DSD Training Videos

The best way to teach a dog to be quiet on command is to teach them to speak on command.   That’s the only way you can practice telling them to be quiet.

Lunging, growling dogs can be helped, but they need positive interactions with other dogs.  Don’t stop socializing your dog because they’ve begun to act anti-social.  That’s when you need to focus on extra socialization.

Putting a behavior on command requires repetition.  The only way to practice shushing is to practice barking.  Use an accomplice and an appropriate stimuli to train the dog to bark on command.

If you don’t want your dog to chew your slippers, you have to show them what to chew.  A treat-filled chewtoy will be much more appealing to a dog then any slippers.

When you stuff a chewtoy, try to wedge a couple of them in there really well, so your dog can’t get them out.  Then add a few more treats that will fall out more easily to capture their attention.

The best chewtoys are indestructible and hollow.  This means you can stuff them with tasty treats and leave them with your dog unsupervised.

Training a dog to  enjoy their crate is an easy way to get them to settle down for extended periods.  Make sure you introduce the crate with lots of treats and some chewtoys to keep them busy.

We don’t want our dog to lunge on leash, so we ignore the behavior and wait for them to stop.  As soon as they stop we reward them, and soon they’ll figure out what you’re looking for.

A dog that doesn’t settle down on command is going to be a pain to live with.  It can be very useful to train several  down positions, depending on how long you want them to stay down.

If your puppy doesn’t learn to enjoy having their collar grabbed, you’ll end up with a dog that runs circles around you, which makes for a lot of potentially embarrassing or dangerous situations.

A dog that’s sitting can’t jump up.  Ask your dog to sit before letting them out, so you  at least begin the exercise in control.

Your dog NEEDS to pee and poop, there’s simply no way to avoid it!  The solution of course is teaching your dog when and where to go.  The only way to prevent mistakes and put potty on cue is regular confinement sessions.

Dogs jump up to say hi and express affection.  It would be cruel to respond to their affection with painful corrections.  It’s far easier to train your dog to do something else when they meet people.  Something that they can’t do while jumping up.  But what could that something be…?

Pick a place for your dog to dig and bury a doggy treasure for them.  One or two bones or stuffed-chewtoys and they will quickly learn where to dig for the good stuff.

Digging is a very natural activity for a dog.  Digging was very useful for dogs out in the wild, and makes for great recreation when a dog is confined or bored.  Of course we don’t want our dogs to dig up our gardens, but punishing them is only going to train them to dig when you’re not there.

Puppies learn very valuable social skills during their play sessions, with the most important being bite-inhibition.

It’s easy to lure a dog to stop barking: simply present a treat for them to sniff.  They can’t bark and sniff at the same time.  You needn’t always reward them with the treat, but you should praise them as soon as they stop barking.

Dogs are most likely to bite when they’re anxious, and they’re likely to anxious around children who tend to act a little wild.  Prevent problems by actively conditioning your dogs to enjoy the presence of children, and teaching your children how to act around dogs.

An older dog is no excuse.  If you don’t want your dog to bark at the door, teach them to “Shush” on command.  Challenge extended!

An expertly stuffed chewtoy will keep a dog occupied all day.  Mix it up and stuff your chewtoys with a variety of treats to keep them interested.

Aggression is largely fixed with a solid sit-stay.  A sitting dog can’t really be very aggressive.  This makes “SIT!!!!”  an excellent reprimand for aggressive behavior.

No matter how difficult an exercise, it’s certain to be easier the second time around.  Repeat an activity, like greeting a visitor, several time in succession until your dog gets it right.

A chewtoy cannot be consumed or destroyed.  Toys which can be eaten pose a very serious safety concern for your dog.

Practice makes perfect.  Practice putting your dog in confinement and letting them out again.  The first few times they will be very excited and hard to control.  Each repetition will make them more manageable, giving you the chance to praise them.

If you lure your dog onto their side to settle down, it will be harder for them to get up quickly.

It’s always unfair to punish a dog more than you praise it.  Maintain a positive training atmosphere by praising them when they’re acting well, which is most of the time.

It’s not very helpful to punish your dog for going in the wrong place if you don’t show them where you would like them to go.  Use confinement to prevent mistakes and reward them every time they get it right.  If you ever catch them making a mistake, yell at them and hustle them to their toilet.

Training a dog to walk politely on leash is very easy, but not if you’re trying to go somewhere.

Potty training is not the time to practice other behaviors, like going outside.  If your dog won’t go outside on command, that’s your first problem.  When your dog does learn to go to their toilet on command, you have to go with them.  How else can you praise or reward them for success, or be sure that they’re emptied?

Every time your dog performs an unacceptable behavior, it self-reinforces a bad habit.  The use of confinement training in puppyhood is going to result in greater freedom for the rest of their life.  Confinement allows you to supervise them anyime they’re free, and redirect bad behaviors into good ones.

