Now this is quite a big topic to cover but what does it mean?
Impulse control is ones ability to stop and think before acting on something. For a person, this may be thinking about crossing the road before you actually do, or thinking about the consequences of saying something to someone you don’t like. Generally we know that there will be a consequence to both of these situations if you choose to act before thinking. It is our duty to our dogs to teach them the exact same thing.
Now this may be different to many people, you may wish to stop your dog from barging out the front door, jumping out of the car without being told to, running off after another dog etc.
Just like most training, there should be a consequence and a reward. Dogs will want to avoid the consequence and seek the rewards.
Now the word consequence can be interpreted differently from person to person, and can also be different in each teaching scenario. Lets take learning not to barge out of the door as an example. For this you would ask your dog to sit, as you move towards the door the dog gets up, the consequence here is a verbal negative marker (ahah/no etc) and taking the dog back to the same spot. You repeat this as many times as it takes. If you make it to the door without a movement, you return to the dog, praise and treat (the reward) You then repeat the process in stages, trying to put your hand on the door handle, then putting the handle down, then opening the door a little. Keeping the dog on a lead in case you need it.
A consequence in a different scenario maybe a check with the lead for pulling or barking, a change of direction on a walk for barking, pulling or lunging.
Impulse control comes in to play with chasing balls, dummy’s and other animals too. Longlines can help with this to establish your expectations with your dog. It is better to start small and build up, play fetch with your dog and have them on a long line, hold the line as you throw the ball a short distance, then release the dog to fetch it, praise when they return. Any movement when you are throwing the ball should be dealt with in the form of a verbal negative marker and re seat the dog.
Use your dogs natural instinct to try to engage with some control.
Controlling your dogs impulses can really help toward recall training in many different situations, so i urge everyone to practice this in a way that your dog sees it as a fun game.
Have fun with your dog, after all its why we have them
xx