How I Stopped [YOUR DOG'S NAME] [THE PROBLEM, e.g. Jumping on Visitors]

[START OF GUIDE: FOR YOU, NOT YOUR READERS. DELETE EVERYTHING FROM HERE TO "END OF GUIDE" BEFORE YOU PUBLISH.]

[How to fill this template in honestly]

[END OF GUIDE]

Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you buy through my link, at no extra cost to you.

[OPEN WITH ONE REAL MOMENT, IN TWO OR THREE SENTENCES. Example of the kind of detail that works: the evening your dog knocked a visitor's coffee out of their hand, or the walk where you nearly lost hold of the leash.]

That was life with [YOUR DOG'S NAME], my [AGE] [BREED], back in [WHEN IT STARTED, e.g. the spring of last year]. This is the story of how we fixed [THE PROBLEM, IN PLAIN WORDS, e.g. jumping on every visitor], what made the difference, and what we're still working on.

Life with [YOUR DOG'S NAME] before

[DESCRIBE AN ORDINARY DAY WITH THE PROBLEM. One or two specific scenes beat a list. What did your dog do, where, and how did people react?]

[SAY HOW IT FELT OR WHAT IT COST YOU. For example: avoiding having friends over, dreading walks, or a neighbor complaining. Only include what's true.]

What I tried first

[WHAT YOU TRIED BEFORE, AND WHY IT DIDN'T STICK. Keep it fair: don't criticize other products, trainers or methods by name.]

Dan Stevens, the professional dog trainer behind Secrets to Dog Training, makes the point that dogs are always learning, even when we don't think we're training them, so a lot of well-meant habits teach the opposite of what we want. [SAY WHETHER THAT TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE FOR YOU, AND HOW.]

Finding Secrets to Dog Training

[HOW YOU CAME ACROSS IT, IN ONE OR TWO SENTENCES.]

Secrets to Dog Training is a 256-page, full-color eBook by Dan Stevens, a professional dog trainer. It covers over 25 behavior problems with photos and step-by-step instructions, and it's laid out so you can go straight to the problem you have. [SAY WHICH SECTION YOU READ FIRST, e.g. "I went straight to the section on jumping on people."]

If you'd like to look at it while you read the rest of this, here's the Secrets to Dog Training page (affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).

The first thing I changed

[KEEP THE ONE PARAGRAPH BELOW THAT MATCHES WHAT YOU REALLY DID FIRST AND DELETE THE OTHERS. Then add a sentence or two in your own words about how you put it into practice.]

The first rule I took on was about the recall word. Dan says you should never use it to scold your dog or call it for anything it won't enjoy, because the dog learns that "come" means trouble.

The first rule I took on was catching mistakes in the act. Dan's point is that a dog can't connect a telling-off with something it did earlier, and that rubbing a puppy's nose in its mess teaches it nothing. I stopped scolding after the fact and started rewarding the right behavior on the spot.

The first rule I took on was to stop giving commands I couldn't back up. Dan explains that calling a dog that's busy chasing something, when you can't make the command happen, teaches it to ignore you.

The first thing I changed was who goes first. I started asking [YOUR DOG'S NAME] to sit before the food bowl went down, and I went through doorways first, which Dan teaches as part of being a calm, strong pack leader.

The first thing I changed was my own body language. Dan points out that posture, eye contact and tone of voice really matter to dogs, so I started paying attention to how I stood and how I sounded.

[ADD ONE OR TWO SENTENCES ABOUT HOW YOU PRACTICED: how often, for how long, and who in the house was involved.]

What changed, and how long it took

[DESCRIBE WHAT CHANGED, USING THE SAME KIND OF SCENE YOU OPENED WITH. Give your real timeline, e.g. "After about three weeks of short sessions..." Only describe what actually happened.]

[IF YOU USED THE MEMBERS' FORUM, SAY WHAT YOU ASKED AND WHAT HELPED. If you didn't use it, delete this paragraph.]

What still isn't perfect

[ONE THING YOU'RE STILL WORKING ON, IN A SENTENCE OR TWO.]

I'm not alone in that. Plenty of the owners who reviewed the guide say the same. Cara McLean, whose German Shepherd Jack was nearly given up, wrote: "Jack still pulls on the lead he has good days and bad days but we are working on it." Training is something you keep doing, and having the book to go back to helps when a new problem turns up.

What's in the package

For anyone thinking of trying it, here's what you get for the one-time price of $39.95:

It comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, and over 220,000 dog owners have used it.

Who I'd recommend it to

[WHO YOU THINK IT SUITS, BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE. For example: first-time owners, people with an adopted dog, or anyone with a dog that has more energy than manners.]

[WHO YOU THINK IT ISN'T FOR, IF ANYONE. An honest line here builds trust.]

One thing I'd say to everyone: if your dog has bitten someone, or you think it might, use the book alongside in-person help from a qualified professional.

[ONE CLOSING SENTENCE ABOUT YOUR DOG TODAY.]

See Secrets to Dog Training for yourself (affiliate link)