Training Explained

Crate

First, please read a detailed crate training handout from Blue Man Dog: here.

Crate training is a fantastic tool for house training, behavioral wellness, and the key to decompression. We require all of our fosters to crate their dogs at night, when they are away from home, and here and there while home to avoid negative connotations for when left. Some dogs take to it immediately, while others will need more support, and all dogs to get a hang of it with practice and consistency. 

  • Dogs are not permitted to sleep in bed with people as this is a sure way to create separation anxiety. 

  • For the first few weeks, use the 3-hour rotation during the day while you are home, 1 hour in the crate, out for a potty break, then 2 hours hanging out in the house. Repeat until bedtime. Being in the crate while you are home normalizes the crate instead of it just being the place they go when you leave.   

  • Learning to be left home alone is imperative. We ask that starting from the first day, fosters leave the dog home alone in the crate for at least 1+ hour each day quickly moving to longer periods (more on this in the Week 1 Routine).

Walks

Leash manners are an important skill for all dogs. We ask that fosters attend at least the first 3 classes and beyond if called for. We will email you with the exact time and date, but please plan to be in Highland Park on your first few Sunday mornings after your initial week of adjustment. We will teach you some basic techniques and ask you to practice these skills at home starting in quiet areas. Walking with the dog is also a great way for them to bond with you!

House training

Dogs coming from the shelter will need reinforcement on house training, even if some may have lived in a home before. Crate training helps support house training as dogs are reluctant to make a mess in the crate, but it is advised that fosters give their dogs breaks to go outside every 3 hours while learning. If your dog has an accident and is caught in the middle of the act, you may correct with an EH EH or NO and take them outside. Please do not correct any accidents found after the fact.

Boundaries and thresholds

Communication and relationship building begins in the home. Dogs thrive with structure so we ask fosters to implement these house rules: 

  • Off the furniture - couch, bed, all of it. 

  • Out of the kitchen while food is being prepped. Ask for a distance away from a resource like food while you prep their food or your own. This goes for begging as well and no human food. Ask for 5 feet in any direction or more. Apply pressure by walking toward them while saying “out” 

  • Waiting for calm before being invited through thresholds before a walk. 

This also helps prepare dogs to be well-behaved, sharpens their ability to yield to you in low-stakes scenarios, creates handler relevancy, and heightens their ability to be adopted and remain in their adopter’s homes. 

Affection

Please limit affection for the first couple of weeks. Overwhelming a new dog with cuddles might seem comforting, but it can increase the chance the dog will develop separation anxiety which is the starting place for many behavioral problems. It is important to let them get used to their new home without the pressure of interaction from you and learn that affection is on your terms, not when they ask for it. This is even more important in a home with multiple dogs so they can bond with each other and do not start competing over human attention. 

When to and how to pet

We fall into the habit of petting our dogs unconsciously and all the time! Giving affection affirms a state of mind. A dog that is feeling anxious, wary, possessive, insecure, or pushy may nudge, lean, paw, or demand a pet. Please do not affirm these behaviors. Instead, to ensure engaging the right state of mind, make sure that YOU call the dog up and initiate and end the pet. Only touch your dog when they are calm and do not invite excitement. If touch stirs them up, remove your hands and re-engage when they are calm. Make these moments intentional, infrequent, and earned.  Asking your dog to come up also allows the dog to give their consent for touch. 

An excess of affection can create an unbalanced dog. If your dog is struggling with anxiety, crate training, leash behaviors, or bonding with other humans or dogs, we suggest pulling back on affection.

Extras

Basic obedience

Sit, down, paw are great tricks to show off to adopters  

Acclimation to the car

Begin with frequent and short rides so the car becomes familiar and fun. Some dogs struggle with anxiety in the car and may need to sit in the driveway a few times before going anywhere. Tether them to the back seat headrest, tie a knot in the leash and slam it in the door, or use a crate. Practice around the car is key!

3 categories of socialization: people, places, and pups! 

Exposing the dog to new people, new places and getting them time around other dogs is important to their growth. We coach fosters through how and when to start exposing the dog to new people and places (see Week 1 Routine). City liability rules bar dog parks for foster dogs. Consequences for any kind of incident with a foster dog are high, so please respect these rules and exercise caution. Dogs in our program will have the opportunity to socialize with other dogs at leash walking class and playgroup. We can also connect well-matched foster dogs for playdates.