Foundation Skills
There are plenty of behaviors we can train our dogs. But did you know that many of them work to reinforce each other? Working on one behavior can help fortify another. Here are three basic behaviors that, if emphasized, will make the rest of your training journey easier:
- "Touch my hand"
- "Watch Me"
- "Leave it"
These three behaviors are foundational because we use them to teach a dog other behaviors. Think about it: what do we want the dog to do when we call them to us? We want them to stop what they are doing ("leave it"), look at us ("watch me"), and make contact with us ("touch"). Teaching a dog these three simple behaviors first will lay the foundation for a solid recall.
Out of these three basic behaviors, the most important one is "Touch." It is the most beneficial tool you can give your dog to set them up for success. You can use it to reposition the dog, manage reactivity, reset them after a meltdown, bridge from a naughty to a polite behavior, and introduce them to strangers. The list goes on. A dog that has a solid "Touch" is primed to learn so much more.
I would love to show you how to achieve this. Submit an inquiry here.
