Look closely at the dogs’ eyes and faces.

Who you are to your service dog is everything!

People and dogs don’t run away when there is something better to do.

It’s all about being part of something really great.

When the relationship is right, all things are possible.

Look closely at the dogs’ faces.

If you want the same results as in these pictures, be fair and kind.

Integrity is what goes on when no one is looking.

With every privilege, there is a corresponding duty.

Sometimes doing the right thing is a little scary at first.

Doing the right thing is a reward in itself!

Please also view “ALL ABOUT OFF-LEASH TRAINING” for our latest OFF LEASH OBEDIENCE methodology information.

The idea is to get your service dog to listen to you.

How well your dog responds to you is directly proportional to your ability to engage him or her. Mostly, you engage your dog with your attitude which is reflected in your voice. Your voice alone should be enough to engage your dog.

If your dog does not focus on you, then you will probably not be able to engage your dog and get him to be calm or obey commands.

Your ability to get your service dog to respond to you is directly proportional to what your dog thinks of you as a person. Speaking with authority and conviction are imperative if you want dogs, or people, to respect and trust you.

You mostly want to focus on getting the dog to listen to your voice by practicing first with little things like stop sniffing, playing, whatever with nothing more than a, “Hey, Hey,” or clearing your throat. Some people have a special unique sound they use for each of their dogs. You start with little things, then work up to the big things. This is what we call Passive Obedience versus Active Obedience which is working on obedience commands.

You don’t need to train your service dog to do everything but to simply just be obedient, the rest follows. Either dogs are obedient or they are not.

The words you use are not so important, but the tone, pitch, volume, and intensity you use are. Dogs only have a few dog words, “Woof Woof, Bark Bark and Whine Whine.” We are not dogs and even we usually can tell what they are whining or barking about. Most people calling dog trainers are remarkably monotone.

Everything sounds the same. Some are baby-talkers while others are screamers. The answer is to make your voice match the intention and be rich in emotional content.

The more training a dog has, the more it will pick up on subtle nuances in your intention. The better a trainer is, the more their voice will be rich with emotional content. One little sound out of the trainer’s mouth can control six dogs or more. This is what we are doing here at DogAnswers Ranch and what our trainers teach people in their homes in seven states now.

Who you are to your dog is what matters most. Respect and trust are paramount.

WHAT REALLY MATTERS MOST

Being together still and calm with people or other dogs teaches cohesiveness and about being a small part of something big.

The dogs focus on being together with the “On The Bed” command rather than just not moving as with “Stay.”

For Off-Leash obedience, many dogs need to be taught to stick close. It is hard to get Off-Leash compliance if the dog does not know how to relax and hang out indefinitely first.

Think of it this way: Off-leash obedience away from the house is “Stay” together with me indefinitely and do what I say.

What most people really want who call for dog training is to be able to hang out with their dog. “Down-Stay” while your on the computer or the kids are doing their homework is how you teach your dog to be mellow.

It is not that your dog knows something, but that you are working with him/her. It is not about the commands or even the quality of the interraction you have with your dog; it is WHO YOU ARE TO YOUR DOG, a real somebody your dog lives for at-your-service. How do you get that you ask? The only way we know is you getting out the leash, if necessary, and making your dog “Stay” for a couple hours a day while you watch TV, are on the computer, or talking with friends.

For this to be effective though you will need to follow through with the “Stay” command 100% of the time no matter what. No matter what you cannot let the dog break the command or you must take the dog back immediately and back the dog down so it stays and does not move even if you walk away. Forget leash corrections, penny cans and spray bottles, you need to be able to literally look your dog in the eye and have him know that you are not taking NO for an answer and aspire to back up everything you say, especially “Down-Stay.”

In the spiritual realm, your tools are love, praise, affection, fun, and friendship. In the physical world, you have your voice, attitude, posture, body language and hand signals to get your dog to do things for you.

Look closely at the dogs’ faces and eyes.

“Stay” is the one where you find out if your dog respects you or not.

It’s not just about another command, “Stay” creates a lot of tension and makes dogs want to be with you and come when you call. “Stay” is the opposite of “Come” and many dogs have a hard time with “Come” unless they learn “Stay” first.

The Most Important Command

The most important and first skill that needs to be mastered is to get your dog to go away from you. Some people use “Out,” we use “Go On.” For many dogs, there will be no “Stay” or “Heel” or stopping jumping without the owner being able to get the dog to go away first.

The clients who call and say they are having problems with “Come” and “Stay” are usually the same people who forgot all about “Go On” and failed to notice that “Go On” is the #1 item at the top the homework sheet. If the dog breaks “Stay” or “Heel,” you need to be able to challenge your dog back to the spot or to get behind you.

Think of it as a triad: Go Away-Stay-Come What you are doing is controlling where the dog is. Dog owners that can’t get their dog to go away from them are like people with cars with no reverse gear.

If you are having problems with not getting your dog to retract away from from you when appropriate, it could because your dog is hard-headed, dominant, controlling, was taken out of the litter prematurely and never, or inadequately, learned inhibition during the early development.

