Every session follows this structure. Doesn’t matter which phase, which stage, which day. The skeleton is the same.
The Structure (5-10 Minutes)
1. Warm-Up (1-2 min)
What: Light engagement work. Not the main event — just getting connected.
- A few marker reps (YES + treat) to wake up the system
- 3-5 hand touches or eye contact marks
- If she’s sluggish: a little movement, some playful energy
- If she’s already amped: skip straight to obedience gate (below)
Purpose: Establish that training mode is ON. You’re present, she’s present, you’re connected.
2. Obedience Gate (30 sec)
What: One piece of obedience that earns the right to play.
- Sit (solid) → then the game begins
- Down (once it’s reliable) → then the game begins
- Later: sit-down-sit sequence → then the game begins
Purpose: Structure. The game doesn’t start for free. Obedience is the key that unlocks play. This is how obedience gets woven in — not as a separate session, but as the entry ticket.
3. Main Work (3-7 min)
What: Whatever your current phase and stage calls for. Tug drills, fetch reps, walking practice.
- Follow the stage-specific drills
- Watch for signs you need to rescue the session
- Keep reps crisp. End each rep clean. Quality over quantity.
4. Cool-Down (1 min)
What: End on a win. Always.
- One easy rep of something she’s good at
- A calm marker sequence (GOOD… GOOD… treat… GOOD… treat)
- Gentle handling or calm praise
- Release with Break — session is over
Purpose: The last thing she remembers is success. This is what makes her want to come back tomorrow.
The Rules
End on a Win
Non-negotiable. If things went sideways, find something she can succeed at — even if it’s just a sit — and end there. A session that ends in frustration teaches her that training is frustrating.
One Objective Per Session
You’re working on one thing. Not tug AND fetch AND walking. One stage, one focus. If you have energy for a second session later in the day, that’s a bonus — but each session has one job.
Treat Placement Matters
- In position: Treat between front paws for down, at nose height for sit
- Reward where you want her: If she’s in a down, deliver the treat to the ground. Don’t make her reach up.
- Speed matters: Treat should arrive within 1 second of the marker. Slow rewards = confused dog.
You Control the Energy
- Your energy sets the ceiling. If you’re amped, she’ll be amped.
- Tug sessions: bring intensity. Get excited. Play.
- Obedience moments: calm down. Lower your voice. Slow your movements.
- The contrast teaches her to match your energy — which is arousal regulation.
When to Train
Best time: Whenever it actually happens.
The old program locked sessions to specific times. This one doesn’t. Your schedule rotates. Some days you’re home at 2:30, some days at 7. Train when you can.
Guidelines:
- Not right after a meal (wait 30 min)
- Not when she’s dead asleep (give her a minute to wake up)
- Not when you’re angry or frustrated about something else (she reads you perfectly)
- After a potty break is ideal (she’s awake, relieved, ready)
If you only have 5 minutes: That’s a session. Warm-up (30 sec), obedience gate (15 sec), 3-4 reps of your main work, cool-down (30 sec). Done. That counts.
Tracking Progress
You don’t need a spreadsheet. You need to know two things:
- What stage am I in? Check the hub page for your current phase.
- Am I hitting the “ready to advance” criteria? Each stage lists them. When you hit them consistently across 2-3 sessions, move on.
If you want to jot notes, keep it simple: date, what you worked on, how it went in one sentence. But don’t let tracking become a barrier to training. Doing the session is more important than documenting it.