Beginner Course Booklet

Training your dog with Hantsdog

Beginner Course Booklet

1 Using a ‘mark’ in training
2 Suitable Rewards
3 Teaching the Sit
4 Teaching the Down
5 Recalls
6 Stays
7 Leave it!
8 Loose Lead Walking
9 Jumping up
10 Stand still for Examination
11 Toys & Games
12 Emergency stop
13 Making rewards Random
14 So where do I need to train?
15 How do I stop him from doing the wrong thing?

1. Using a ‘mark’ in training

All the way through this booklet I will be asking you to ‘mark’ something your dog does and then reward it. A ‘mark’ can be any distinctive sound* that tells the dog what it was doing the moment it heard the sound was right. The dog is rewarded for that action and will then be more likely to do it again. Many people use a ‘clicker’ for this, which is a small plastic box that makes a very distinctive sound. The clicker is the ideal tool for training as it always sounds the same and is easily recognised by the dog without getting lost in the background sounds of conversation. However, it has the disadvantage of being a bit fiddly for some people to use in class when they are also holding a lead and treats.

Alternatively, you can use a word such as ‘good’ or ‘yes’ spoken in a clear and distinctive way. This is almost as good as the clicker and it has the advantage that it can’t get accidentally left at home!

Whenever you see the word ‘mark’ in the booklet it can mean either a ‘click’ or a distinctive word such as ‘good’. It is up to you which one you prefer to use.



*if your dog is deaf then this ‘mark’ can be a visual sign like a thumbs up or a flash from a penlight torch.

2. Suitable Rewards

As the class is a very distracting environment we suggest you use some really high value food rewards such as cubes of cheese, cooked liver, beefburger or hot dog sausage. They should be cut up quite small (no bigger than your little finger nail for a Labrador sized dog. Half that for a smaller dog) You can also use these rewards at home for training exercises your dog may find difficult, recalls for example. For everyday training with few distractions then his normal food can be used. (If you measure out his daily allowance in the morning you can use it during the day and what’s left over can be given at dinner time, reducing the risk of him putting on weight). If your dog won’t work for food you may be overfeeding. If you use a lot of high value treats you could replace some of his daily ration with cooked/canned salt free vegetables like carrots or green beans. If you aren’t sure about any aspect of keeping his diet balanced, check with your vet.

But it isn’t just food!
Any of the following can be used as rewards, as long as your dog likes them:

· Games of tuggy or fetch
· Praise (by itself it’s only really useful where there are few distractions but use it as much as you can alongside other rewards)
· Being taken out for a walk
· Being allowed to greet or play with his friends
· A chance for a really good sniff around
· The opportunity to run free

You can probably list a whole lot more for your own dog!

3. Teaching the Sit

Sit is probably the most useful command you can teach your dog. If he is sitting he can’t be chasing a cat, jumping up at people or running out of the front door.

Start by putting a treat on his nose and slowly moving it up and back until he starts to tilt his head backwards. As his head moves back his bottom will go down. You can ‘mark’ as his bottom hits the floor, then let him have the treat. (If he jumps up to get the treat then you are lifting it too high, try a little lower

Once he is doing this reliably put in the ‘sit’ command just before you start to move your hand back.

Try with no treat in your hand . When you ‘mark’ the correct action you can then get the treat from your pocket or a nearby pot instead.

Once he sitting every time you ask, just reward the fastest ones.

4. Teaching the Down

Hold a treat in your fist and hold it on the floor. Have patience, he may lick and chew your hand so just try to ignore this and watch his body. To begin with you can ‘mark’ when his elbows touch the floor, then wait for his bottom to go down too before you ‘mark’.

If you are having problems then try holding your hand under a low table or chair so he needs to duck to get to it. You won’t need the table once he learns lying down can be rewarding.

Gradually make the hand signal less obvious by not taking your hand all the way down to the floor.

Once he is doing it well then just reward the fastest ones.

To stop begging at the table you can train your dog to lie down on a mat on the other side of the room. Build up the time he spends there gradually. Once he will lie happily throughout the meal you may want to reward him for a job well done with his own dinner.

Don’t take a dog that lies down quietly in his bed for granted. Treat and praise randomly for him settling himself.

5. Recalls

Keep safe, only let him run free where he can’t injure himself or others.

You can start by walking away from him whilst clapping and calling his name repeatedly in an excited voice. ‘Mark’ and treat when he reaches you.

When he is reliably coming when you call you can make it more fun. Sometimes throwing his reward past you so he can chase it will make coming back much more fun. Alternate this with a reward as he lets you take hold of his collar.

Next call him once, if he doesn’t come straight away then go and get him! If he turns towards you when you are part way to him then ‘mark’ and treat this to begin with.

Reward the fastest single command recalls with food and/or games.

You can’t overdo recall training, keep calling and rewarding with food, fun and games throughout the walk and he won’t notice the recall that ends with going home!

Don’t let your dog run up to other dogs that are on the lead, they may be unpredictable, nervous or ill.