People often say their dog does all the command perfectly, but also say they have no control over their dog when it matters or when it gets aggressive. The problem is they ineffectively challenge their dog and have an animal that knows it can hold its ground and blow off the owner. “GO On” teaches dogs that they need to take you seriously or there will be immediate consequences and you will take action unless they do what you say immediately.

“Go On” is primal and essential if you want a dog that respects your personal space, is not pushy and controlling, listens off-leash, and listens off-leash with distractions.

The dogs with Separation Anxiety are in distress or worried, but inappropriately make it your problem. If your dog has this, you need to tell him or her, “”Go On” and get a life and get used to not being with Mommy constantly.”

The dog doesn’t need therapy or Prozac, it needs to “Go On” and get a life and do what you say. Why? Because you say so. Remember, this is obedience, “You need to look, think and feel what I tell you because I say so. I know what is best for you and you need to trust me. I insist.”

Just as your dog is born knowing only life, you must teach him that you are not the only thing in the universe that matters. It is kind of hard to teach a dog autonomy when you can’t tell him to “Go On” and keep away from you.

The best servicwe dog training method is the one that actually works.

Service Dog School of America teaches techniques, but also we make the dog owner the dog handler. We teach clients proper posture, timing, body language, voice tonation, inflection, and attitude. We make sure the dog does everything for the client. It doesn’t matter if we can train your dog. What matters is the dog responding to the client.

It is important to calm your dogs’ mind so you and your dog(s) can hang out together without all the yelling and constant correcting bad behavior.

 What we do is more about who you are to your dog versus how much time you spend on training and conditioning.

 95% of the problems people have with their dogs are about relationship out of whack and inconsistent leadership in the household

 Leadership is also the key to dog owners controlling their animal’s instinct and genetics. You are not a leader, and only deluding yourself if you think you are, if your dog will not lie “Down” from 20 feet and “Stay” for 20 minutes (submissive) and “Heel” with the front paws at least 12 inches behind your feet (subordinate)

 We are primarily behavior trainers. What that means is that there is not going to be any real obedience unless your dog stops jumping on people, whining, and not being really, really pushy and demanding.

The Original Service Dog School of America Demo Team

Most dog trainers are no better at training dogs than you are. . .

People call and write from all over the world asking, “We had two, three, even four and five trainers out, how come nothing is working?” Because the dogs doesn’t “Down-Stay” and/or “Heel” is why. That, and the dog does not like being told the “Go On” command.

 The dog is not on “Heel” if you complain about dog or people-aggression while on leash. We never before saw a dog get aggressive behind the owner, aggressive dogs are always in front of the owner and the person can’t back the dog down. ALWAYS!

Forget about behavior problem solving if your dog will not “Down,” and “Stay” for 30 minutes to an hour and will not walk behind you or go away if you say “Go On”–basic fundamentals of dog training and obedience.

Most dog trainers euphemize their inability to get your dog on “Heel” and turn that into a positive selling point by calling it “Loose-Leash Walking,” the dog can walk in front as long as it is not pulling or they call “Loose-Leash Walking” “Heel” mistakenly. Pausing a minute or two with no distractions is passed off as “Stay.”

This is why most dog trainers don’t have hardly any pictures to show you of dogs off-leash and don’t have many successes you can see with your eyes. “Sounds good” is a lot different than “Wow! Look at these pictures of dogs.” The rubber hits the road in your checkbook when the training doesn’t work. Then you have to hire another trainer. Many sincere dog owners have paid three and four dog trainers and behaviorists and still are NOWHERE.

If your dog trainer can’t get dogs on “Heel,” “Down,” “Stay” and to do “Go On” they are not having any more success than most dog owners on their own—who usually don’t have many pictures of well-trained dogs to proudly display either.

It is very important to teach your dog to wait and be very calm.

Our big secret is we get dogs to be good citizens and relax around their people first.

Certain things have to happen or you can forget about having an obedient dog.

If the dog will not “Down” and “Stay” for 60 minutes or longer, it is not submissive. If it won’t walk unrestrained behind you, without you having to use prong collars, choke chains or head halters, it is not subordinate to you.

Don’t forget to teach your dog that being obedient and performing commands is the most wonderful thing in the world or your dog will look like Archie the Border Collie Mix on the right. Archie mostly cares about the ball. Our program is dog psychology, following through, and getting dogs to want to be good.

 PHILOSOPHY

You will never get Off-Leash Obedience or control with Food-Bribery You need to win psychologically, manage the dog correctly, follow through with commands every time and form a love bond with the dog. Compulsion and Food-Bribery are not enough. You need to get the dog to want to cooperate just because the dog loves you and trusts you.

A realistic and effective dog training program!

No other pet dog trainer in North America is going to have anything remotely close to what you see here. If you are going to spend money on dog training with someone else it doesn’t make sense because we have something that is a million times better that ALWAYS COSTS LESS because it actually works. Look at the pictures.