Training Tammy

Manners please!

There are certain manners we expect from every dog who joins our family. We’ve had a visiting border collie, Tammy, who went home with this report card. I thought I’d share it with you to give you a guideline as to some of the boundaries we set for our dogs.

‘Manners’ include:

• not pulling on the lead
• waiting to go through doors and gates behind the person
• allowing herself to be handled all over (should she ever need a vet to do the same)
• not jumping up on visitors
• and coming when called – every single time.

Tammy had a habit of only coming to within a foot of me and used the bluff — being a nervy dog — by setting the rules for herself. I have been asking her to come right to me and to give up her ‘nervy’ front. She responds so well to food during training sessions that this has hastened the process. (We’ve used small bits of Devon)

During training I’ve allowed her to run ‘free’ in the garden — but with a long lead attached and then called her over. Should she ignore me she gets a quick tug on the lead as a reminder, then the moment she arrives at my feet we have a party with lots of love and a food reward.

Two of the biggest tools you have in educating Tammy are — food and voice tone.

At home, make Tammy sit, stay and look you in the eye before having dinner. This will assert you as the boss. Dogs love a good boss and a good boss always says when a dog can eat. (As in a pack situation in the wild).

I use a very growly ‘no’ or even just a growl to indicate displeasure. I might even put my hands over the dogs’ muzzle as if using my fingers to ‘snap’. There’s no need to physically hurt a dog ever, this ‘snap’ is a very clear message to say I am boss.

My discipline is short, sharp and then all is forgiven. My praise is in a light fun-filled energetic voice. Timing in both praise and disapproval are key!

We also roll our pups over and ask them to lie still until we say they can move. This is asking the dog to submit. Once up, again we have a big party and tell them they are the best dog in the world. Once they’ve learned to submit, they’ll be much more willing to take lessons from you for life.