PAWpundance
Lifestyle • Books • Pets/Animals
“Ahh!! My dog is crazy!”


It’s ok! We’re here to help. We speak a little dog and can help translate for both of you. It’s probably just a miscommunication! And we are here to help get you both speaking the same language! Woof!

Connect with the PAWpundance training team and other members of the dog community to discuss better ways to communicate with your furry house guest.


**To get started USE code: TRIAL1month **
Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
Rudy Learns to sit next to me when I stop.

Follow Me and Sit

I love doing this exercise called "Follow Me and Sit". The exercise is as simple as it sounds. I am asking the pup to automatically sit every time I stop. We begin with lots of attention, but eventually we teach the pups that they sit even without eye-contact.

Why is this important? It's good to teach as basic manners and safety. We want the pups to learn to respond to us when we are focused on traffic etc. during a walk. We also want the pups to learn to sit next to us and not in front of us. We tend to encourage our pups to "throw" behavior right in front of us by teaching them behavior right in our path. When we do this exercise, we challenge the pups to sit next to us like they would on leash.

When the pups are walking loose leash, we aren't yanking and pulling on the leash. The point of loose leash is there is no tension on the leash. We want the pups to learn to walk withing 6 feet of us. We don't want them to feel the leash. The leash is there for safety. So when we can work in a dog park or in a yard without a leash we can simulate loose leash, without the leash.

We walk around and encourage our pups to follow us sans the leash. We keep the pup on the correct side just like a leash and move around the yard. When we stop, it's like musical chairs and when the musics stops, the pup sits. This is when the game gets very fun. We start slow and move around the yard or home. We ask the dogs to follow us. When "the music stops" or when we stop walking, we ask for a sit right next to us. As we get better at the exercise, we start moving faster and the pup has more of a "snap" to the sit. We also work to have less eye contact so the pup learns to sit automatically when we stop, even if we are looking up... like at traffic.

This is a great exercise to create an "automatic" behavior. The pup still has a cue, it's when we stop walking on the our walk. Thus the behavior is not without a cue, it's just as subtle cue. The "automatic" behavior is great for having "manners". This is a set of behaviors that are habits and the cues are not forced but respond to our natural movements. When the dogs sit, we turn and smile and the dogs get attention. One behavior feeds the next. It's a good activity!

Give this one a try!

00:00:59
Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
What else you may like…
Videos
Posts
Welcome To PAWpundance on Locals.

Welcome to PAWpundance Dog Training Academy on Locals.com!

We’re thrilled that you’ve joined our community! PAWpundance is a place for positive, dog-loving people to come together, share experiences, and help each other grow. Locals offers an “ad-free experience,” so even a small contribution helps support our tech and keeps our community thriving.

We want to see your furbabies!

We’re here to assist with any questions you may have about training, behavior, and more. At PAWpundance, we believe in blending knowledge with a bit of fun—expect plenty of paws, puns, and maybe even a dance or two! Together, let’s enjoy some laughs and build stronger relationships with our pups.

Our Philosophy:

We’ve invited another species to live in our homes, and our dogs are much more than accessories; they’re our guests. They don’t speak our language, and like in the movie E.T., we don’t want to be the intimidating figures trying to coerce a scared, confused being. Instead, we want to be like ...

00:18:15
September 23, 2020
Quick Tip for Walking Loose-Leash 2

Eye Contact, Eye Contact, Eye Contact!

Reward every glance. Start by reinforcing brief glances, then encourage your pup to hold your gaze a bit longer. Gradually phase out your part of the eye contact—your pup will learn to watch you and adapt to your movements naturally. This approach helps them learn to walk with you without relying on leash cues.

Remember, the leash is purely for safety—not for communication.

Take a look at this video with Meghan and Buckee. Buckee is watching Meghan closely, and she rewards him by making eye contact, smiling, and offering treats. Meghan also looks forward occasionally, teaching Buckee to walk with her in sync.

Notice that Buckee is a reactive pup, so the leash is essential for safety, especially if he responds to something unexpectedly. However, it’s only used for physical control when necessary. When Buckee refocuses, Meghan reestablishes instructional control, and they continue their walk together. She does a fantastic job of engaging with him! In ...

00:00:33
September 21, 2020
Quick Tip For Walking Loose Leash

Loose-Leash Walking Tip:

Where you reward makes a big difference! Try using the hand on the same side as your dog when giving treats or praise.

When you reach across your body to reward with the opposite hand, it draws your dog’s nose in front of you, encouraging them to move ahead and potentially start pulling.

In the video of Meghan and Domino, Meghan holds the leash with her left hand while Domino walks on her right. She rewards him by petting and giving treats with her right hand. This keeps Domino walking by her side on a loose leash, rather than in front, pulling her along.

Next time you’re out walking with your pup, try rewarding with the hand on the same side as your dog.

00:01:13
December 14, 2020
Holiday Training Tip From Kate
post photo preview

https://twitter.com/wholedogjournal/status/1295508215740932098?s=21

How to teach you pup to be a good dining companion! What a great skill!

post photo preview

https://twitter.com/wholedogjournal/status/1292609106637987840?s=21

This is about counter-surfers, but I love the description of trying to shame dogs. This author, Pat Miller helped me understand this concept in her book the Power of Positive Dog Training.

If you’re still on Twitter, the Whole Dog Journal is a great group to follow. Lots of fantastic info!

See More
Available on mobile and TV devices
google store google store app store app store
google store google store app tv store app tv store amazon store amazon store roku store roku store
Powered by Locals