My 8 Week Dog Training Program

Hello Friends,

Ready to unleash your dog’s potential—and your own?
In this video, I explain all that is included in my eight-week dog-training program, which is paced each week to give you and your dog just enough challenge you, but not discourage you. That way, we are always building on success.In Week One, our goal is to get your dog’s attention. There’s no point trying to get your dog to sit or heel, if she’s lunging at passersby or sniffing at everything on the ground. We’ll show you how to get her to focus on you. (No food treats necessary!) We’ll also demonstrate that—ironically—you’ll get much better control on a 15-foot leash than you have ever had on a six-foot leash.

In Week Two, we focus on the “sit” and “heel” commands. Here’s a surprise: by the time we get to Week Two your dog will already be heeling perfectly! Aren’t you both smart!

By the time we get to Week Three, you won’t have to command your dog to sit; they’ll know to do it automatically whenever they are told to heel and you stop. If you start walking, they heel. Your dog will also learn to “stay” in Week Three—up to six feet away for one minute—and to “stand” on command, as well.

In Week Four, we expand your dog’s capacity to “sit-stay” and “stand-stay” by introducing all kinds of distractions—from toys to treats—and asking your dog to ignore them until you say otherwise. We also teach the “down” command—with no pointing or bending down as hints!—and the “recall” command, which is when your dog is in the “stay” position, you tell them to “come” and the sit in front of you. You would then give the finish command “heel” which means they would then walk around you to heel position.

During Week Five we expand your dog’s repertoire by practicing the “stand-stay” command and then having a stranger come up and touch the dog without breaking the command. We teach the “down-stay” command, and then expand upon it by retreating six feet without the dog moving.

In Week Six and beyond, we’re not teaching any new commands, simply practicing to expand upon commands the dog already knows. We have the dog perform now on a 15-foot leash.

In Week Seven, we practice these commands using only a string or a retractable leash, so that by the time we get to Week Eight, your dog will comply with your commands to sit, stay, heel, and lay down without any leash.

By the end of Week Eight, your dog will be able to do two more very important things off-leash: Stop on a dime and come when called; and heel—no matter what inviting distractions may present themselves.

By the end of the eight-week training program, you will have achieved excellent on and off leash control around any types of distractions. This program is modeled after a dog getting its first level obedience title. I’ve found that if their pet can do even 80% of what a Novice Obedience Dog titleholder can do, most dog owners are thrilled. And all we’re really teaching your dog to do is cooperate with you, no matter what the distractions.
Sound too good to be true?
It’s not!

In the months ahead I’ll share more of my secrets for bringing out the best in your dog—and yourself. If you have a particular topic you’d like discussed, please use the comment box—or send an email to email hidden; JavaScript is required.

“Expect more from your dog; enjoy more from your dog! Unleash your dog’s full potential…and your own!”