Our obedience training protocols condition the behaviors we want to see repeated and interrupt-and-replace behaviors we want to extinguish. Conditioning is the simple process of creating a belief in the dog that certain behaviors will always initiate the corresponding reward. Examples include ringing a bell to get the door opened, or sitting to get attention and petting, etc.
Training takes place in a module format, with modules on:
1. Attention and recall
2. Greeting friendly strangers
3. Loose-leash walking
4. House manners, calming behaviors, and grooming
Rather than correction-based training, which often just suppresses behaviors in specific situations, we rely on the clever dog’s desire for reward and the canine willingness to repeat behaviors they find rewarding. After all, no dog wakes up thinking, “how can I irritate her today?” Dogs aren’t capable of malice or spite. They do what works and they want to be an accepted member of their pack.
Fundamental Dog Training
Commonly referred to as “basic obedience,” our Fundamental Dog Training students participate in problem-solving exercises with their dogs. We want to address more than just the ability to walk down the sidewalk with a dog, so we allow everyone to bring specific problems for discussion. Along with the weekly homework, specific problems suggest specific training exercises. Formal homework involves 5-10 minutes a day and is best done at mealtimes. There is no prerequisite training for this class.
Novice Competition Obedience
In competition obedience we focus on heeling, automatic sits, left and right turns, recalls with fronts and finishes, and stays. Our training methodology includes consistently rewarding heel position and building confidence in the dog. No harsh corrections are permitted, regardless of how you and your dog have trained in the past. Our classes are designed to be enjoyable for handlers and dogs. Our dogs love obedience training!
Casual homework assignments will be issued each week and students are encouraged to work 5-10 minutes, 3-4 days a week. Prerequisite for this class is “fundamental dog training” (above) or demonstration of equivalent training.
Rally Obedience is a titling event with a skill level designed to fall between that of the Canine Good Citizen certificate and a novice obedience title. For years, obedience competitors have used “doodles” to warm up their dogs. These doodles included heeling in straight lines and circles, assisting the dog into fronts and then having them finish right or finish left, or encouraging quick sits. Rally Obedience illustrates these random doodles on signs and students learn how to correctly perform the doodle, as well as how to string doodles together in sequence. Our training exercises use positive reinforcement to create and reward the behavior. No harsh corrections are permitted, regardless of how you and your dog have trained in the past. Our classes are designed to be enjoyable for handlers and dogs. Our dogs love obedience training!
Prerequisite for this class is “Novice Competition Obedience” (above) or demonstration of equivalent training.
Our prices are intended to make this a fun and educational experience easily within the reach of most folks. For more information, contact Marsha Houston at MarshaHouston@hughes.net. Or write:
Houston’s Country Dream
14543 State Route 676
Waterford, OH 45786
740-749-3597
