Training Tips
Car Safety
In the event of a road accident caused by a driver who was distracted by a loose dog in the car, it is unlikely that an insurance company will pay out.
The Road Traffic Act 1988 states "Dogs travelling in vehicles should not be a nuisance or in any way distract the driver during a journey" and The Animal Welfare Act 2006 introduces "a duty of care for all pet owners to provide their animals protection from pain, suffering and injury…."
Errorless Training
Dogs do not communicate verbally by using words as we do, therefore our training methods should be kept simple. Dogs are unable to understand the meanings of words, but can be taught to do an action in response to a sound.
Whether you're teaching your dog a flashy trick or simply to walk on a loose lead, break the exercise down into small, manageable steps, and allow your dog to be a success at each stage before moving on to the next stage or level of the exercise.
To avoid pandemonium at post time
- socialise your dog well, which means meeting a minimum of one new person every day
- stop your dog from having unlimited access to the part of the house where there is the most trouble at post delivery time
- if you cannot guarantee the time of the postman, teach your dog to do a "bomb-proof" recall and the Silver Good Citizen exercise - Come Away From Distractions
- give your dog clear commands on what you would like them to do, other than creating havoc in the hallway because ignoring your dog tells them they can just carry on!
