10. Include activities they enjoy
14. Include games they like
15. Include fetch
16. Include tug
17. Include some competition
19. Add water (for Zachary)
20. Add scenting (for Beau)
22. Include interaction with me
23. [Include] Rapid motions
24. ... like spins
25. ... or chasing26. Add finding things
31. Include toys
43. Include things they already know how to do
44. Include things "just for fun" (tricks)
87. Incorporate more "life" rewards
Replace Boring
1. Use a variety of cookies
2. Have action activities
12. Use different props
39. Break "boring" stuff into bits and work on them separately
32. Have a toy box just for training time
33. Have a special reward at the end of training
38. Try many different warm-up activities
54. Come up with creative distractions
69. Try to make a game for every activity
70. Make games that work on bits of boring things
72. Create a freestyle "routine" to work on heeling (ie: to music)
Mental Stimulation66. Include thinking games
67. Challenge their minds
68. Include problem solving (ball in the box) activities
Class Environment
11. Hold class in various locations
18. Go outside
35. Train at the pet store
36. Train in the park
37. Rent Wendy's yard
41. Have stations in various rooms of the house and moving from station to station during one training session
63. Create a class room
73. Bring in outside things to augment training
Class Pacing3. Less quiet/down time
7. Don't do anything for too long
8. Be organized before I start
9. Keep the waiting dog waiting for less time
21. Reduce distractions
28. Shorter training for a particular thing but more time overall
29. Swap the dogs more frequently
46. Don't let the camera slow things down
Class Structure
27. Include other people in the family
30. Train them together
34. Train with a friend
47. Incorporate more of what I want to train in everyday activities
49. Break it up into morning, afternoon, and evening sessions (2-3 minutes each)
50. Ask for behaviors right before something they want (like a walk)
71. Take a day off and do nothing but fun/known things
78. Give the non-working dog something to do while waiting
85. Stick with at least 5 days a week
Class Content6. Don't do the same thing every day
13. Make the exercises look different
42. Turn on lively music (Stars and Stripes forever!) 45. Don't try to do too many things at once
52. Spread out things they don't like so we aren't working on more than one at a time
65. Include "harder" things so they have to think
88. Include training of behaviors that will allow them to do things they would really enjoy
94. Finish behaviors so they can show them off - they love the attention!
96. Have a "recital" once a week for family - they love the attention!
Class Instruction
4. Keep the lesson understandable
5. Reduce frustration
40. Understand what I'm training before I try to train it
48. Have son do some training
56. Try different approaches to explaining something to them
57. Keep track of what works and what doesn't (to avoid the first and do more of the later.)
64. Throw a party when they succeed
74. If something isn't working, stop doing it
75. If something is working, do more of it
81. Work with their instincts
89. Fun in contagious - figure out what I enjoy and include that too
95. Show off things trained to family - they love the attention!
53. Be enthused about things they don't like (maybe it'll be contagious)
59. Don't get upset when things don't go well
60. Don't wrap my self-worth up in their success/failure
61. Don't focus on the negative, focus on the positive
79. Show more enthusiasm for small successes
80. Be genuine with praise
84. Be more fun to be around during training
86. Don't blame them if they don't learn something - it's the instructors fault
90. Remember that they want to please - it's my job to see they are successful
91. Punt early if something is obviously not working
92. Don't give up on something too soon, give it time to work
93. Push through "the wall" (90% done, and holding)
97. Don't be the teacher you hated in school
98. Do be the teacher you loved in school
99. Don't compare the dogs
100. Don't try to train them the same way
My Action Items
51. Figure out their learning style (is there a list of dog learning styles?) and try to accommodate them
55. Come up with creative training methods
58. Check YouTube for ideas about making training fun
62. Create a sign that says "My Dogs are the Best" and hang it up where I can see it when class starts
76. Ask other people how they keep training fun
77. Find a training partner for Zachary
82. Figure out what their instincts really are!
83. Watch how they play together and see if I can use some of those behaviors during training time
101. Discover what motivates them, and use it
102. Discover what is demotivating, and avoid it
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