Dog Training and Nutrition

I began training dogs when I was 13 years old. I started by trying to understand each of my dogs' individual character. Many people don't believe that one dog is different from the other when, in truth, they are. Dogs have their own minds and emotions, when we truly understand them we are able to make an amazing connection with, not just one dog, but all dogs! Check out our blog at www.way2run.blogspot.com!

I own 2 rescue dogs and we train in Canine Agility. Canine Agility is a dog sport that is rising quickly in popularity across the WORLD. With the sport welcoming all dogs and people of all ages, everyone is finding agility the most exciting thing to do with their dog. Whether you're good, bad, or a World Champion, agility is fun and entertaining for everyone. Be WOWed and THRILLed by dogs climbing over A-frames, shooting through tunnels, performing a serpentine dance through weaves poles, and flying like birds over jumps. Agility, the sport of generations. LEARN MORE ABOUT OTHER POPULAR DOG SPORTS at AKC.ORG

Before you begin any sport or activity with your dog, you should have a good foundation of obedience. This means your dog should know how to sit, stay, lie down, come, and "leave it." All of these things can be taught and honed throughout the dog's life. The one I want to tell you about today is, in my opinion, the most important command a dog should ever learn. COME. Why is the come command so important? If your dog knows how to come and come reliably, you can get him back out of any situation. A dog that knows how to come can be called back from running into an oncoming car or any other dangerous situation. The best way to teach the come is to very plainly do the opposite. You are going to RUN AWAY from your dog.

Have a few yummy treats in your pocket and start in an area the dog is most familiar with. Let him have fun with his surroundings and let him get distracted by something he finds interesting. When he is distracted, call his name or make a sound that gets his attention when he looks at you, RUN in the other direction AWAY from your dog. 95% of the time the dog is going to follow you. To make the game more interesting, when the dog gets close enough fall to the floor and have him run straight into your arms. Remember to reward your dog with lots of praise and some treats for encouragement.

To amp up this game so your dog doesn't get bored, try adding a little hide and seek and have your dog find you. Slowly graduate to doing this in different high stimulus areas to "secure" your come cue with your dog. Make sure the areas you practise in are safe and there is nothing that can harm your dog. If the area you're working on isn't fenced in use a 3o ft light line on your dog, that way he can still get some distance from you, but isn't at risk for running into the street.

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