Make training your hobby!

Training your Beardie is a fun and rewarding hobby. Training starts at the breeder and ends when , well never really ;)

Good dog training requires clear communication, which means consistent rules for your beardie to follow, and a common language to tell your puppy what is right and what is not allowed.

Set the Rules to Follow as a Family - agree to be consistent

To do this you need agree as a family on the rules you need your dog to follow. Will she be allowed in the kid's bedrooms and living room? Or asked to remain in kitchen and family room when inside? Will he be welcome to jump up and give you a big beardie hug when you come home? Or leave for work in your good clothes ? How will he know the difference? Be consistent and your puppy will be much easier to train.

Learn how dogs communicate

The single best book and dog communication and how dogs differ from us is Patricia McConnell The Other End of the Leash. Understanding how to interpret your dogs body language and how to communicate without words, but with tone and body language can save you hours of frustration and saves your Beardie the pain of bad training.

Two things to learn: How to use the body block to teach a stay and how to teach your puppy a marker word.

Learn what is reinforcing to dogs

Behaviours that are reinforced increase in likelihood so your mission is to find and take control of all your puppy's favorite reinforcers! Can you name more than food and toys? Is praise a reinforcer? what about clear and consistent rules? Taking a walk or going outside to play?

Must Read: Kay' Laurence's book on reinforcement will open your eyes to the world of potential reinforcers and how to manage them.

Know what your dog was bred for