At Genesis Land, we love our furry friends so much that we even consider them when designing our communities! To encourage responsible dog ownership and to keep everyone safe, we have teamed up with Larry Neilson to give us some pro tips when it comes to training our furry friends.
Larry is the founder, head-trainer and behaviour specialist for Konfident Kanines, a dog training company here in Calgary. He has over 30 years of experience working with dogs and studying their behaviour. He is a Certified Dog Trainer with extensive experience working with canines of all breeds and behavioral issues.
Whether you’re looking to get your first dog or you want to train your current dog, Larry shared four fundamentals to teaching a dog:
- Don’t Ask, Tell. Never ask a dog to do anything for you. If you’re giving dogs an option you must accept what they offer you and it’s not fair to the dog if you get mad when he doesn’t do what you are expecting. Make sure you firmly tell your dog what you want him to do.
- Tell Once. Your dog will think you’ll always give him a second chance if he doesn’t listen the first time which isn’t the behaviour we want.
- Enforce Command. When you’re teaching a dog, always be in a position to teach. For example, if you want him to learn to sit, he needs the space to sit.
- The most important rule – Keep it Fun! If your dog is not having fun, they won’t want to learn. Build a fun, loving relationship with your dog and have them work towards it because they want to.
Watch the video where Larry shares his tips for how to be a responsible dog owner in your community and teach your dog to be a well-behaved furry companion. Larry also shares the equipment you’ll need to get started including poop bags, collar and leash options and how to choose one that is right for your dog.
Stay tuned for Part 2! When Larry returns, in Spring 2023, we’ll discuss introducing people and dogs to your dog and what pathway etiquette looks like from good Canine Citizens.
