TulsaPets Magazine November 2022

40 TulsaPets • November / December 2022 Making the Most of Time Train for the Life of the Dog by Mary Green CPDT-KA: Certified Professional Dog Trainer Knowledge Assessed, CDBC: Certified Dog Behavior Counselor CNWI: Certified Nose Work Instructor K9 Manners & More, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma I have always said that there is never a day that I declare my dogs to be completely trained. I am leery of advertisements for a fully trained dog in two weeks or something similar. What does fully trained actually mean? Can my dog perform high-level competition obedience skills? Has she learned to pick up items that I have dropped? Can she sniff out target odors and alert me to their location? Or can she have a smokin’ run on an agility course or catch a disc? I suspect that “fully trained” refers only to the basics. Even with a solid foundation of the basics, I believe we should train throughout the life of the dog. Practice Fundamentals of Dog Behavior The basic skills for negotiating every- day life in our community are definitely fundamentals of good dog behavior. Those skills should be practiced all the time. Training starts with puppies or starts the very day you bring home your new best friend. I often refer to this as a daily dose of obedience. I barely remember some of the French language that I learned in high school. I imagine if I had practiced speaking French every day, I would have retained fluency. It’s the same for our dogs. If we don’t provide opportunities for them to practice their skills and reinforce them, they fade away like high-school French. Teach these skills and practice frequently: • Sit, down, stay. • Place (or go to your mat). • Come when called. • Walk politely on a leash. Socialization is the most crucial factor in your dog’s ability to function in our world without fear, anxiety, or stress. Socialization is much more than having a good relationship with other dogs or even with people. It involves introducing dogs to all the experiences they will encounter throughout life. Having positive experienc- es in those areas can create a bombproof dog. These experiences are appropriate for puppies as well as older dogs: • meeting people of all types • meeting other animals • learning to walk on different surfaces • riding in the car, elevator, boat, or golf cart • walking up and down stairs, hiking, and walking politely on a leash in urban areas The superfun stuff can happen along with the foundations of obedience skills and socialization. If you wish to do dog sports with your pup, you will need to talk with your veterinarian about age-appropri- ate jumping, swimming, running, etc. My favorite training sessions are when my dogs have no idea if we are doing the “formal” stuff or the “fun” stuff because play is incorporated into training. TRAINING TIP