Foundational Obedience

No matter how old your dog, the solution to every problem begins with building a solid foundation. For you and your dog, this means basic obedience. If your dog does not reliably follow basic commands the first time, you will have a difficult time correcting unwanted behaviors.

If your dog is reactive, fearful, pulls on the leash, is aggressive, or you just want a better-behaved dog your basic obedience is the first step toward correcting the problem. You must have the foundation in place before you can move forward. The first step is developing the relationship with your dog where he views you as the adult and looks to you to know how to react in new situations. Just like children, dogs take cues from adults to know how to react. If the relationship hasn’t been developed where the dog knows you are in control, the dog will try to do something to gain control. This usually means barking.

At Both Ends of the Leash, we will evaluate you and your dog to determine the best plan.

At a minimum, the Foundational Obedience will cover the following:

1. Basic dog knowledge:
   1. How they learn.
   2. How they communicate.
2. How to communicate with your dog:
   1. What you want them to do.
   2. What you don’t want them to do.
3. Proper walking on a leash.
4. How to teach new behaviors quickly and easily.
5. How to stop unwanted behaviors.
6. Games and activities to build a confident dog.