Advanced home training program and schedule

How to use this program

This Advanced Training Program and Schedule is designed for guardians who have already done quite a bit of the groundwork training – perhaps based on books, YouTube, joining a Dog Obedience Club or the help of a qualified trainer.

We find that part of the challenge of dog training is “maintaining the momentum” – that is, “keeping-on-keeping-on” and training the appropriate level of cues and actions on a regular basis (be those short sessions every day, practicing certain cues when out on a fun walk with your dog, or just doing as many sessions a week as you can fit in – stress free and not rushed). Then the challenge is often keeping track of what you have done, achieved and where you should go next with your training.

So – for those who like keeping track, checking progress and the next training idea, what follows is a list of cues and actions you might consider training. These are more or less in a loose order – but that order is really up to you. Some cues and actions just seem to take a bit longer for some dogs, so work through those sympathetically and allow for practice and repetition, with revision of past lessons intermittently.

Some trainers have found it helpful to either print out this list or make their own schedule and stick it on the fridge as a sort of reminder, prompter and check list, ticking off each session and action – giving a certain amount of self-encouragement (you can add columns for "Training Days" - if that works for you). If you are not a “list person” and just like to go with the flow, maybe just reading over the training options here will be of some help.

The “Method/Description” column notes are deliberately brief, because this list is designed as a support document, rather than a full “how to” training document, on the assumption that the user already understands the basics – so the descriptions are just to act as a prompt or reminder. Also, this is clearly not an exhaustive list of all cues and actions your dog can learn – there are lots of other things that the dog will find mentally stimulating and enriching – and you will find joy in their responses.

The Comment/Query/Notes column has extra tips in a couple of places – and you can use this space to keep track, make your own notes of how your dog is coping and what to try differently.

Either way – remember:

1.     Start the training session with an easy cue and action your dog does well and end the same way – so you have a happy success at both ends of the session.

2.     Do each cue and action, say, three times in a session.

3.     Sometimes with a new learning, if you get two successful results in a row, stop there and move to the next action – the idea being that you try to end on a success. If you have a failure, still stop after about three attempts and come back to it next time. Dogs do think about and digest their learnings over time, it seems – and it gives you a chance to think if there is a better way to show the dog what you are trying to achieve.

4.     Don’t get frustrated if something seems difficult for your dog to learn – patience and persistence are what training is all about. Also – don’t be put off if a naysayer comments that you have been training your dog for a few weeks and it still does some behaviour which is not what you want – it takes time – remember how many years that naysayer went to school, yet they still haven’t learned “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”.

5.     End the session with a happy play, a walk, dinner, or whatever works well for you and your dog. Dogs do learn – and they remember - that training always leads to good stuff, including a happy human.

