Training

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TRAINING FOR SINGLE-LEVEL COLLARS
(UL-250 and RF-250)

Once you start your dog's training, the dog will not have any "FREEDOM" in the yard at all, the dog must be on a leash or line of some type with no access to the training flag line. DO NOT TAKE YOUR DOG OUT OF THE YARD FOR WALKS. This confuses the dog. If you must take your dog out of the boundaries take the collar off and transport them over the line by car or carry them over the line. Once you start training your pet, complete all 14 days of training consecutively-no matter how well you think the dog is doing. After your dog is completely trained on the system you can create an "imaginary gate" for walks.

Arm yourself with plenty of treats! Anything that is quick to eat is great (ideal is slices of hot dog quartered as long as your dog doesn't have a sensitive stomach). Treat your dog nearly to excess….we want to make sure they are happy at the start, during, and after each training session. Occasionally during training back them up 3-5 feet from the flags and toss a few treats on the ground for them to eat. If at any time your dog doesn't take treats from you or the ground (establish that the treats are effective first!) you need to back them into the middle of the yard and give praise, play, and affection until they are taking treats again.

DAY 1: Have your dog on your left side and the collar attached to the leash and dangling next to your dog's head (but without the prongs touching). Give your dog a very short leash so that you may direct their attention. Reach down and smack the flag occasionally with your right hand (at this point you should hear the warning beep from the receiver), give your dog a leash correction, and pull them away from the flags. Repeat around the yard in different areas for 10-15 minutes. TREAT! TREAT! DO NOT put the collar on your dog. A verbal correction isn't necessary while training unless you want to stay consistent with your existing obedience training (ex. "Leave it", "No", or "ahhh") Repeat 2-3 more times (better to keep the training short and sweet and repeat more often)

DAY 2: Repeat day 1

DAY 3: Repeat day 1 again, but after you have worked your dog for about five minutes put the collar on the dog for the first time. Walk toward the flags. When your dog passes the flag and shows a reaction to the stimulation from the collar give a leash correction and pull them inside the flag line. TREAT! TREAT!

DAY 4: Repeat day 3 until your dog will not go willingly to the flags. When this happens DO NOT drag your dog up to the flags. Allow your dog to have a bit of extra freedom on the leash (10-15 foot training lead is excellent), but be ready to hold them if they go into the correction zone. When your dog does stop at the correct place-praise them and give treats. If the dog doesn't stop allow them to walk into the signal wait for their reaction, give them the leash correction, and pull them inside the flag line and give a treat on their side.

DAY 5: Repeat day 3

DAY 6 through 10: Set up distractions to tempt your dog into challenging the correction zone. You want your dog to realize that there is no reason to challenge the flag line....even for their favorite things. (ex. Treats, balls, sticks, kids, other dogs) Toss, or have the temptation cross the flag line in front of your dog. Allow them to go past the flag line into the correction zone, but don't let them receive the "reward". Hold them, give the leash correction, and pull them into the yard. Praise them on their side and treat them (with the temptation).

DAY 11 through 14: Start SUPERVISED "drop leash" playtime (leash dragging behind your dog) if your dog is consistently unwilling to cross over. Do this at low-traffic times of the day for your area. Gradually introduce temptations.

Your dog should be ready to go off-leash by day 14. Supervise initially, expecially during high distraction times. Begin removing flags by taking out every other flag if your dog consistently chooses to stay in the yard during "drop leash" training. Expect your dog to test the system in the areas where you have removed the flags. Allow your dog to adjust for 3-5 days and continue with every other flag until gone.

If your dog doesn't seem to react to the collar: 1) check for proper fit…keep the collar high on the neck under the jaw line above their regular collar 2) check the signal with your test light 3) call our office…your dog might need a stronger collar.

CALL THE OFFICE WITH ANY TRAINING QUESTIONS. MOST DOGS ARE TEXTBOOK, BUT YOUR DOG MIGHT THROW YOU A CURVE BALL! WE'VE SEEN EVERYTHING! 636-405-0400