36 — Sunday, May 30, 1999 - North Shore News jake training enjoyable for your d AS Alex, my doberman, and Harley, my German shorthair pointer, sat beside me at the street corner, a woman and her dog approached us. “My, aren't they obedient,” she said. “Yes thev are, it has been a lor of hard work...” TE replied, but before TP could finish, her dog (Which was off leash) ran into the street and was almost struck by an RCMP car. She casually looked back and said, “Oops!” Meanwhile aw heart was in my throac. I looked down at my nwo companions who sat there paticntly, waiting for me to lead them across the street. | was immediately relieved | had pur so much time and effort into their training. Even as a trainer, it wasn't canine connection easy, Bur T followed a few basic tips to make it enjoyable for me and my dogs. Regardless of your chosen training «method, here are those helpful tips to help make vour training successful. @ Train vour dog every day. Even if it’s only five minutes at atime as vou work around the house. Repetition and bore- dom of obedience exercises can be eliminated if vou incorpo- fate vour training into your daily activities. a lunch? Reuse containers. For more ideas on reducing garbage call north shore news pETs @ Always train in a humane fashion. Tt is more fun for both of you when teaching uses pos: itive upbear methods rather than negative boring ones. Incorporate yvames such as “searching” for a toy or treat berween training sessions. @ frain vour dog in a variery of environments. Your dog may sit, down or stay perteerly in the kirchen but when vou are outside on the front lawn, he/she may act like a noodle head. This is because vou haven't exposed your dog to those distractions during, train- ing. Burnaby .Eaton Centre Metrotown West Vancouver Park Royal South Vancouver Vest Broadway % Dow use commands that are contradictory, such as down” or *sit/down stay.” £ should be cither “sit? or “down” or “stay” Co ronbining commands cin confuse a dog. @ Only give your dog a com mand that you can entoree. If distractions are so) great that vour dog will net be able to remain in its command don't give the command. Your doy will learn that the response to the command is optional In other werds you are teaching your dog to ignore vou and the command. @ Never, ever repeat vour command, One command should equal one response. If your dog does not respond on the first command, gently enforce it, Hf vou stand there repeating the command until vour dog responds, vou teach your dog to ignore vou until it tecly ready to respond, or vou get red in the fice and) starr screaming hike a monkey. | teach omy students the three second rule; once a command has been given, the dog has three seconds to respond. Hf it does not itis then geatly Shown what te do. (There is actually an enure book about f Rigtst now at Pearle Vision, you can Scratch & Save up to $125 on 2 new pair of glasses, including our complete selection of designer styles. So drop in and pick up your lucky scratch card. But hurry, this great offer ends June 27, 1999. Full details are available 4 at your nearest Pearle Vision. PEARLEVISION You won't believe your eyes! Coquitlam Coquitlam Centre 430-3126 Vancouver Oakridge Centre 925-9515 Surrey this topic by Dr. Tan Dunbar called Never, Never, Ever, Ever, Repeat Your Commands!) Look tor more training tips in my nest column, mee oe) Don't forget to attend the Lower Sevmour Conservation Reserve (Seymour Demonstration Forest) open house Monday May 3}sr hetween 7 10 9 p.m. regarding the future of dogs in the forest. Call 987-5354 tor derails. — Joan Klucha is the owner of Sterra KQ training on the North Shore. You can e-mail her at . Clearbrook 464-1822 Langley 263-2514 Surrey Place Mail Sevenoaks Mati Willowbrook Mail 853-B101 530-908}