6. Stays

The same technique is used for down, sit and stand stays so here I’ll just use sit as an example.

Ask your dog to sit and then briefly take one tiny step away and then step back immediately. If he stays still then ‘mark’ and treat. If he moves then don’t ‘mark’ but ask for another sit instead. Make your next movement much less so he can get it right. He should be getting it right about 3 times out of 4 to begin with. Any less and you are pushing him too far.

Then gradually build up the distance you leave, but still return immediately. Keep the dog guessing, don’t always keep making the exercise harder. Throw in some random easy ones.

Once you can walk to the other side of the room and back then you can start to build up the time you spend away from him.

Don’t train time and distance at the same time until he really understands the exercise.

Make sure you leave in a relaxed and happy manner, that way your dog will stay relaxed and happy too.

7. Leave it!

Hold a treat in your closed fist at dog head height. He will probably sniff, nibble your hand or paw at it to begin with, grit your teeth and keep holding tight. At some point he will give up and move his head away or step back slightly, this is the moment to ‘mark’ and give the treat to him.

Once he will back off reliably you can add the ‘no’ command just before he does so. The ‘no’ command is not a threat so you don’t need to shout it!

Try putting the treat on a chair (or on something lower for smaller dogs, so they can see it) and keep your hand nearby. Say ‘no’ quietly and ‘mark’ and treat if he backs off or looks away. If he tries to take the treat again then quickly cover it with your hand until he gives up.

You can then ask him to lie down and put the treat on his paw. Again, say ‘no’calmly and cover it with your hand if he tries to reach for it. Once he moves his head back ‘mark’ and let him have it.

The ‘leave a treat on the paw trick’ always impresses at parties!

8. Loose lead walking

Dogs only pull on the lead if you reward them by letting them take you with them!

If he pulls then stop immediately (without jerking on the lead) and start briskly walking in the opposite direction. When the lead goes loose or he looks up at you then ‘mark’ and reward. You can then turn back the way you were going. You may have to do this quite often to begin with, but keep it up!

If you are passing something you don’t want him to have and he tries to drag you sideways keep walking briskly and say ‘no’ calmly as you pass nice and wide. ‘Mark’ and reward when he stops pulling towards it and looks up at you instead.

A common situation to find yourself in is walking towards something directly in your path (like another dog) and there is no way you can skirt round it. Each time the lead goes tight you should briskly go back the way you came until he is looking at you again. Only then can you turn back the way you were going. If he pulls he is taken further away from where he wants to go, whereas if the lead is slack he is rewarded by getting closer. Be clear and consistent by never letting him drag you, even when you are in a hurry.

When he starts automatically looking at you when he walks past interesting items ‘mark’ and reward him for not pulling. Then only reward him for leaving the most interesting items like other dogs, chip wrappers and dead squirrels!

Don’t let small children hold the lead on their own, if the dog is distracted they could be accidentally pulled off the pavement and into traffic.

9. Jumping up

Most dogs jump up because they are looking for eye contact and petting. If you look at your dog while you say ‘no’ and push him off you might be rewarding him with just what he wants!

Instead, if he jumps up then immediately turn away and ignore him until his feet are back on the floor, ‘mark’ this and give him the attention he craves. If he jumps again then turn away with your nose in the air once more. Once he has mastered the sit you can ask for it whenever you greet him. He will learn a lot faster if you reward him for what you DO want him to do instead of expecting him to guess at what he is doing wrong.

When greeting new people you can ask him to sit as he approaches and then ‘mark’ and treat as he does so. The owner rewarding the dog tends to make him less interested in visitors whilst still being pleased to see them. If he is a serious jumper then keep him on the lead and gently pull him away from visitors if he jumps. Wait a few minutes until he calms down and then try again. Reward a sit with lots of attention.

There will always be people who sabotage your training by encouraging him to jump, keep them away from him by providing a safe chewy toy (like a food filled ‘kong’ toy) when they visit.

10. Stand still for examination

This is best done with two people, one to reward and one to examine the dog.

As one person touches the dog gently on its side and neck the other stands or sits in front of the dog and ‘marks’ and rewards for him standing still. If he sits then gently lift back into a stand and ‘mark’ again for standing.

Gradually build up the amount of touching to include teeth, feet, ears etc. If the dog looks uncomfortable or worried, back up and take it more slowly. Tastier rewards may help.

To keep him still while you cut his nails you can smear some cream cheese on the fridge door (or something else that’s easy to clean) and trim while he licks it off.

11. Toys & Games

Playing fetch and tug are great energy burners and most dogs love to play both. There are a few rules to follow to make sure you can minimise any problems.

Teach your dog to give up an item when you ask. Start with a toy he quite likes (not his all time favourite) and get him to take it in his mouth and tug a little to get him interested. Then gently ask him to leave as you stop tugging. If he drops the toy then ‘mark’ and give him a treat from your pocket. Immediately restart the game once the treat has gone.

