Leashes

Ive noticed a lot in classes lately that people are relying pretty heavily on their leashes to control their dogs.  Try to remember that in class your leash is your safety net, and if youre using it to drag your dog into place, hes probably not learning what you want him to.  Remember that we need to be interesting to our dogs, a challenge in the class environment, but certainly not impossible.  If your dog is having a hard time paying attention to you in class move him farther away from the other dogs and people in the room, and increase your rate of reinforcement (this may mean you have to lower your criteria to start), or increase the value of your reinforcer. 

Its your job to teach your dog what to do and to set him up for success!  It may be more difficult for some dogs to stay focused during class time than it is at home, lower your expectations and reward your dog accordingly until your training makes up for the difference.  If you find yourself dragging your dog around the classroom set yourself and your dog up for success by tethering him or tying the leash around your waist or bring a partner and ask them to hold the leash while you train.  We dont want you or your dog to become dependent on the leash, work on building your relationship with your dog instead of relying on the leash to do your work for you.

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