In This Chapter The Heel Free and Figure 8 exercises The Drop on Recall exercise The Retrieve on the Flat exercise The Retrieve Over the High Jump exercise The Broad Jump exercise Out-of-Sight Stay exercises After you obtain your Companion Dog title from the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) Novice class, you’re eligible to enter the…

In This Chapter Discovering retrieving basics Retrieving with your help Retrieving on his own Retrieving with distractions Most of you aren’t too thrilled about having Buddy lug your possessions about. You’d prefer he limited his retrieving instincts to his own things. Many dogs like to retrieve, or at least chase, a variety of objects. For…

In This Chapter Doing the Stand for Examination exercise Transitioning to and accomplishing Heeling Off Leash Perfecting the Recall exercise Excelling at the group exercises Chapter Getting Ready to Compete introduces the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) Novice class and its goal — the Companion Dog title. That chapter gives an overview of the six required exercises for…

In This Chapter Introducing your dog to competition Preparing for the Pre-Novice and Novice classes Getting your dog’s attention Heeling and doing the Figure 8 Participating in the Rally class Reinforcing your dog’s training If you and Buddy enjoy working together, the sky is the limit. You can participate in obedience competitions and earn obedience…

In This Chapter Understanding what it takes to be a Canine Good Citizen Identifying the tests Cramming for the tests Helping you and your dog pass the test To demonstrate that Buddy has achieved the training level that you want for him, you may want to consider taking the Canine Good Citizen test. Many dog…

In This Chapter Understanding what aggression is and what causes it Managing dogs high in prey drive, fight drive, and pack drive Dealing with a dog who’s aggressive about his food bowl Working with a fear-biter Knowing how to handle an attack by another dog Digging up the scoop about electric fences The term aggression means different…

In This Chapter Understanding some typical behavior problems Knowing your options for dealing with problems Managing noisy or destructive behavior Dealing with your dog’s separation anxiety Contending with soiling, dribbling, and carsickness Does your dog have what you think is a behavior problem? Does Buddy bark too much, but otherwise behave like a model dog?…

In This Chapter Getting yourself (and your dog) ready for training Distinguishing between leashes and collars Balancing fit and safety concerns Taking advantage of training treats Dog training is no different from any other activity — you need the right equipment for the job. Many choices are available to you, and in this chapter, we…