Premier MannersMinder Instruction Manual page 50

Chapter 12: Game 5 – Down Stay w/Distractions
If you want, you can also work in more intense
distractions where you toss the toy. As with the
earlier steps, at first present the distraction as
Fido's receiving his treat. When he's good at this,
then present the distraction more randomly.
Step 6a: Knocking on the Door
Send Fido to his "place" with treats coming every
:03 seconds and knock on the door. Time all knock-
ing to occur while Fido's eating his treats. If he's
very reactive to knocking, then start with soft knock-
ing and even just knock on the walls. Make sure
that you knock softly enough so that he doesn't bark
or you may accidentally reinforce his barking. When
Fido's relaxed and completes 2 one-minute sessions
in a row, go to Step 6b.
Step 6b: Repeat with louder knocking (but not loud
enough to make Fido bark). When he's relaxed and
nonreactive for 2 one-minute trials in a row, go to
Step 6c. You may need to insert additional steps
where you gradually increase the knock volume until
you're able to knock full force.
Step 6c: With treats coming every :03 seconds,
knock on the door with full force, but time the
knocks randomly. When Fido's relaxed and nonreac-
tive for 2 one-minute trials in a row, go to Step 7. If
he barks more than once or twice, immediately go
back to Step 6b or you may accidentally train him to
bark more!
Step 7: Opening the Front Door
Send Fido to his rug, then stand by the front door.
With treats coming every :03 seconds, close and
open the front door. First, time the distraction as
his head's buried in the MannersMinder bowl. Then
when he's nonreactive, time the distraction random-
ly. If he gets up to run to the door, just block him or
close the door and wait patiently until he decides to
go back to his rug. You may first have
Step 6a: Knocking on the Door
Checklist
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Step 6b: Louder knocking,
timed with treats.
Checklist
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Step 6c: Now time knocks randomly.
Checklist
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Step 7: Opening the Front Door.
Checklist
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