Training the Humans: Is Everyone On The Same Page?
by Christy Caplan
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August 8, 2017 
August’s Positive Pet Training Blog Hop theme is: “Training the Humans”. How do we get strangers or even our own family members to help and not hinder with training?
So! I’m excited about this month’s topic.
Here’s why! I’ve learned a lot about how to train my family (husband) as we have two dogs that are reactive on leash and the leash training needs to be SUPER consistent. That not only means my husband but our dog walker and pet sitters.
Top Five Ways to Ensure the Humans are Trained:
- Make it easy: notify all humans what the rules are and where the “good stuff” or training treats are kept (for us this is strip cheese and deli turkey) so no one leaves on walks without lots of treats.
- Agree to some basic commands and a marker word: Our marker word is yes! Treat = yes. Everyone is also required to ask for sits at corners and look at me games when Walter and Shermie are walked. That’s it – two games are played while they’re out and about but it only works when all the humans do this regularly.
- All the humans also use, “all done!” when it’s time for training or playing to come to an end. We even use this when we’re out of treats and ready to relax on the couch.Pat Miller writes a great article in Whole Dog Journal about this.
- Something we’re doing lately is ignoring Bruisy’s attempts to get treats when he demand barks. Bruisy is old and it’s REALLY hard not to just give him what he wants but we had to put a stop to this demand barking so it’s ignored by all of us humans.
- Routine is the best medicine for our dogs: The most important training for the humans is to keep the routine for the dogs whether someone is traveling or has a super busy schedule that day – that is non-negotiable!
Thank you to….I’m so excited to join the Positive Pet Training blog hop with Tenacious Little Terrier, Wag ‘N Woof Pets, and Travels with Barley. Please join us in this hop by posting your positive pet training stories. The hop remains open through Sunday.
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This is so important! I sometimes have to correct my hubby when he uses the wrong word for a cue, such as “down” instead of “off” when Luke jumps up. I do all the dog training, so I chose the words and we know that consistency is vital. We use hand signals too, so I have to be sure he knows those. I probably should set up separate training sessions for the hubby! 🙂
I also wanted to say that we use “all done” too (with a hand signal), and it’s the only way we can get Cricket to listen if we had to stop her ball play sessions. Funny story – one time my sister was pet-sitting and I had forgotten to tell her that (this was when Cricket was younger and harder to stop). She had to call/text me and ask how the heck to get Cricket to stop playing!!
Isn’t it crazy how effective all done is!? I have to use that and the “black jack dealer” hands when I say it too so they see that I have nothing for them. I bet your sister was laughing! We have that issue too with the ball! That’s hilarious!!
I use the same hands too (I couldn’t think how to describe it!)
Oh me too – and honestly something my hubby will just so things his way on walks which makes me crazy! And then I’m immediately so grateful he walks reactive Sherm and then reactive Walter and I’m over it! But the consistency is why it all works!! Help!!
It is good that your hubby does at least walk them. Mine does not, unless I ask him to go with all of us. He does play ball with them though, so at least that’s something. And I don’t have to worry about him messing up my walking rules! 🙂
Be grateful you don’t have him messing up the walking rules as mine refused to do a U-turn the other day with Walter and he was totally over threshold as a result! I was mad 🙂
We don’t have a lot of rules at home (Mr. N generally has pretty good house manners) but the ones we do have are clear and set. He has to wait for permission before eating and not go in the kitchen etc. And everyone knows the rules including the dog!
I love the kitchen rule you have in place. We clearly got that all wrong — I frequently have to fill kongs for everyone or at least make sure they are all walked and tired as Sherm likes to sit and stare!
Hmmm, any suggestions on what to do with the human who just can’t remember the simple rules?
Getting increasingly frustrated that my “come” cue has been poisoned by my husband who uses it when he wants the dog to leave the cockpit of our boat, stand up so he can put her harness on, and do myriad other things.
I’ve told him the cues to use but he is the original absent-minded character.
I guess it’s time to figure out all new cues for me to use and not expect the hubby to use them at all?
Oh I’m so with you – My husband is the exact same way, there are so many commands I use and he goes on to use them in a completely different way! I actually think you may have a point. If you and I just use/teach other types of words we won’t have this problem as much! lol!
Training the uprights…indeed!
We all need some training help!
Oh yes, it’s all about consistency and everyone who interacts with the pups to be on the same page. Very good advice!
Thank you! We are trying!
I love this post! I am so particular about who is allowed to walk Barley because the rules outside of the house absolutely have to be followed if there’s any chance we could see another dog–most of the rules she remembers if people let them slide while they watch her, but those rules go very quickly! When I first started walking her and Rye together, sometimes I wasn’t as consistent about helping Barley remember the rules because it’s hard to reward everybody when you have two leashes to hold onto and then she’d be so much worse on solo walks. Thanks for sharing these great ideas!
Thank you so much! I agree and anytime Walter follows “Shermie’s” lead (agreed impossible to reward everyone and even when I try I fail!) and falls into bad habits he is much worse on solo walks. It’s a hard/fast rule as Walter does everything Shermie does!
Consistency is everything! I had to train my husband too, LOL! He is so lax, it’s unbelievable. You have a great routine going, kudos to you for sticking to it.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Thank you so much – sometimes it’s so exhausting! 🙂 And we all want to just throw in the towel and walk all three together 🙂 lol!