GEO or Good Enough Obedience is what many owners experience with their dogs. Does this sound familiar? You put your dog in a down and they stay there for a few minutes maybe longer. Then
they begin to scratch, stretch, sniff, reach for a toy etc. You don’t do anything because technically they are still in the down. Then they begin to creep ever so slightly but still you are okay with that because they haven’t gotten up. Now we are in the GEO zone. If you’re happy with that, okay. But remember this, the small stuff matters! What you don’t disagree with, you are agreeing with. And if you are agreeing with less than true obedience, you’ll get more of the same. [Read more…]
Are You Happy with GEO or Do You Want More? Good Enough Obedience
September 28, 2019 By Leave a Comment
When In Doubt, Dogs Work It Out… To Their Advantage
January 24, 2019 By Leave a Comment
When In Doubt, Dogs Work It Out…To Their Advantage.
Dog’s don’t live in a vacuum. They are constantly learning about their environment and about us. They are watching and deciphering
what they think we are trying to communicate to them, even though we may be unaware that we even ARE communicating to them! When unclear about what we are saying to them (and let’s face it, we usually use WAY more words than we need) they “listen” to our body language and tone of voice. Cues, cues and more cues! Your body language (cues) may be incongruous with your verbal commands (or even unintentional) causing your dog to be confused as to what behavior you prefer. When this happens, they shape their world to their best advantage. In other words, they will resort to whatever suits them. When in doubt, dogs work it out… to their advantage. [Read more…]
Why Basic Obedience Foundation Work Works!
November 29, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Why Foundation Work works!
Uncertainty and fear are relieved by authority. Training is authority. It’s a release valve. -Ryan Holiday Basic obedience foundation work.
When I say foundation work I’m talking about basic obedience such as:
Sit with implied stay 
Down with implied stay
Place with implied stay (teaches calm on command)
(The above three commands are taught with an implied stay because, what good is sit, down or place if your dog doesn’t stay in them???)
Heel (tight structured walk)
Recall (Come/Here Command)
Name Game (looking when you call their name)
Thresholds-Respectfully moving through doorways (including in/out of the crate) [Read more…]
