Twosday Training Tip

TIP #1: PROPER WALKING ETIQUETTE
Teach your dog the difference between walking and heeling. Whether you're teaching "Heel," or the less formal "Let's walk," the correct position for the part of the leash that stretches from you to the dog is slack, hanging down in a valley. Be sure when your dog is with you that you keep the leash slack. If you keep it tight, he'll think tension in the leash is normal and correct.

Here are a couple of things to remember while you're teaching your dog proper walking etiquette:

• Remember that your dog's leash is not a steering wheel or handle. It's a safety belt, intended to prevent your dog from leaving. It's not to be used to pull him around, nor should he drag you along behind him.
• For left-side walking, start with your dog sitting by your left side. I suggest holding leash and clicker in your right hand so you can easily treat with your left.
• For right-side walking, just switch all the equipment to opposite hands. Make sure there's enough slack in the leash so it stays loose when your dog is in the reinforcement zone you've identified for polite walking. 

- Whole Dog Journal

TIP #2: DON'T LOSE YOUR MIND OVER TRAINING REGRESSIONS
People are terribly mystified by any change in their dog's behavior and go on a lot with the "why? WHY" as though there should never be any variability whatsoever in this living organism's behavior. Training regressions are a frequent occurrence and no big deal. It is so important to remember that behavior is always in flux, constantly subjected to whatever contingencies there are in the environment as well as being influenced by unknown internal events. Stay calm and train.
- Excerpted from The Culture Clash

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