Lesson 1 Homework

5 states of communication
Conditioning your "Yes" marker
Correct food delivery
Engagement Games
Straight Line Lures
Teaching Focus

Thank you for entrusting us with this work of helping you achieve your dog's full potential.

Consistency in the communication offered to your dog is extremely important to the success of its training.

The 5 states of communication:

This video covers all 5 states of communication which are laid out in the first attachment.

Download & Print the PDF of our '5 States of Communication'

We recommend printing the 5 states of communication outline and writing in your words of choices for each marker, then posting this document in a location where it can be reviewed by each member of the home. Consistency in the communication offered to your dog is extremely important to the success of its training.

Step #1: Condition your 'Yes' marker

Generally, the higher the value the reward, the faster the conditioning occurs.

Commands or Cues

Our obedience commands are a cue to action. We encourage you to hold off on using obedience cues until your dog is executing obedience behaviors quickly and reliably on lures. This allows us to keep our obedience cues free from any unwanted baggage.

Please print out the pdf of our obedience commands/cues. Adapt as necessary. Space is available if you choose to teach in a foreign language.

Proper Food Presentation: Video 1

Learn how to hold food so it is close to impossible for your dog's teeth to touch your skin

Video 2

Minimize unwanted biting by creating a food presentation with your dog that will allow you to create advanced obedience skills through the art of luring.

Step #2: Engagement Games

Before we can expect our dogs to focus or work through obedience commands, we have to first capture their engagement.

In this video, we break down the foundational steps to building that connection—starting with a glance, food motivation, and a simple engagement game.

Whether you’re just starting out or need a refresher, this is the key first step in building a dog that wants to work with you. Let’s make training fun, focused, and rewarding—for both ends of the leash!

Step # 3: Straigh Line Luring

The Power of Straight Line Lures:

Everything we show the dog now with food in a calm state of mind, we are going to use when we progress to toy play. We first show the dog how to execute the skill in a calm state and then can increase the speed and intensity and thus the motivation as we progress through training.

Another Key Component in this exercise is building the dog's understanding of pushing their nose into your palm. This is crucial for teaching advanced skills, good targeting and protecting your skin from teeth.

Step #4: Create Handler Focus

While you can choose any word for your focus cue, I find it most intuitive to use my dog's name.

Download & Print the Focus Cue PDF for written instructions and exercise.

Food for Thought:

Remember when Jason was talking about how we classically condition our markers and this creates an immediate dopamine response in the body? We want a similar response to happen when we say our dog’s name or cue them into obedience.

If our dogs feel like they are being scolded or are in trouble every time we say their names, they start to hold a grudge. These words become conditioned punishers and this is a dangerous road.

Please read the attached homework. It walks through body language and tone of voice. We can use our body language and tone of voice to motivate our dog or we can use it to demotivate our dog. A demotivated dog shuts down and becomes unengaged.