Twosday Training Tip

TIP #1: MAKE A TRADE
When teaching your dog Drop It or Give It, trade her for the item she has with something of higher value (e.g. food, toy). With practice all you need to do is say your cue just before you reach for an item you want to take away, and eventually your dog will figure out that your cue means it’s time to make a trade.  In the real world, you won’t always give back your dog’s found treasure, so it’s a good idea always to reward her with a special treat.

TIP #2: LEARNING TO BE ALONE
Being social animals, some dogs are naturally inclined to become anxious when left alone. Many well-intentioned but misguided owners of new dogs inadvertently set the stage for separation anxiety by doing all the wrong things when they first bring their new dog home.

For example, lots of families adopt their new dog or puppy at the beginning of the summer, when the kids will be home to spend a lot of time with him. Other new-dog parents may take several days off from work, or at least arrange to bring the dog home on a Friday afternoon so they have the entire weekend to help the new pup settle in. On its face, this is a thoughtful approach to acclimating the dog to his new life. What better way to help him feel comfortable and welcome than to give him a couple of days of your loving company?

It's true that spending extra time with the newcomer can help smooth the transition for him, but unless you take some important precautions, you could be setting him up for a rude awakening on Monday morning when you go back to work, leaving him alone all day to wonder and worry if the pack is ever coming back to rescue him from solitary confinement.
- Whole Dog Journal

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