Purpose: Condition the click so your dog understands it as a precise promise of reward. The click marks the exact moment of correct behavior. Once conditioned, it becomes a powerful communication tool for both of you.

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Purpose: Send your dog to a designated mat or bed and have them remain in a calm down until released. Use this for guests arriving, mealtimes, when you need space, or any time you need your dog to simply settle.

• Walk your dog to the mat. Say their name then "Place." Once, clearly.
• When they step on and go into a down — click, say "Yes!", reward on the mat (drop food on the mat, not from your hand above their face)
• Give an energetic break: "Break!" Encourage fully off the mat. Click and reward when they fully disengage.
• Repeat: walk back calmly, say "Place," pause. Watch for the automatic down — that's the goal.
• Build duration slowly: 5 seconds → 10 → 20 → 30 → longer over days.
• If they break: leash correction, calmly guide back, no emotion, no repeated commands.

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Purpose: Teach your dog that they do not move through any doorway without permission. You go first — always. This applies to every door, gate, and car door, every single time.

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Purpose: Your dog walks calmly at your left side, shoulder even with your leg, matching your pace — without pulling, drifting, or making independent decisions.

• Get your dog into position on your left side
• Say their name, then "Heel"
• Step forward with your left foot first — this is the signal that movement is beginning
• Leash in right hand. Left hand used for guidance and communication.

• Dog forges ahead: quick leash correction out to the side — a sharp flick, leash immediately relaxes
• Right turn: name + "Heel," turn right, continue
• Left turn: name + "Heel," light backward leash pressure + "Easy," turn left into your dog
• Wrong side: stop immediately, guide behind you to the left, restart. You decide position — not the dog.

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The e-collar is a communication tool — not a punishment device. It is an extension of the leash. Same concept as a leash correction, delivered at a distance. The key rule: if you would give a leash correction, you use the remote.

• Start at the lowest level your dog can clearly feel: ear flick, head turn, soft muscle twitch
• It should never cause yelping, flinching, or panic — come down immediately if it does
• Re-check working level every session

• Nick (tap): quick correction, position reminders, attention-getting
• Continuous: pressure held while dog is non-compliant — released the instant they comply

• Left or right side of neck — never on the voicebox
• Snug — one finger under strap, contact points on skin
• Never attach leash to e-collar strap
• Rotate position periodically. Charge before every use.

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Purpose: A reliable, non-optional recall — your dog comes immediately, directly, every single time. This is one of the most important safety skills your dog has.

• Give "Come" once — do not repeat it
• If they hesitate or ignore: apply e-collar stimulation and guide with the long line if available
• Do not chase your dog — follow through with the tools
• Release stimulation the moment they turn toward you
• Reward strongly every time they arrive
• Practice recall randomly every day — in the yard, during play, on walks. Do not only call your dog when fun is ending.

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The crate is not a punishment — it is your dog's structured space. A dog that is comfortable in the crate is calmer, safer, and easier to manage. Do not stop using it when training is over.

• Use the crate any time your dog cannot be directly supervised — always
• Give a consistent cue — "Crate" or "Kennel" — said once, calmly
• Dog enters and exits the crate calmly — no rushing in, no bolting out
• Never open the crate while your dog is whining, barking, or pawing — wait for calm, then release. Opening during noise teaches your dog that noise works.
• The dog does not come out until they are calm and you give the release
• For dogs with resource guarding or food aggression: feed meals exclusively in the crate

• Feed meals in the crate to build positive association with the space
• Start with short durations and build gradually — do not lock a dog in for hours on day one
• Cover the crate with a blanket if your dog is more settled in a darker, den-like space
• A dog that whines for 10–20 minutes and then settles is learning — as long as you do not open the crate during the noise

If your dog has high anxiety, escapes from standard wire crates, or destroys crates, we recommend upgrading to a heavy-duty option. Standard wire crates are not appropriate for every dog.

• Impact Dog Crates — aluminum heavy-duty crates, virtually indestructible, excellent for high-anxiety and escape-artist dogs
• Dakota 283 — heavy-duty plastic crates built for working dogs, great for travel and dogs who need more containment
• Similar heavy-duty options are available — ask Maddie for specific recommendations for your dog's size and behavior

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Why dogs jump: Jumping is almost always attention-seeking behavior. Your dog has learned that jumping gets a reaction. Even a negative reaction — pushing them off, saying anything, making eye contact — is still attention. And attention is the reward. The dog is not bad. They are doing what has worked before.

• Pushing the dog off — hands on the dog = physical attention. Often reinforces jumping.
• Saying anything — "off," "no," "down," "stop" — voice + eye contact = social attention. Still a reward.
• Kneeing the dog — can work, but timing must be perfect and some dogs find any physical contact reinforcing.
• The most effective approach: zero attention for the jump + give the "Off" command once + correct + reward the sit.

• Put your dog on leash before guests arrive — control before excitement builds
• Ask for a sit before any guest is allowed to greet the dog
• Brief guests: "Please ignore him if he jumps, and wait for a sit before petting"
• Send your dog to place before the door opens — this is your best guest-arrival tool

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Public access is where training gets real. A dog that only behaves in your living room is not a trained dog — it is a dog that behaves in low-distraction environments. The goal at Southern Hounds has always been a dog you can take anywhere. Public access work is how you get there and how you keep it.

