose leash walking and/or heel, which I will not cover in this book.
Owners who successfully train their dogs to consistently respond to the “sit,” “stay,” “come” and “down” commands off leash with distrac¬tions…