Pete the Dog Walker

Let me know if you need help communicating with your pup! www.petethedogtrainer.com

Walking your dog is not only a great way to get some exercise, but it also strengthens the bond between you & your pup. Why not support a wonderful cause while you & your dog take a walk? Click on the link https://givebutter.com/ARDCWalk-A-Thon for more information & visit Atlanta Rescue Dog Cafe (https://therescuedogcafe.org/) to learn about this organization & the positive impact they are making throughout communities in Atlanta & elsewhere.

It's always important to remember our non-human essential workers & the joy they bring to those in need. https://www.nytimes.com//14/parent/therapy-dogs-kids.html

Many of us are familiar with the more severe signs of aggression in a dog (growling, snapping, biting) but it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with a dog's earlier signs of discomfort. Being aware of these earlier, more subtle signs can help prevent more severe incidents of aggression.

Great information from Atlanta Rescue Dog Cafe

My dog will only do what I want if I show him the treat first! What do I do? This is great news! Why? Because you’ve successfully conditioned your dog to work for rewards. Your next step is to fade out the treat. Here's how it looks:...Continue reading

How to Get Your Dog’s Attention One of my favorite exercisesboth because it is so easy & so effectiveis the Name Game. The Name Game is simple: while you’re on a walk, say your dog’s name & the moment your dog turns to look at you, say Yes! & give him a treat. This exercise is easy, but I promise it will be foundational for all your training in the future. Some quick tips:... 1. Make sure to pick a high value treat that your dog doesn’t eat often. Some examples might be cheese, turkey, chicken, hot dogs, liverwhatever your dog will go crazy for but doesn’t eat regularly (the novelty of a new food will help accelerate your dog’s learning). Break this up into tiny pieces & take it with you on your walk. 2. Also, you’ll want to begin this exercise while your dog isn’t highly distracted. Don’t wait until your dog is excited by a person, squirrel or dog passing by. You’re going to work up to those big distractions, but in the beginning really focus on calling your dog’s name before he is overly excited by something else. 3. Think of your dog’s name as a word your dog loves to hear. By saying your dog’s name & giving him a tasty treat, you’re building up that positive association with his name. Whenever your dog hears his name he’ll want to come to you because he associates his name with great things. But will you always need food to get your dog’s attention? I’ll talk about this in my next post. If you need additional help with training feel free to contact me by phone at (770) 596-4422 or by email at [email protected]

What are the six behaviors every dog should know? 1. Focus 2. Sit 3. Down ... 4. Stay 5. Come 6. Leave It If I had to choose the most important of these six, I would say it is FOCUS. Why? Because if you have your dog’s eyes, you have your dog. This means that if your dog is looking at you, he or she can’t chase a squirrel, run into the street, or do anything else you don’t want him or her to do. Focus is also the foundation for any other cue. Every cue must start with your dog paying attention to you :) So how do you build your dog’s focus? It’s easy! 1. Get a really tasty treat you know your dog will love 2. Let your dog see the treat & then bring the treat up to your eye. Say focus while your dog is making eye contact with you & then give your dog the treat Easy! Once your dog gets the hang of this, try for longer focus times. Work on this in the house for the first week or so before taking this exercise outside into a more challenging environment. Always remember that outdoors your dog will have a harder time paying attention to you, so lower your expectations for how long your dog can focus on you in this more distracting environment. Good luck! If you need additional help with training, please reach out to me at (770) 596-4422 or by email at [email protected]

Please take a look at my website! https://pzuppardo.wixsite.com/petethedogtrainer

https://www.nytimes.com//smarte/dog-training-behavior.html