Hints & Tips

• Your dog needs and wants rules and structures in his / her life. You and your family must also abide by these rules. Only in this way does your dog feel completely secure and at ease. 
• Always remember: You are the protector in everyday life. Your dog is oriented towards you, not the other way around. Your dog needs you.
• You (the sender) are responsible for your dog (the receiver) understanding you. So use your voice and body language consciously and in a dog-friendly way.
• Always apply praise and corrections deliberately and purposefully and, above all, at the right time. If praise and corrections do not make sense to your pelt-nose or trigger a wrong link, then your dog will feel insecure in certain everyday situations. 
• Study your dog's body language and get used to seeing it. 
• Learn about your dog's character and breed specific characteristics in order to set or know limits and to be able to judge his / her reactions in certain situations. 
• You must protect your dog. Even if your dog has to allow it, it is not okay if it is constantly touched by strangers without being asked.
• Just because someone may have always had dogs doesn't automatically mean they really know how to handle them. Accept that and keep learning. More progress has been made in dog research in the last 10 years than in the previous 70. And thats why I keep on learning.  

Practice and situations in everyday life:

• Please do not use flexi leashes. These are not conducive to human-dog communication and can disrupt it considerably. It is better to use short leashes and towlines. Under no circumstances should the towline drag on the ground without constant connection to the dog handler. 
• I personally prefer to attach the leash to the dog's harness. But this is not always possible with every dog and sometimes requires special training. 
• Tip if your dog is not orientated towards you at all: You first go through a door, through a gate, across the street, around the corner. You always go first in these situations! Get into the habit. This way you also make sure you have the overview. 
• You and your family members should not constantly and pointlessly call out your dog's name.   
• A cat should get food before the dog gets its food. And of course the dog is not allowed to touch the cat food. This way you can regularly train impulse control. 
• Let your dog eat in peace. Do not disturb your dog unless it has a (training) purpose.  
• Please look into dog food, treats and the right rations for your four-legged friend. Pay attention to whether your dog has heartburn, whether he scratches, how his / her poops look, the condition of his / her fur, skin and teeth. No grains and no sugar should be the absolute minimum you look out for! Remember: dogs' needs change as they get older. Therefore, the food must also change. 
• Allow your dog to rest. Let him / her sleep without disturbing.
• Dogs find it rude if you just pat them on the head from above. (Rather stroke him / her from the side, on the cheek or on the ear.) Some dogs may even react fearfully when a hand reaches above their head. Many will pull their head away, so watch that and you'll understand what I mean. Many eventually get used to this rudeness. Nevertheless, make sure that strangers, in particular, approach the dog in such a way that your dog has a chance to see it coming and that they don't just grab him / her above the head. 

• Your dog is not a possession. Your dog is a living being with needs and rights. This should be clear to all members of your family.