Espresso Dog Training

You just brought your brand new dog home. Whether you just purchased or adopted a puppy or an adult, you’re probably wondering, Where do I start?

Well, this post is designed to help you answer that question! Of course, this is purely my own opinion, and you may find other trainers suggest other behaviors. We’re all individuals, and we all prefer to start off with different behaviors.

Naturally, it also depends on the individual dog. If I’m working with a human aggressive dog, for example, there are some behaviors that I’ll put on the back-burner(like nose touch). If I’m working with a fearful dog, there are some behaviors that I teach in the very beginning(like nosework games).

These three behaviors are being suggested on the assumption that you have a new puppy or an adult dog with no major behavioral problems like aggression or fear.

Also, I’m not including potty training in this list because I think it’s something everyone really focuses on(I hope). I think it would just take up space when I can share behaviors that not everyone automatically thinks of, but can be extremely valuable.

So here they are! My Top 3 Behaviors that I think all owners should be teaching their dogs:

NUMBER ONE: NOSE TOUCH
First of all, I think Nose Touch is way undervalued. Teaching your dog to touch their nose to your hand has an incredible number of uses, but let’s start with the most obvious: You can move your dog without touching him. Some dogs suffer from pain that we can’t always see, and being physically pushed and pulled can exacerbate that pain. This is one reason so many dogs turn around and bite their owner’s hand when they’re physically pushing or pulling the dog.

Another reason dogs bite when being pushed or pulled is because, well… How would YOU like to be pushed or pulled around? Even as a child, my family didn’t use their strength to “dominate”(AKA bully) me. Most parents agree that this doesn’t actually teach their children to listen to them or follow them, but can create problems – like the child no longer wanting to hold their parents’ hands, or even becomes angry and lashes out when their arm is grabbed.

I bring this up because this is one area where raising a child and training a dog are similar: No one wants to feel like they never get a say in where they go or what happens to THEIR body.

Anyways, Nose Touch takes away any tension that might be there, because your dog can make the decision to move their body. Whether your dog is in pain, or simply doesn’t want to be pushed/pulled around, giving them the option to move on their own is really the best thing you can do.

In addition, Nose Touch works as a great “Initiator” signal! For more information on Initiator Signals, please watch this video!

NUMBER TWO: AUTOMATIC SETTLE
In my opinion, not enough dogs are taught how to automatically relax. I see dogs taught to “Go to mat” in order to relax. I see dogs that never calm down until they’re made to calm down – being put in a crate for bed time, and no other relaxation during the day. I see a lot of cued/commanded relaxation. But it is so rare to see dogs who are able to just exist. No cues, no commands, no direct interaction.

I’m going to be honest. I’m forgetful. When I say that, I mean I’m pretty sure my ability to remember things is broken somehow. I can be in the middle of a lesson with Ember, go to grab something for our lesson, and then completely forget that I was in the middle of a lesson with her! Thankfully, the “auto Settle” that I taught her, allows me to sometimes forget to engage with her. Because she’s able to handle that, and can simply relax when I’m not working with her.

The reality is, I don’t know how other dog owners survive without an auto Settle. I don’t know how I survived without an auto Settle for my dogs before Lobo. This behavior is just too incredible to live without.

NUMBER THREE: EYE CONTACT
But maybe more than just “Eye Contact.” Maybe “Focus” would have been better, but Eye Contact is easier for most people to understand.

Anyways, the point is, if Eye Contact isn’t one of the first behaviors you teach… How can you expect to teach anything else? Especially when you start getting out in the “real world” with your dog. Other things should become environmental cues for your dog to look right up at you for further instruction. I know it’s difficult to teach – believe me, I know – but it’s so freaking important.

If you ever want to take your dog off leash, they have to know how to look for/at you. If you ever want to work with your dog in distracting areas, they first have to know how to look at you. Above all else, the ability to look at you when things are going on around them is perhaps the most useful behavior your dog could ever have!

All three of these behaviors are valuable, and honestly, I think you’d be hard-pressed to teach your dog anything before you work on these behaviors. There are many more behaviors that I think are important, but these are without a doubt my Top 3, and the ones I teach almost every single student of mine!

Happy training!