Dog trainer Will Atherton has revealed four daily tasks that dog owners must complete to improve their dogs’ behavior. In a new YouTube video, Atherton explains his training tips that owners should work on each day. These tips are intended to improve your dogs’ behavior both inside and outside your home.
The trainer’s tips are as follows:
1. Walk to heel
Atherton’s first essential is for your dog to learn how to walk to heel. This means that your dog is always walking by your side, stopping when you stop, and being fully focused on your movements when you’re outside the house.
You can teach your dog how to walk to heel here.
Walking to heel is crucial behavior training, as it will prevent your dog from running off to other dogs and getting lost on long walks.
2. Crate training
Crate training is Atherton’s second tip. The trainer explains that if loose-leash training will resolve the majority of your dogs’ behavior problems outside the home, then crate training will do the same inside the home.
You can learn how to crate-train your dog here.
Crate training will teach your dog to be comfortable when in their crate, and if you’re an active dog owner who routinely travels, this will be vital. Alternatively, crate training can give your dog their own safe space inside your home. This will make them comfortable with being separated from you as an owner.
3. Threshold training
Atherton emphasizes the importance of “threshold manners” in his third tip, which is whenever a dog goes from one environment into another. This includes going through gates, stiles, or crossing bridges. Atherton states that your dog should not be barging in front of you. As the trainer notes, your dog should be politely sitting or waiting until their owner has traversed the threshold safely.
4. Impulse control
Impulse control is essential for any dog owner. Atherton notes that dogs will naturally be inclined to run off in all different directions. However, impulse control ensures they aren’t overtaken by these distractions. You can learn how to avoid chasing behavior here.
Watch the video below:
