Your relationship with your dog does not start with walking 5 miles down the road. It starts where you spend 90% of your time with them, in your house. The most exciting place in the house is the front door, its where all people come in and where they go out. Focus at the door, then the yard, then the world. The only variables that don’t change are that it will be just you and them with the way you communicate that is savagery consistent and based on eye, contact, movement, and touch. Not talk and treats. Things they respond to no matter the level of chaos.
Start with this simple thing we call gate work- Without saying a word walk towards your front door, put your back to it (works with multiple dogs as well) if your dog is not there they will be when you crack the door behind you. Step to the side and close the door. Slowly open and close the door until they stay and focus on you instead of moving to get to the door and beyond. As soon as they respond to the opening of the door by focusing on you instead of looking at the door or moving crouch down and shower them with praise, you cannot overdo it. When you stand up right and proud in front of a dog it means focus on you, it is also a challenge not to try to come past you. This is why when you stand in front of your dog facing them and yelling for them to come, they often don’t. They will take visual over verbal commands and canine commands over human commands. Speaking dog to them solidifies your relationship. When you crouch down its a play bow and that means come get me. You are conditioning them to focus on you instead of the door when they hear the door open. Then do the same thing with the doorbell and a knock at the door (you need to recruit someone to help). You don’t open the door until they focus on you instead of the door knowing there is someone on the other side. Do this a few minutes a day and watch what happens. Don’t fixate as most do on getting the dog to sit, not one dog in history has ever been rehomed for not sitting. All they need to do is stay. Focus Based Dog Training is based on conditioning your dog to focus on you for guidance in reactions to seeing or hearing something instead of naturally responding to that thing. It’s all about impulse control. It also teaches that the area around the door is a “No excitement zone” and good things only come when they are focused and calm. It’s the beginning of modifying the dog’s behavior when a door opens and keeping them from jumping on guests when they come in. Remember only talk to give tons of praise when you get exactly what you want. Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. Gate work is especially helpful for people with limited ability to walk their dog. Part II coming soon.