In the exciting (and challenging) journey of bringing a new dog into your life, training is just as important as nutrition. Renowned dog trainer Tom Davis shares his invaluable dog training tips on his YouTube channel through his Puppy Training series, which also incorporates some hidden gems on nutrition (you named it.. he adds Brutus Broth to Burley’s meals), dog training tools, and general dog health.
We’ve compiled four important takeaways from Tom Davis’ training videos with ways to incorporate nutrition seamlessly:
1. Building Engagement with your Pup
From the very beginning, Tom Davis emphasizes the significance of establishing engagement. Teaching your dog to focus on you (with a “look at me” or “look” command) will give you the baseline needed for effective additional training, especially when distractions come into play. What does this look like? It’s not the most complicated dog training tip in the book: reward your dog anytime they look at you and add the the cue, then practice the cue and reward when they listen. They key here is to randomize where the reward is coming from and slowly add distractions.
How to integrate nutrition into building engagement with your dog:
Rewarding your dog with treats during training session is key and is an opportunity to add extra nourishment, especially for picky eaters. You can use your dog’s kibble if you feed them kibble, or you can incorporate functional treats such as Brutus Bone Broth Biscuits.
2. Early Leash Training for your Dog
Once you’ve established good engagement, another fundamental that Tom Davis emphasizes is early leash training. When you gradually familiarize your dog with leash pressure, you can help guide your dog through understanding and listening to the leash instead of pulling against it.
How to integrate nutrition into early leash training:
Ensure that your dog is getting fed a balanced diet to prevent them from going for scraps and weeds due to malnourishment. By adding a splash of Brutus Bone Broth to their diet (kibble, dehydrated, raw, fresh) you’ll ensure that they’re getting the nutrients and minerals needed for natural gut detoxification, plus the added glucosamine and chondroitin for hip and joint support.
3. Introducing Dog Walking Commands
As you’re introducing leash pressure to your dog, Tom Davis advocates for focusing on small increments of incorporating commands like “heel” and “break” to start to build towards off-leash training. It’s important to practice both the “heel” command and the “break” command together to make sure that you stay in control of the walk.
How to integrate nutrition into walking commands:
Training during meal times, or right before mealtimes help keep your dog incentivized alongside distractions. By training when your dog is hungries, they are more incentivized and more likely to be receptive towards learning.
4. Place Command Mastery for your Dog
The “place” command is pivotal in teaching your dog to target specific locations. Think of the vet when you need to get them onto the table or the scale. Tom Davis teaches how to introduce the “place” command by incorporating any surface and leash pressure or your body to reinforce the desired behavior. For dogs who need a bit more guidance, Tom Davis recommends using the No Bad Dogs Biothane Slip Leash as an aid to control your dog in a comfortable way. Any surface will do here - elevated, a piece of cardboard, a mat, etc. Similar with the walking commands, practicing “place” and “break” “ok”, “off”, or some sort of an ending command is recommended to be paired together.
Integrating nutrition into mastering the place command:
Practicing the “place” command during mealtime can be beneficial, especially if you’re crate training and feeding in the crate. Remember that a balanced diet is just as important as training, and incorporating Brutus Bone Broth into your dog’s meals can give them the nutrient boost they deserve. With added glucosamine and chondroitin, plus the natural detoxifying properties of Brutus Bone Broth, you’ll make sure your dog is nourished and satisfied after a day of training.
Make sure to check out Tom Davis’ Puppy Training series on Youtube to follow along, check out his line of No Bad Dogs, and learn more about how to give your dog the nutrition they deserve at brutusbroth.com!