Adding exercises from class together to take it outside. The velcro walk is about staying near you, looking up at you but also learning to look away then check back in with your attention getter before moving away from you. And in the beginning checking back in for cookies. The target walk is simply using the hand to reinforce where to be at that moment. Leash pressure, your dog has moved beyond where you want, so stop, hold without pulling and use a word as your dog moves toward your direction such as let's go. If your dog moves away and nothing works, then make a noise, use leash pressure and do a 360 or move away from the distraction and try again. It is about building a habit.
Walking this way is about your dog learning to relax around distraction and not pay attention to the distraction. It stops lunging, etc. This incorporates the calming march word we have been using inn class such as "good boy/girl" or "nice".
As you are moving, watch your dog and if your dog is fixated on something before they move out, bark, etc. say your calming mark word and then work steps 1, 2, 3, or 4 based upon where your dog is at with the distraction. (see week 2 or 3) You can also incorporate the hand target as a place for your dog to be to reinforce then the treat.
If your dog does not have a word that means it is safe a good way to add the word is put a few items down on the floor or outside that already are safe to your dog. When he/she looks at them add the word "check-it out" or "safe" or other then give a treat. Repeat, so when you need to use it from something scary your dog associates the word = safe and a treat.
Keep in mind dogs go through different fear phases as they grow so it is always a good idea to have a word that means that thing or sound or person or animal is safe.
We added a lot together in week 4 (velcro walk, impulse activity, stay, coming away, leash pressure and focus).
Activity:
Teaches your dog not to pull to valuables but they will get there.
Practice stays all over your house and yard. Cue stay, and move, go back and reward the stay as often as you want then recall to a new location, reward and start again in the new location. Add other fun things in too. The emergency recall trick, hand target, etc.
Teaching a door boundary is all about impulse control at a door and making good choices without being told. It prevents the door dasher who dashes out before you even can say a word.
You can also do this with a target spot.
In the beginning make the target spot very reinforcing with treats.
Add the above steps with the door only toss the treat onto the target spot, go back and treat on the target spot or toss beyond the target spot so if dog moves off you can then also reward for them not moving passed the target spot as you are repeating.
If your dog does not understand the word leave-it means stop or no forward movement then simply start to lower something a treat, your hand with a treat, other and if your dog goes for it raise your hand. Once your dog has stopped going for it and you pause for a few seconds, and the word leave-it, pause mark with your yes, yip or clicker and reward from the other hand. Repeat until successful and you can say leave-it and your dog is not moving forward, stopping or even looking away.
Now add eye contact by blowing a little air toward your dog from your mouth, using your other hand's pointer finger to bring their eyes up, mark the eye contact and reward from the non-leave-it hand.
Next begin lowering on the the ground. Cover with your foot if your dog goes for it. Reward away so they need to walk back towards it and stop when they hear leave-it.