Cue/ Action	Method/ Description	Your Comment/  Query/ Notes
	For each exercise, say dog’s name & make sure you have their attention before giving the cue
Watch/ Look at Me	Say dog’s name – treat in hand move hand to your eye/face – eye contact – YES - Reward
Heel	Dog left side in sit – treat in left hand – forward sweep left hand & step left foot. Add verbal.
Halt & Sit	HALT – raise left hand slowly above/behind dog’s head. “YES”- Reward. Add verbal “sit” (which later fades).
Halt & Down	Halt – sweep right hand slowly down to ground in “L-shape” in front of dog’s head. YES - Reward. Add verbal “down/drop” cue.
Halt & Stand	HALT – start with treat in right hand – move it out in front so dog stands to reach treat. May also sweep left hand slowly across in front of dog’s head (can move hand along dog’s side to touch - not poke - flank). YES - Reward. Add verbal “Stand”.
Sit/ Stay	Dog in SIT at heel – move flat open hand towards dog’s nose – step forward on RIGHT foot – step back – YES – Reward.
Down Stay	Dog in DOWN at heel – then as for SIT STAY - YES – Reward.
Stand Stay	Dog in STAND at heel – then as for SIT STAY – YES – Reward.
Halt / Auto- Sit	HEEL/HALT – gradually cease verbal cue (use only hand signal) then remove hand signal – aim is dog sits every time you halt if no alternate command.
Recall: Sit/ Stay/ Come -	Dog in SIT at heel – move flat open hand towards dog’s nose – step forward on RIGHT foot – 2 to 5 paces out – Dog’s name, hand signal and upbeat verbal COME - YES – Reward. Increase distance and time.	Note – alternate the Sit/Stay/Return to dog with this recall so that dog doesn’t learn to break the Stay each time you DON’T want it to recall to you.
Sit for Exam’	Dog on SIT – STAY – handler in front holding lead – Instructor/friend quietly approaches/walks around/touches dog.	The Stand for Examination follows this – a bit harder, so start with Sit version and ask friend to be calm and help dog succeed at exercise.
Loose-Leash- Walking	Proceed with the walk with “Let’s Go”/ “OK – walk”. As dog pulls forward/sideways on lead, stop moving and use TOUCH, SPIN, STRADDLE, LOOK-AT-ME, then proceed – with treat reward for proper response. Introduce STEADY and WAIT cues to move towards verbal control on the walk and get away from “leash pressure” control. If dog persists in pulling, verbal STEADY and stop then maybe reverse the direction of walking (NOT “jerk and hurt” – use verbal “this way”/ “let’s go”).
	ADVANCED TRAINING FUN
Cue/ Action	Method/ Description	Your Comment/  Query/ Notes
Come About	During heeling, suddenly STOP and step backwards 3 steps back from direction you were going (i.e., reverse but still facing forward) CALL dog to front – dog sits in front: YES – Reward.
Touch/ Follow my hand	Treat behind thumb on flat hand – hold hand out at dog nose level – verbal TOUCH – YES – reward. Alternate hands & position. Use as start of FOLLOW MY HAND.
Place	Show dog a “PLACE” such as a bed, carpet square, upturned basin, corner of the room – using “shaping” when dog looks at the PLACE, sniffs it or steps on it – YES – Reward. Add verbal & hand signal. Object is to have dog put its two front paws (or all 4) on the PLACE.
Spin	During heeling – treat in left hand holding the lead, move left hand in an anti-clockwise rotation out to your left – on completion – YES and reward. Add verbal cue “SPIN”. Add SPIN in front of Handler.
Straddle	An extension of TOUCH and FOLLOW-MY-HAND – move treat in hand from behind you to between your legs and walk a couple of steps slowly forward – YES – Reward. Increase steps and add verbal (“STRADDLE”/ “BETWEEN”/ETC). Add turns and reverse over time (slowly so as never to tread on dog!)
Fetch & Hold	Use “shaping by approximations” technique (see forthcoming Training Article on this site) – rather like “PLACE”- dumbbell on ground (or hold in hand) – when dog looks at it/ touches with foot/ nose/ mouth – YES – Reward. Use “5 treats in view” method.
Load/ Climb/ Up	Use a consistent word every time you cue dog to get into the car, jump up onto a platform, etc. Yes – Reward when accomplished.
Finish	Dog sitting in front following RECALL/COME – treat in right hand holding lead, sweep hand clockwise around body – change hands behind your back – dog arrives at heel position – cue SIT (by treat hand and/or verbal) – YES – Reward. Add verbal cue such as “FINISH” to small clockwise hand sweep. The LEFT FINISH done with treat and lead in left hand, counter-clockwise sweep to bring dog to heel position – YES – Reward.
	MORE  ADVANCED TRAINING FUN
Cue/ Action	Method/ Description	Your Comment/  Query/ Notes
Find it!	Start with a favourite toy within site (don’t use the dumbbell – that is only for a formal retrieve) – verbal “FIND IT” and point to the object - use shaping by approximations – i.e.  “YES” as soon as dog looks at/ touches/ picks up object – Reward - dogs respond to lots of verbal praise in this exercise – clapping/ laughing/ cheering (treating may induce dropping object). Gradually hide the object – make it easy – show dog where to look at first - objective is success – not tricking the dog.
Go Around	Extension of/similar to the SPIN and FINISH – cueing the dog to go around an object. Useful when walking dog to go around a post or rock in the way of your walk (also for search and rescue work). Think about combining with the FIND IT cue to tell the dog to go around the couch to find the toy.
Scent work – “The nose that knows”	Gather 4 – 6 clean rags (towelling or cotton) – do not touch – use tongs - wash and hang out to dry – do not touch – using clean kitchen tongs, place in clean container and close. Keep one rag out and put it in your pocket. Later place this rag on floor, have dog sit at heel, gently hold your hand in front of dog’s nose so it smells your scent and cue dog to “Find It” – Yes – Reward when dog retrieves the rag to you.  After a few days of success, put the “scented” rag you have touched on the floor and place one of the clean rags (using tongs) about 30cm away on the floor – take dog to the rags and pointing to your “smelly one” cue “Find It” – Yes – Reward. Gradually extend this to 4 or 5 clean untouched rags on the floor and the one you have touched and cue “Find It”. Great family fun when you eventually (after much patient training) extend this to “Find” another family or friend’s smelly rag out of the clean ones. Important to go slow and build success – NEVER scold for a mistake – reset/repeat - reward with happiness and elation – cheering/clapping.	NOTE – only do this exercise once or twice a week – not every day – need to keep this as a really special event. Dogs love using their noses, but do find it mentally stimulating and therefore taxing if over - trained.