Reactive Rehab Full Service Training
The Reactive Rehab Full Service Program is designed to build your dog’s confidence through reliable obedience by properly addressing your dog’s fears and insecurities. Humans, sometimes inadvertently, can contribute to the majority of a dog’s fear issues. Often we try to “help” our dogs when they are scared or timid. We try to reassure our dog that the thunder storms, big garbage truck, the vet, dogs/strangers, or other noisy public places are not scary. People mistakenly do this by providing words of comfort (its OK), petting, holding, retraining, giving treats, avoiding situations, or even removing their dogs if they feel threatened. With the best intentions of helping your dog to become strong and confident, your actions instead could be reinforcing the dog’s state of mind you are trying to avoid. The Doghouse, LLC has rehabilitated numerous fearful/insecure dogs and we recognize this common handling mistake therefore, we can discern the necessary steps to stop this pattern.
Fearful and timid dogs need confidence and reliable obedience to help become secure and have a defined purpose. In our 3 week Reactive Rehab Full Service Program, your dog will learn a new skill set that is gained through healthy leadership. We train in numerous locations around town and deliberately put your dog in situations you are probably used to avoiding. Rather then trying to control the environment around the dog (which is impossible!), we will build a mutual trust and understanding your dogs thresholds and instead use our reliable obedience to handle the dog. Your dog will understand their purpose and how they fit not only into your lifestyle but more importantly into the ever changing world around them. Through patience, repetition, and exposure your dog will become more confident and have the security they desire in a confident leader.
The results of this program will also include any customized goals we discuss during the meet/greet, your dog being able to enjoy the benefits of just being a dog, and you having the confidence to handle your dog no matter what the scenario is by implementing the 9 basic obedience commands that are listed below:
All Full Service Programs include learning in the following 9 commands:
- Heel
- Automatic sit while heeling
- Sit
- Down
- Stay
- Door stays/car stays
- Come
- Place
- OK (the release command)
*For a detailed description of each command and the expectation please click here
Sit – In this exercise the dog’s behind needs to be making contact with the floor. No hovering!
Down – In this exercise the dog’s elbows need to touch the floor.
Heel – In this exercise the dog is be in position on the left side (unless discussed other wise during the meet/greet). Your dog’s shoulder should line up with your knee and the leash should be “loose” at all times.
Stay – In this exercise you can leave the dog either in a sit position or a down position. The dog has to hold that position until you come back to the dog and release them. *It is very important you never release the dog from the stay position if you are away from the dog. I don’t want the dog to confuse stay and come. They are complete opposite exercises. Walk back to the spot you assigned the sit or down and give the release word “OK” to allow them to break the position.
Come – In this exercise we wait until the dog is “free roaming” then you say the dog’s name and the COME command. The dog should stop what it’s doing and come to you. The dog just needs to be in a 1 yard radius of you and not leave until you give them the release command “OK”
Place – In this exercise you will assign your dog to a specific “Place.” The definition of a place is anything that is elevated off the ground or has a texture difference. Examples are: dog beds, kuranda beds, park benches, backseats of cars, you can be creative and challenge your dog! The same rules apply as in the stay position.
No – This is the command we use to mark a behavior we want the dog to change.
Good – This is a command we tell our dogs to let them know they are doing what we want and that if they continue this behavior they will get rewarded or eventually be given the release command “OK”
OK – Release word to end any exercise
Off – This command is used for jumping on people or furniture. If the dog’s feet leave the ground we would say NO OFF.
Out -To release a toy
Enough – This is a command we use around the kennel for barking. If your dog is barking and you want them to stop you would say this.
Mannerisms your dog knows from the training with-out having to say a specific command: Not bolting out a door that is opened, not jumping out the car when the door is opened, not rushing out of a crate when you open the door, sitting before their meals, sitting to get their collar and leash put on, not jumping to great guest, not counter surfing/begging, not being overly pushy for attention.
