The 4 Stages of training
Acquisition
Teach the dog what the behavior means.
This is where you introduce the skill.
Show the dog what you want.
Use a lure, marker/clicker, food, toy, or other appropriate reward.
Reward the correct response immediately.
Keep sessions short.
Make the exercise easy enough for the dog to succeed.
Example — SIT
Hold the reward near the dog’s nose.
Move it upward and slightly back.
As the dog’s rear touches the ground, mark the behavior.
Reward.
Repeat.
Begin adding the word “Sit.”
At this stage, you’re asking:
“Does the dog understand the behavior?”
Stage 1
Fluency/ Automation
Make the behavior consistent and increasingly automatic.
Now you're reducing the dog's dependence on the lure and increasing your expectations.
Example
Instead of:
Lure → Sit → Reward
move toward:
Command → Sit → Mark → Reward
Then gradually increase:
Speed
Duration
Distance
Handler movement
Precision
For example:
Week 1: Sit immediately in front of handler
Week 2: Sit while handler takes one step away
Week 3: Sit while handler moves around dog
Week 4: Sit while handler is several feet away
The question becomes:
“Can the dog perform the behavior reliably?”
Stage 2
Generalization
Teach the dog that the behavior applies in different situations.
This is where many dogs appear to "forget" their training.They haven't necessarily forgotten.They may have learned:
“Sit means sit wherever we are.”
Change one variable at a time.
Practice:
Location
Living room
Backyard
Driveway
Training facility
Parking lot
Quiet public area
Distractions
People
Other dogs at a safe distance
Toys
Food
Noise
Movement
Handler position
Standing
Sitting
Walking
Facing away
Several feet away
Don’t increase everything at once.
Example
Quiet backyard
→ driveway
→ quiet parking lot
→ busier environment
If the dog fails repeatedly, the exercise has probably become too difficult.
Make it easier and build back up.
Stage 3
Maintenance
Keep the behavior reliable over time.
A trained behavior can deteriorate if you never practice it. Maintenance means periodically bringing the skill back into training.
Monday
5 minutes of obedience
Wednesday
10 minutes of obedience during a walk
Saturday
15 minutes with distractions
You don’t necessarily need to conduct a formal training session every day.
You can incorporate the behavior into normal life.
Stage 4
Acquisition
Dog learns:
Stay near my left side.
Use:
Lure
Marker
Reward Very short distances.
Goal: Understanding.
Goal: Understanding.
Stages of Training
How the stages fit together
Fluency
Increase:
Distance
Duration
Handler movement
Turns
Stops
Goal: Consistency.
↓
Generalization
Practice heel:
Inside
Outside
Driveway
Neighborhood
Training facility
Around controlled distractions
Goal: Consistency
Stages of Training
How the stages fit together
Generalization
Practice heel:
Inside
Outside
Driveway
Neighborhood
Training facility
Around controlled distractions
Goal: Transfer the skill to different environments.
Stages of Training
How the stages fit together
Maintenance
Continue practicing:
During walks
During training sessions
Around distractions
With occasional refresher sessions
Goal: Long-term reliability..
Stages of Training
How the stages fit together