| All dog training follows 3 phases. This goes for | | | | time) we add corrections. |
| positive methods, force methods, or a combination | | | | Once again people misunderstand and think it's okay |
| of both, these three phases apply to them all. | | | | to go to town on their dogs and correct them for |
| They are: | | | | any minor infraction. |
| 1. The Learning Phase. | | | | And once again they are wrong. In the correction |
| 2. The Correction Phase. | | | | phase you want to give your dog the chance to |
| 3. The Proofing (or distraction) Phase | | | | work and be successful but if they disobey we |
| Let's look at how these three items link together for | | | | introduce corrections in order to show them their are |
| for a solid training process. | | | | consequences for their behavior. |
| 1. The learning phase. Before a dog can perform a | | | | 3. To increase the dogs ability to perform the |
| behavior they must learn it. In this phase there are | | | | behavior we introduce distractions. |
| no corrections, no distractions, and the dogs are | | | | Starting out with mild distractions you want to |
| allowed to make mistakes while we teach them what | | | | gradually introduce distractions that are great enough |
| we want them to do. | | | | to cause disobedience. The great the distraction the |
| The learning phase is where most owners go wrong | | | | more likely the dog is going to disobey or not |
| and start to hinder the training process by being | | | | respond in a timely manner. |
| strict and putting too much stress on the dog. | | | | Distraction training never ends. You want to introduce |
| Imagine it like this, a kid is learning their ABC's for the | | | | new distractions and new situations to your dogs on |
| first time. Each time the kid makes a mistake the | | | | a regular basis and help them learn how to be more |
| teacher hits them with a ruler on the arm. | | | | reliable in every day situations. |
| Is that a fair way to teach? No. Yet owners world | | | | If the training method you are using to does not |
| wide think this is the right way. It is not and it only | | | | have one or more of these phases then you should |
| hinders your efforts. | | | | start looking for one that has them all. You will get |
| 2. Once the dog has a clear understanding of the | | | | better results as a result. |
| behavior (Can perform it on cue at least 95% of the | | | | |