4 SMALL tips for your dog that have a BIG impact

ONE

Focus on Focus: Handfeed every meal

Commit, for just one week, to ditch your dog's food bowl. Get yourself a little pouch or baggie, and pay them with their food for giving you direct eye contact.

Ignore the urge to say their name, give a command, or make kissy noises. This is about rewarding their choice.

TWO

Be consistent with boundaries

If you pick and choose when you enforce boundaries with your dog, they will pick and choose when they listen.

Consistency is a tool used to remove confusion.

THREE

Deliberate reinforcement

What is reinforcing to your dog? Food, toys, eye contact, physical touch, verbal attention, and even laughter.

Reserve those things for moments when your dog is behaving appropriately. Be mindful of when you might be accidentally reinforcing an unwanted behavior.

FOUR

Encourage independence

There is a difference between your dog enjoying your company, and your dog needing you to be there to feel okay.

Use confidence-building activities and build up a duration place-stay to promote independence.

Small actions have big impacts.