• Your dog is not going out to socialize — they are going out to work. There is a difference.
• Tools on before you leave: prong collar, leash, and e-collar if applicable
• Your dog should be in a working mindset — calm, attentive, focused on you — not amped up at the door
• Practice threshold at the front door and the car door before every outing
• If your dog is already over threshold before you leave — do not skip the structure. That is when it matters most.

Everything about heel that works at home applies in public — the difference is distraction. Start in lower-distraction environments (quiet neighborhood streets) before moving to higher-distraction ones (pet stores, busy parks). Build up gradually.

• Your dog's shoulder stays even with your left leg — the standard does not change because you are outside
• Use direction changes frequently in high-distraction environments — left turns keep your dog engaged and prevent drifting toward distractions
• If your dog locks onto a distraction: give a leash correction, redirect with "Heel," and continue moving. Do not stop and wait — keep the walk going.
• E-collar use in public: same rules — nick for position reminders, continuous for follow-through on commands that are being ignored
• Do not let your dog pull toward other dogs, people, or smells. Every correction in public reinforces that you — not the environment — decide direction.

Place is not just a mat at home — it is any elevated surface or designated spot you can send your dog to in a public environment. Practicing place in public builds generalization, meaning your dog understands the command is the same regardless of where you are.

• Bring a portable place mat or use any stable elevated surface — a bench, a curb, a low wall
• The command, the expectation, and the duration rules are identical to home
• Practice place at outdoor restaurants, park benches, and sidewalk areas — anywhere you want your dog to settle while life happens around them
• Reward calm, settled behavior heavily in public — it is harder for the dog and deserves more reinforcement

• Other dogs: your dog does not need to greet every dog you pass. Neutral is the goal — not reactive, not pulling, not fixating. Keep walking. Keep the heel.
• People approaching: ask for a sit before allowing anyone to pet your dog. No sit, no greeting. This applies to strangers too — it is acceptable to say "He's in training, please wait for a sit."
• Children: extra caution with fast-moving, unpredictable children. Keep your dog in a sit or place when children are nearby until you are fully confident in their response.
• If your dog reacts: do not panic. Leash correction, redirect, create distance, reset. Do not expose your dog to the same trigger repeatedly in one session — end on a calm moment.

• The e-collar gives you communication at a distance — use it the same way you use it at home
• In high-distraction environments, your dog's working level may need to be slightly higher than at home — distractions raise the threshold
• Nick for position drift, fixating on distractions, or breaking heel
• Continuous for ignoring commands that the dog clearly knows
• Do not over-correct in public — correct once, clearly, and follow through. Repeated corrections without follow-through teach the dog that corrections in public are optional.

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Once your dog has a solid heel on the leash, the e-collar is layered in to extend that communication — especially for off-leash reliability and high-distraction environments. The collar does not replace the leash. It reinforces what your dog already knows.

• Dog breaks position: nick (quick tap) at the same moment you would give a leash correction — then guide back into position. Pressure off the moment they are correct.
• Dog fixates on a distraction: nick to re-engage attention, continue moving, redirect back to heel
• Left turns: use them frequently in high-distraction environments — they keep your dog engaged and prevent drifting
• Always pair the e-collar communication with your verbal cue or physical guide — never stimulate without context

• Drop the leash on the ground first — dog is still on leash but you are not holding it. Confirm reliability before removing it entirely.
• Remove the leash only when heel is reliable through turns, stops, and distractions with the e-collar alone
• If your dog breaks off-leash: reattach immediately, correct, rebuild. Never let a break go without follow-through.

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Southern Hounds uses four e-collar models. Your dog received the collar that is right for their size and temperament. Find your collar below for a quick reference on fit, buttons, and use.

Higher output · 3/4 mile · Larger and higher-drive dogs

• Dial: controls stimulation level — start low, increase one level at a time
• Nick: quick tap — position reminders and light corrections
• Continuous: held while dog is non-compliant, released the instant they comply
• Pager: non-stimulating vibration — attention signal or recall cue
• Fit: left or right of neck, snug, one finger under strap — never on the voicebox

Medium output · 1/2 mile · 10 lbs+ · Most versatile everyday collar

• Dial: front-facing, 100 medium-output levels — start low
• Nick: quick tap — most commonly used function
• Continuous: held while non-compliant, released when they comply
• Vibration (XPP): non-stimulating — attention signal or recall cue
• Tone: audible beep from receiver — attention signal or positive marker
• LED light: remote-activated light to locate your dog in low light
• Fit: left or right of neck, snug, contact points touching skin

Low-medium output · 3/4 mile · Soft-tempered dogs · Slim curved receiver

• Dial: 127 low-medium levels — LCD screen shows exact level
• Nick: quick tap — corrections and position reminders
• Continuous: held while non-compliant, released when they comply
• Pager: grey button = dog 1, orange = dog 2 — non-stimulating vibration
• Battery: receiver blinks green = charged, orange = low, red = charge now
• Fit: slim curved receiver sits flush against the neck — both contact points on skin

Very low output · Small and sensitive dogs · 5 lbs+

• Nick: quick tap — very light corrections for sensitive dogs
• Continuous: held while non-compliant, released when they comply
• Vibration: non-stimulating — attention signal or recall cue
• Working level: found very slowly — subtle signs only (ear flick, soft blink, slight pause)
• Fit: snug, contact points touching skin — small dog necks require extra care