Walking a dog on leash is no simple exercise.  If you want to enjoy walking with your dog, it’s worth taking some time to teach them how you want them to walk with you.

Playing with one other dog will not be sufficient for your pup’s socialization.  Instead, they should meet, and play with as many other puppies and dogs as possible.

If you lose your dog lags behind, the best way to get them to follow is to make noise and hurry away from them.  Use food lures to keep their attention, but only reward them with a treat when they do an excellent job.

If your dog jumps up you must let them know it’s not okay.  Stop walking and tell them “Off.”  If necessary, push them down and yell, but be sure to praise them when they stop jumping.

Chewing can be a very serious and expensive problem.  Dogs will chew, it’s a simple fact.  So it’s a very good idea to teach them what you want them to chew.

Praise your dog for acting calmly around other dogs.  Loudly reprimand them if they lunge, bark or tighten the leash.

As your dog learns to maintain a loose leash you can start stringing more and more steps together.  Keep praising the appropriate behavior, and correcting the bad behavior and soon you’ll be walking your dog happily on leash

After taking a single step, the dog is likely to get excited and may start pulling on the leash again.  Keep praising the loose leash and gently jerking the tightened leash until they leave it loose for several seconds.

In order to teach your dog to “Stay” you must also teach them “Go Play” or “Free.”  If you tell them to stay indefinitely they’ll learn that the duration of a stay is up to them.

“Steady” means we want a loose leash.  If they tug on the leash, say “Steady” and tug back.  If the leash is loose, praise the dog.  If the leash remains loose for several seconds take a single step and repeat.

Laura Enos demonstrates how to keep the leash loose, and give your dog a warning when they begin to stray.  If they’re not paying attention, give them a warning, and if they don’t respond, try yanking the leash or abruptly changing directions.

Your puppy is not going to learn to potty in the right place if you can’t properly praise them when they do.  The surest way to give an effective praise is to pair it with a delicious treat.

Letting the little dogs off-leash first gives them a chance to explore and get comfortable.  Some pups are naturally shyer, and need more time to build up their  confidence.

It’s very important that your puppy forms appropriate chewtoy habits as early as possible.  Fortunately, this couldn’t be easier.  Simply stuff a hollow chewtoy with some treats, and leave your puppy confined with it.

Walking through a new environment can be very stressful for a dog, especially if there are other dogs or strangers around.  Take time to settle down in unfamiliar places and reward your dog for acting calmly.

If your dog’s behavior is not improving, your punishment isn’t working.  An effective reprimand must clearly communicate that they are behaving poorly.  You certainly don’t need to hurt the dog, a harsh tone or loud voice should be enough.

With energetic, wriggly pups, make your luring movements slow and deliberate.  When luring a sit, don’t lift it too high or they’ll jump up.  Instead, move it camly back over their head.

Toilet training is the most important thing to teach a puppy.  Confine the puppy so you can prevent mistakes and get them to eliminate in the correct place, where you can reward them handsomely.

If you catch your pup making a mistake indoors, startle them and rush them outside.  If you want to housetrain your pup you’ll have to reward them for successfully eliminating outside, and the easiest way to do this is with crate training

Anti-social dogs need time and energy.  The best way to help them is with persistent and positive socialization sessions, and a rock-solid sit-stay.

A jazzy little play session.   Even Nessie comes out for a little playtime

It’s good to make a distinction between walking and heeling.  A heeling dog should be actively paying attention to you, while a walking dog can sniff and roam a little.

Walks can be very exciting for dogs.  It’s important to give them time to adjust to new surroundings, with praise and treats as reinforcement.

Most dogs love walks, so they make fantastic rewards for training.  If you only walk your dog after they eliminate, they will learn to go immediately

Hollow chewtoys can be stuffed with food, making them very interesting to your dogs.  Your dog is going to chew, so you should show them what you want them to chew.

Don’t reward your dog’s annoying behaviors.  When they misbehave, give them an instructive reprimand, like “Sit” or “Go to your bed”

A food-stuffed chewtoy is an automatic dog training device that reinforces your dog for settling down and chewing an appropriate object.  It’s a great doggy-hobby!

Housetraining your puppy starts with their puppy playpen, a long term confinement area designed tencourage them to potty in the right place.

Make sure your dog enjoys being handled so it is not nervous when it goes to the veterinarian, and continue to socialize your dog to unfamiliar people throughout its life.

Prevent your puppy from chewing on the wrong things by directing him to appropriate chew toys.

Train your dog to chew the right objects by stuffing their chewtoy with tasty food treats. They'll quickly develop good chewing habits.

Avoid excessive barking, chewing and digging by teaching your puppy to enjoy being home alone, settling down in their doggy den with some stuffed chewtoys.

Avoid excessive barking, chewing and digging by teaching your puppy to enjoy being home alone, settling down in their doggy den with some stuffed chewtoys.

Potty training is one of the most important aspects of raising a dog, and it is one area in which you should be very generous with your rewards. You should always reward good potty behavior.