Welcome to Pawsh Park’s blog, where we celebrate the amazing progress of one of our graduates, Millie the Australian Shepherd! Millie has recently completed our dog training course and we could not be more proud of her. She has demonstrated exceptional behavior and obedience skills, which has made her stand out as a model student in our program.
Millie learned quickly and eagerly thanks to our proven method of positive reinforcement. Starting with recall, Millie received high-value treats to learn that coming when called is much more fun than ignoring her name and doing her own thing. This led to her understanding that good choices come with rewards.
We used the “lure and reward” method to teach Millie how to sit and lay down on command. Her keen sense of smell made it easy for her to follow the treats and get into the desired positions. Millie made connections between the behavior and the reward, which allowed her to anticipate the command and respond to it quickly. We then introduced the command word and hand signals, and gradually decreased the use of treats until she could perform the behaviors on her own.
As one of the smartest dog breeds, Millie picked up on the cues and commands quickly. She even mastered the down behavior on her first day of training! We encouraged her to learn at her own pace and made sure she had a positive and enjoyable experience throughout the training process.
Millie also learned how to make the crate a safe and positive place, and we made sure to never force her into it. Instead, we used treats and toys to encourage her to explore on her own, marking her behavior with praise when she voluntarily entered the crate. This approach made the crate a positive experience for Millie, and she now loves spending time in her crate.
We taught Millie how to walk on a leash using rewards and body language. We never yanked on the leash, but instead used a martingale collar and body blocking to encourage her to slow down. Millie quickly caught on to the idea that she needs to keep up with her leader (her trainer), which kept her motivated and focused.
Good grooming manners were also reinforced using positive reinforcement. Millie learned to be comfortable with being handled and groomed, which is a crucial skill for every dog to have.
Lastly, Millie enjoyed supervised playtime with other dogs, which encouraged her to learn good doggy manners, balanced play, and how to take corrections from other dogs. She made great friends with Ranger, the 9-month-old Labradoodle, and had a blast playing with him.
Overall, Millie’s training experience at Pawsh Park was a resounding success. She has demonstrated exceptional behavior and obedience skills, which makes her an outstanding example of how positive reinforcement training can have a positive impact on a dog’s behavior. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with her and her owners, and we look forward to seeing her continue to thrive in the future. Congratulations, Millie! https://www.pawshpark.com/training