Hank struggled with the vacuum when I first brought it out, so I wanted to turn this into a teaching moment because lots of dogs struggle with this. However, this fast learner only needed one correction to understand that he couldn’t chase the vacuum. So the video itself is underwhelming. You won’t see a big transformation or any huge learning moments for him. But we do go over lots of important information and strategies on introducing your dog to new distractions in their environment, which is why I felt that this video was still worth posting.

Does your dog struggle around vacuums, brooms, doorbells, etc? Then this video is for you!

We’ve shown you how to introduce your dog to the cot, how to layer in the e-collar, and now we’re going to show you how to start adding in distractions. This step is really what we’re all working towards, but don’t forget to start slow with our first two videos to make sure that your dog has a good understanding of the place command before moving on to this step.

Anytime you’re teaching a new command, start inside in familiar environments with low distractions. As your dog shows they understand the expectation, then you can add bigger distractions and in more challenging environments. Remember, this is all about making your dog successful, so start slow and don’t add on until they show you they’re ready.

I love those ears!

This was such a sweet moment in Molly’s training that I wanted to share with you all. Molly came in pulling at the end of the leash. And I mean PULLING. As in, you better not let go of that leash because she did not want to be attached to you. She was interested in everything but you.

We’ve been working so hard on teaching her to prioritize us over the environment. She’s been learning that there is a time for sniffing and playing, and there is a time to hang out by my side. Her leash skills have come along so nicely that it’s like she’s not even there at times. She will choose to sit next to me outside instead of chasing every scent in the air. She offers eye contact freely.

We pulled all of this together and went on a nice long walk yesterday. We paused for a break at the pier, and Molly calmly and willingly sat by my side to take in the refreshing breeze. There was no pulling, no whining because she couldn’t chase the ducks, no jumping to go say hi to people that walked by. You could see how relaxed and comfortable she was. To outsiders, this would have looked like an insignificant moment in our day. But to Molly, this moment was huge and I’m so proud of her.

This is what training is all about. The hard work. The long hours. The frustrating moments when you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing. It’s all leading up to something beautiful. Keep going – your dog will thank you for opening up their world!

Working through a dog’s reactivity goes so much deeper than you might think. We have to set up very clear expectations for behavior. We have to teach them how to achieve a calm mindset. We have to teach them to look to us for guidance. And we have to do that in so many environments until it becomes second nature.

Scout has shown some reactivity toward cars, and will try to run away from loud noises. So we’re tackling both of those issues in this session by simply teaching her to exist in a highly stressful environment for her. By teaching her to look to me for guidance rather than react to all of the scary noises, we’re teaching her appropriate behavior in this environment. With practice, she’ll be able to calmly handle anything that comes her way. But it starts here. Actually, it started a week ago by teaching her the expectations inside around limited distractions. It starts small, and then you can add on that solid foundation to open up her world to new experiences.

Molly is such a high energy dog that feels the need to be part of everything going on around her. That’s simply not feasible, and can be annoying and at times unsafe. In this video, we’re getting her all excited by playing tug with her for about 30 seconds, and then asking her to go on place. When on place, she is expected to stay on the cot and remain calm until released. When I see that she is calm, I release her for another fun tug session. We repeat this over and over so that she can learn how to turn off her energy when we need her to.

Last week we showed you how to lure your dog onto the place cot with treats. Now we’re going to show you how we layer in the e-collar. This is the first step in teaching some great impulse control.

As with any new tool, we are taking things nice and slow for Hank and working him at a very low level on the e-collar. Any time he gets confused, we’re going to use the leash to help guide him into position.

If you are at all unsure of how to use an e-collar, please talk with a trainer before using it with your dog. It is so important that new tools are taught in a safe and fair manner so that your dog can truly succeed.

You hear me talk about the place command all the time, and we’ve finally made a series of videos to show you the step-by-step process to teach your dog this wonderful command.

Step one is simply luring your dog onto the cot and rewarding for any length of time that your dog stays on the cot. Don’t worry if they pop right off, this step is simply getting your dog comfortable on the cot. Some dogs may be nervous or confused, so take your time and really help them understand that getting onto the cot gets them a reward. You’ll see their confidence come up and a willingness to jump on the cot in no time!