Training Your Dog For Hallowe’en?
Article by JoAnn Poppie
It’s hard to believe that summer is already over, but we have more important fish to fry, (by the way, salmon, smelt and mackerel are very good for your dog’s need for alpha and omega oils and best fed raw).
What I’m talking about now though is Halloween. “But that’s a little way off” you’re thinking. Yep, but you’ll need to start preparing for it NOW.
Halloween can be a very ‘stimulating’ event for your dog. The door bell rings on and off most of the late afternoon and evening, and there appears tiny humans dressed in costumes and scary monster masks. In addition to all of that, there’s the smell of candy both at the door and being carried by the little monsters.
My Airedale Terrier loved children, (ate two of them a day – only joking) and was convinced they were arriving just to see him. I had prepared for this day by working very hard on ‘sit / stay’ at the front door and we were ready!
Every time the doorbell would ring he sat obediently at the door but nudged the screen just a little bit, to get a better look and a better sniff. By the time the last ‘trick or treat-er’ came he had pushed the screen totally away from the bottom corner and when the little boy proudly opened his bag to receive his treat my dog had a trick for him. He plunged his big ‘ole terrier head right through the screen and grabbed a mouthful of candy right out of the bag!
He reluctantly gave up his bounty, although for some reason the little boy didn’t want it back. Beats me…and him!
When I get hired to go to a home to assist owners in training, jumping on visitors at the front door is often one of the things they want to work on first. The ‘sit / stay’ may be pretty reliable in the family room where they always practiced, but it never occurred to them to work on it by the front door. Unfortunately, whenever and where ever they needed it the most, it was the last place the dog had been trained to do it!
It’s easy to practice the things your dog does best in the situations where he’s most likely to do it successfully. Its in fact its crucial to do it that way when teaching something new, so that your dog achieves success early. It makes training more fun when your dog feels accomplished.
Think about how quickly he learns tricks. Every command, or cue should be taught like that; it will be a lot more fun for both of you and you’ll be shocked by how quickly he learns that way and how he looks forward to learning the next thing that makes you proud!
About JoAnn
JoAnne Poppie is the owner of Poppie’s Puppies and a dog trainer for over 40 years. She lives in Orland Park, Illinois, with her miniature Australian Shepherd ‘Asher’, who is going through his naughty stage. Previously she worked at Pet Smart as a dog trainer but now offers private pet dog and service dog training. Contact JoAnne here
Recommended dog training resources
Training your dog means a happy life together. There are many e-books around on dog training but only a few of them are worth your money. Handpicked from hundreds are the following:
Secrets to Dog Training By Daniel Stevens – The number 1 online dog training guide used by hundreds of thousands of people worldwide
Dog Training Home Study Course by Ray Coleiro – Covers all the essentials and a good option on slightly lower budget
Doggy Dan’s Online Dog Trainer – A video training series where you can pick and choose what you need from the library. First month’s membership is just $1.
Dove Cresswell’s Dog Training Online – A nice basic introduction in a 7 video series.
Get your Free Guides!
Make training your dog a breeze by getting one that’s in tune with you. Help is here in your special free guides.
Getting a new dog or new puppy? Get your Free Quick Start Guide here
Got a dog allergy? Get your bonus Non-Shedding Dogs guide here
Want a good puppy? Your ethical dog breeder checklist here
Want to steal my secrets? Do it here!