If he doesn’t drop the toy (much more likely!) gently take hold of his collar to stop him backing off with it and place a treat from your pocket on his nose. When he drops the toy to eat the treat ‘mark’ as he lets go. Pick it up while he is chewing and give it back to restart the game.

When he drops the toy in anticipation of the treat you can gradually start missing out some of the food treats and reward him with the opportunity to ‘get it’ again.

From now on only allow him to take toys from your hand after you have told him to ‘get it’. If he takes without permission then simply walk away without playing.

If he continually runs away with the toy keep him on the lead and use high value treats to swap for the toy until he understands it’s more rewarding to play with you than against you.

Try with lots of different toys and objects until he is happy to take and give up anything.

If he ‘accidentally’ catches your hand or clothing with his teeth whilst playing tuggy then an ‘ouch’ said with feeling and an immediate end to the game should be all you need to make him a little more careful in the future.

The further you can throw a toy the more fun your dog will have. Try using a ‘chuckit’, a ball on a rope or even a ball and tennis racquet!

12. Emergency stop

Decide whether your dog prefers to sit or lie down for this exercise. Start with the dog on lead a little way from you (tied up or held by someone else to stop him creeping forward). ‘Mark’ and reward even if he takes some time to work out what you want. Once he is consistently getting it right you can try it off lead in a safe place.

Most dogs tend to want to move towards their owners for their reward (It’s not surprising since treats usually come from the owners hand!) so to stop this you will need to:

1. take a step or two towards him as you signal ‘sit’.

2. as you ‘mark’ the action throw the treat or toy over his head so the reward is coming from behind him.


Use easy to see treats so he knows where to look. Cubes of cheese show up well on most surfaces.

Once he understands the game you can throw treats or toys that are harder to spot. Most dogs love using their noses so having to search makes it even more rewarding!

Keep it fast and fun, this exercise can be a life saver.

A great place to polish the emergency stop is when you are playing fetch with toys. Pretend to throw the toy and then ask for a sit while the dog is moving away. When he stops you ‘mark’ and throw the toy past him. The dog gets used to listening for the command even when he’s really excited

Many greyhound types will be happiest with the emergency ‘stand’ rather than a sit or down. Wait until they are standing completely still before you ‘mark’ and reward.

13. Making rewards random

Once your dog fully understands an exercise and gets it right every time you ask you can make the rewards much more unpredictable. It’s a bit like getting your dog hooked on gambling, he never knows what reward, if any, is coming so he stays in the game to find out.

Reward the best responses to a command (eg the fastest sit, the quickest recall) with the things he likes best (eg high value treats, tuggy games, greeting his friends).

The average responses with lower value rewards (eg praise, dry biscuit).

The poorest responses should earn him nothing.

This way you will always be polishing up his behaviour.

14. So where do I need to train?

Unlike people, dogs rely very heavily on clues from the things around them to make decisions about how to behave. Just because you have taught him that ‘sit’ means put his bottom on the floor when you are in the kitchen with a treat in your hand it doesn’t mean he automatically understands ‘sit’ in the park when you have a tennis ball in your pocket and there are pigeons nearby.

You will need to train in lots of different places (probably about 8 – 10 ) before he really understands a command.

Places could be:


· in the park,
· in the street,
· in your garden,
· in someone else’s garden,
· outside the supermarket,
· inside the pet shop
· and anywhere else you find yourselves.

You will also need to build up the distractions gradually, with lots of repetition and lots of rewards, before he can perform as well on a busy day in the park compared with when you are there on your own. The good news is that the more you teach the faster he will learn new things, so you will need to do fewer repetitions in fewer places with every new exercise taught.

15. How do I stop him from doing the wrong thing?

The most effective way to tell your dog he is going wrong is by the removal of something good that he was expecting. For example, you put his lead on for a walk and he starts barking with excitement. Instead of joining in with the noise and shouting at him it is much more effective to quietly say ‘no’ after the first bark. If he barks again take the lead off and go and read a book for 5 minutes (or however long it takes for him to stop barking). Done consistently it won’t take long for him to learn if he continues to bark after the verbal ‘no’ his walk will be delayed.* That’s a big punishment for the average dog!

* Compare this with rushing to get out of the house to minimise the noise in the short term. This will give him the high value reward of a walk for barking. Next time he’ll bark more!

Walking away from something he pulls towards when on the lead or refusing to pet him when he jumps up are also good examples of this type of punishment.

If you are in a situation where he is about to wee on the carpet, jump on a visitors white jeans with muddy paws or steal a sandwich from the kitchen bench you can also use the quiet ‘no’. To begin with he won’t pay the slightest attention to it so you will need to get him glancing up at you for a moment. The easiest way to do this is by clapping your hands, slapping a book on the table or similar. (but don’t overdo it, it isn’t necessary to scare the furry pants off him!) You will have given yourself a second to tell him what you do want him to do. (Asking him to sit works for most emergencies). Then give him an appropriate reward for the sit.

©2006 of the author and illustrator:
Alex Johnson BSc (hons) PGCE Adv. Cert. Canine Behaviour & Training

You are welcome to print off copies for personal use.

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