| During the summer months, dog owners have the | | | | beyond the line. Remember to give your dog a |
| tendency to be outside much more with their | | | | correction every time he begins to step over the line. |
| pooches. This is all well and good-- until dogs start | | | | Now, following the instructions above, work the |
| bolting down the street, disappearing from the yard, | | | | boundary with your dog by walking it as often as |
| chasing kids or other dogs, and causing general | | | | you can. This technique is much more effective when |
| mayhem. These problems often cause dog owners | | | | coupled with the heel exercises you can watch in |
| much stress. Every dog owner has at least one story | | | | your dog training videos. |
| of their dog getting into trouble, and sometimes | | | | Branching Out |
| danger, because of these stunts. | | | | This technique will work for any amount of space, |
| Fortunately, these behaviors are relatively easy to | | | | including large areas. It has been used with areas as |
| train for, assuming that you do it correctly. I decided | | | | big as two acres! When training for any boundary, |
| to speak with a professional dog trainer about this | | | | the important thing is that you do it the same every |
| very subject, and the following are the answers I | | | | time. Every time you take your dog out, you need |
| was given. Mind you, it's never an excellent idea to | | | | to walk the boundary. Some dogs catch on to |
| have your dog untethered where he could get away | | | | boundary training very quickly-- some take a little bit |
| and even into danger. But this training makes it much | | | | more work. But all dogs are creatures of consistency. |
| easier to keep tabs on him/her and will make your | | | | If you do it the same way all the time, they will learn |
| dog much more easily managed. Here is the | | | | what you want from them. |
| step-by-step formula, as told to me by Paula the | | | | This exercise works best when coupled with "Heel" |
| Professional Dog Trainer. | | | | training. To watch two FREE dog training videos that |
| Step one: Make a Boundary | | | | will explain step-by-step how to train your dog to |
| Make a boundary that the dog can see-- use flags, a | | | | heel, go here: free dog videos. |
| painted line on the ground, etc. If you have woods or | | | | Good Applications |
| a curb handy, these will work as boundaries as well. | | | | One good way to use this technique would be to use |
| Step Two: Teach Your Dog the Meaning of the | | | | the grass/curb in your front yard to form a |
| Boundary | | | | boundary. You can use the leash techniques outlined |
| Put a leash on the puppy and walk along a couple | | | | above to train your dog not to cross the curb into |
| feet from the line. Then every time the puppy goes | | | | the street. Another application for this technique is to |
| to cross the line, give the puppy a little tug and tell | | | | warm up into exercise by working this method for |
| him "No" to get him to stay on my side of the line. | | | | about fifteen minutes before you exercise your dog. |
| Once you achieve success while walking them on the | | | | Working through a training exercise with your dog |
| leash, put a long-line on them. (I would stay twenty | | | | before allowing him to run around and play not only |
| or thirty feet back.) Then let him go out and do his | | | | builds a positive attitude towards training, but will help |
| thing. As soon as he starts to cross the line, give him | | | | you to better manage him by limiting his exercising |
| another tug. | | | | room to the boundary you taught him. |
| Step Three: Advance to "Hard" | | | | A third way to use this method is to use it inside |
| When the dog was really good in those | | | | your house. If there is a room that you don't want |
| circumstances at staying there, then try doing things | | | | your dog to go into (or come out of), use this |
| to entice the dog to cross the line. Roll a ball over | | | | technique to boundary-train your dog. |
| the line, or have another dog or person stand or play | | | | |