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Posts Tagged ‘boundary training’

Does your pet dog like to leave the yard and go cruising who knows where? If your dog is one of those that takes off and leaves your property, you are going to love this advice on boundary training. Not only is it safer for your dog to stay at home, but you can relax without worrying if he’s sticking around the yard, rather than off who knows where

Boundary training your dog so he doesn’t run off to chase something or someone, or cause some other kind of mischief is just part of being a responsible pet owner. It is easy for a loose dog to find trouble or even get hurt by a car or from a fight with another loose dog. Boundary training a dog that runs loose like that, is a very good idea. Even if your puppy or dog don’t already have a problem leaving the yard and wandering off, boundary training is a smart idea-it will be much easier to train for if they have not already discovered the joys of cruising the neighborhood (looking for cats or garbage or other fun stuff). Obviously, boundary training your dog is especially important if you don’t have a fence around your yard to keep him in. I had a black Lab that used to love to chase after other dogs-not to fight,just to play, fortunately-but it used to drive me crazy that she wouldn’t come back when I called. This pointed out that I obviously had a second problem-my dog wasn’t coming on command. I’d have to stop whatever I was doing and go get her.

Eventually, I decided to teach her to stay at home. Once I took the time to train her on the boundaries of her “territory” she became really good at resisting temptation. You can get your get your dog to stay home, just by using these tips, and keeping at it until the results are good-just be patient. Boundary training is not fool-proof, but it sure beats ignoring the problem.

For the best on-line guide to training and caring for your dog,  check out Secrets to Dog Training.

Try using these simple tips to boundary train your dog to stay in his yard.

1.   Take some string or rope, and make a boundary that your dog can see around the perimeter of his area. Put your dog on the leash, and begin to take a walk around the yard- walking near the perimeter but staying a couple of feet inside the boundary. If your pet decides he wants ot go across the line, just tug on his leash to stop him, and firmly command “no”. When he comes back to you, praise him and give him his rewards-affection and a treat. If he doesn’t get it right away, don’t fret or get mad at him-just reward him for the right actions and emphasize the positive reinforcement. Try dong this several times daily for perhaps 15 minutes at a time. Your dog should pick up on the idea that he gets praise and treats for staying inside the boundary.

2. For the next step you should put your doggy on a lead about 20 feet or so long, with the idea being that your dog will not be feeling your control this way. As he cruises the yard and nears the line, be ready to tug and say no before he actually can cross the line. You will need to keep repeating this training several times daily, and be sure to reward him for listening and not crossing that boundary marker.

3. Once he seems to have the basic idea, let’s give him another test to show how well he has learned. Put some temptation across the boundary marker. Ask someone in the family or a friend (perhaps another dog?) to stand on the far side of the line. In case he gives in to temptation, make sure he is on his leash, so you can correct him before he can cross over the line.If he is not really boundary trained well yet, he may try to cross. Oh well, just return to the step before, and keep working at it-he’ll get it after enough practice. Throw a toy or his ball across the boundary-that’s a sure-fire way to test him. If your dog can stay on his side and not chase his ball or toy, he is ready to move forward with his training-off the leash.`.

4. It is now time for his final test-off leash. Have your dog get used to walking along you inside the boundary in the heel position. When you bring your dog out into the yard, get in the habit of walking him around inside the boundaries before any other activity-this will help with reinforcing the idea in your dog’s mind. So, try walking with him loose and if your dog hasn’t been boundary trained properly, he’ll cross the line. Hopefully your work has taken effect and he will stay in-if so, congratulations.

It is definitely worth taking the time, patience and effort needed to teach boundary training to your dog, especially if you don’t have a fenced yard. You will feel horrible if something happens while your dog is out running around so don’t ignore the boundary training he needs.

For some really great information on boundary training and all other behaviors you should look at Secrets to Dog Training. To find out more about this fantastic dog training book, click here. Secrets to Dog Training Review