Practical Protection: Fundamentals of Play Training Obedience

 The Importance of Obedience

Foundations and Starting Bite Work

Understanding the importance of obedience is crucial before beginning any bite work. The process starts with dogs who are eager to play and work. For younger dogs especially, initial training should be stress-free and centered around playful interactions. Tug play is an excellent way to introduce control work, allowing handlers to practice having the dog release objects on command.

Obedience is present in every aspect of training. There must be a clear signal for when work starts and when it ends. The real focus is not on teaching the dog to bite, but on teaching them to stop. This approach applies to dogs of all ages and sets the stage for further training.

Incorporating Obedience into Play and Bite Training

To begin, use a tug toy—such as a piece of leather or burlap attached to a string or rope—to encourage the dog to chase and engage without risking your fingers. A flirt pole is shown in the video with this blog, which resembles a fishing pole with a leather piece attached via paracord, is highly effective. This method involves making the dog chase the toy, then occasionally allowing them to catch it, followed by a short tug session. Afterward, have the dog release the toy or attempt to retrieve it if the dog becomes distracted, then reset and repeat.

It's important to remember that these toys belong to the handler, not the dog. When playtime ends, take the toy and store it away. Allowing the dog to keep the toy can result in it being destroyed or the dog developing a habit of keep-away. Always finish with the toy in your possession.

Building Control and Confidence

During this phase, handlers should begin integrating obedience commands into play, raising the dog's energy and excitement levels while maintaining control. This added challenge is an important step for developing advanced control, as it's more difficult for the dog to respond when highly stimulated.

All training remains within the context of a game, with clear rules of engagement as well as keeping the experience enjoyable for both the dog and handler. This approach ensures that everyone involved is engaged and learning in a stress-free environment like your home or our training field.

Achieving Success Together

This stage is crucial for building the dog's confidence, as well as the handler's trust in their ability to manage the dog. By fostering mutual confidence, you lay the groundwork for a strong partnership and a companion who is ready for any adventure.

Here at Dogtrainercrystal.com we offer live in person dog handler training workshops for all dogs in training practical protection.  Consider joining a one day play training fundamentals workshop with your new dog in training with instructor Ed Marshall.