This is about making sure that the exercise is thoroughly understood. Sometimes we think the dog has understood but actually has some confusion. For example, if I leave my dog on one side of a jump/hurdle and stand on the other side, I could teach my dog to come to me by jumping the hurdle. Have I taught my dog to jump a hurdle on command? 

Not really, he will probably only do it if he is heading towards me. I have to teach it again with the dog going away from me. What if I set the dog up out of line with the jump? Would he still jump the hurdle or would he come to me around the hurdle? This shows how exercises need to be proofed. We need to be sure that the dog understands the exercise completely.

To proof an exercise you need to encourage the dog to "go wrong" so that he learns what is "not right". For example, teaching a dog to stay involves clicking and rewarding when he stays put. Although this can be built up to longer stays, are we sure that the exercise is thoroughly understood? To proof the exercise we encourage the dog to move (perhaps by dropping a ball or titbit on the floor, clapping our hands etc) then communicating that he has been unsuccessful. Repeat the exercise until he stays put and ignores the deliberate distractions - click and [big] reward!

This page was updated on 29th May 2007