Timing is Everything with Andre Yeu

This Training Tuesday we highlight the wonderful Andre Yeu of When Hounds Fly Positive Reinforcement Dog Training and Behaviour.

Andre graduated from the prestigious Karen Pryor Academy of Animal Training and Behaviour and was certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.He founded When Hounds Fly Dog Training in January 2010, and has since seen another location added. Currently he teaches Puppy Socialization and Foundation Skills classes at both locations.

Want to take your dog training to the next level? Focus on improving your timing.

Most people know the basic principle of positive reinforcement training, which is to reinforce good behaviour. That means asking your dog to sit before you give them attention, or wait until being released to eat dinner, or rewarding your dog with high-value, super tasty treats when they come to you at the park (and you know we recommend Bullwrinkles/Barmsdale Farms at Talent Hounds as all natural, local, human grade).

Underlying this basic principle is an emphasis on the importance of timing! For your dog to understand what you’re trying to teach, it’s important that as soon as your dog does the behaviour you want, you immediately deliver the reinforcement they want.

For example, if you are house training a new puppy, as soon as they finish eliminating where you want them to, quickly bend down, praise, and put a treat in their mouth. If you take ten seconds to take the treat out of the bag that’s in your pocket, by the time you give the treat to your dog, they will not associate that treat with the behaviour of going potty outside, and your house training won’t progress.

Another common mistake in timing occurs when training a stay. For example, many owners will ask their dog to wait before being released to eat their dinner. They’ll ask their dog to wait while they put the food bowl down, and only after they say “OK” is their dog allowed to go eat. A common mistake owners make is they say “OK” just as the dog was starting to get up, so the dog never learns a solid stay.