What is the key to dog training?

Your relationship or bond with your dog is the key to training. It's about understanding your dog's instincts, psychology and motivations and responding to them appropriately. At Building Bonds Dog Training, we teach people to guide their dog through a bond of trust & respect, reflecting proper energy and establishing your leadership.

How do I get my dog to stop pulling on the leash?

It is very natural for a dog to instinctively pull on the leash and lead you on a walk. They want to determine the direction to follow their curiosity. They want to set the pace and they often want to go FAST.

Allowing your dog to tug on the leash poses a safety risk for you and your dog. It also gives your dog the impression they are in charge. Over time, leash pulling often leads to “reactivity” (described below).

Training with Building Bonds Dog Training begins with leadership — both in the house and on the walk. We’ll work with you and your dog to teach loose leash walking and give you exercises you can do throughout the week to improve the walk. We’ll start in a low distraction environment and gradually increase distractions with success. Patience and consistency are key along with aligning daily routines to model leadership and boundaries.

Why does my dog react with barking and/or lunging at other dogs on a walk?

We call this reactivity. This is a very common behavior especially in dogs who are allowed to walk out in front of their human. In your dog’s mind, he is leading you. It’s his job to guide you and protect you. The solution is to establish leadership with your dog in all aspects — daily routine, the walk and obedience work. Once established and with your dog walking by your side with a loose leash, their brain is in “follow mode”. They can relax under your guidance with no need to protect you. Your calmness and confidence as we repeatedly expose your dog to their triggers acts to desensitize them. This process takes time and guidance of a Building Bonds Dog Training expert.

Does my dog pick up on my energy?

Dogs are amazingly perceptive — they will perceive your emotions, energy and attitude AND reflect it back to you. So before you work on obedience training, it’s important to consider YOUR energy. If you greet your dog with excitement, your dog will exhibit excitement through jumping, nipping, even barking. If you feel anxious when approaching other dogs on a walk, your dog will pick up on that energy and become anxious, potentially reactive, on walks.

If you model calmness and confidence, your dog will learn calmness and confidence.

How do I correct excessive barking?

First, let’s define excessive. A few barks to alert you of something is not excessive. If your dog consistently and frequently barks for 30 seconds or more, this is worth correcting. Second, let’s make sure your dog’s need for exercise is met. Dogs need at least 45 minutes per day of exercise to release pent up energy. Third, who is the leader of your pack? If your dog thinks they are the pack leader, then it’s their job to protect and this can result in excessive barking. Building Bonds Dog Training can help you establish your leadership so your dog can relax. Never yell — to your dog, it sounds like you’re barking as well and they see that as cause for concern.