Here at Evans Training Centre and Black Lion Kennels, we first see the dog as what it really is. What is a dog? Some people say "it's my pet", "it's my baby", etc. . . . No - a dog is a predator, pack animal and carnivore. Regardless of the breed, that's what it is. No amount of wishful thinking, dreaming and hoping is going to change that.
Every pack animal needs a leader so, for a dog to respond to you, it needs to view you as a leader. And, yes, we've all heard this before - but one question is almost never asked: how do you become a leader? Your dog doesn't know us from a fence post but it will probably amaze you to see what your is doing for us after 14 days.
At Evans Training Centre and Black Lion Kennels we communicate with the dog in a way it understands, through its basic senses and beyond. These include vision, hearing, smell, sensitivity, energy, aggressiveness, intelligence and motivation. The dog is not our best friend. It's not the dog's love for the trainer that gets it doing what it's doing after 14 days. Much of our training is psychological and understanding the dog and how it perceives the world. This is why group obedience classes do not always work: there has to be one-on-one time with the dog to understand it. Feeding treats do not establish you as a leader and there isn't one method for all dogs. We can get two dogs today: one urinates every time it sees it's shadow, the other wants to bite my face off every time it sees me - but, after training, the level of obedience would be the same.
Level I (On Leash) and Level II (Off Leash) each take 14 days.
The dog must return to its owner for a minimum of two weeks between the two training levels.
All dogs reside at the training facility for the duration of their training.
We train the dog first then the handler.
To ensure the time is spent on training, a limited number of dogs are trained in each 14-day period.
DOG TRAINING TIPS
General Dog Training Advice
Conduct short, efficient, business-like training sessions, twice a day, if possible.
Before dog training sessions begin, allow your dog ample opportunity to relieve himself.
Each lesson will begin with a review of the previous lessons. This will set the mood for this day’s session as this gives the dog trainer the opportunity to praise the dog for performing the correct activity.
All commands must be given in a clear and concise manner. There is need for firmness from the dog trainer.
Impatience on the part of the dog trainer is never a part of training. The dog trainer must never get angry at the dog.
Each dog training session must improve upon the previous session. If a lesson is not going well, and both the trainer and the dog are becoming stressed, switch to a review lesson so that the trainer has the opportunity to praise the dog for performing well. Then continue with training of the new activity.
When training the dog in a new activity always end the training session on a positive note. Even if the dog has not mastered all of the activity perfectly, end with praise. You will build upon today's lesson tomorrow.
Conduct all new training activities where there are minimal distractions. This helps the dog to focus on the trainer and the lesson that is being taught.
As the dog continues to gain strength in obedience then that is the time that the dog trainer will search out distractions in order to "proof" the dog.
Never let your trained dog get away with a mistake. The dog must always complete to the fullest extent the command that you have given. If you allow the dog to get away with a mistake, the dog will feel that he can do it again, making it more difficult the next time. The goal of dog training is to ensure that the dog always completes the training command that you have given.
