You can visualise dog training like a pyramid. You create the foundation of dog training through general measures. Day 14 then moves on to management. Management prevents unwanted behaviour and therefore unwanted learning.

All basic obedience begins where the dog's most important living space is located and therefore his territory: his home. The home is the place where our dog (ideally) feels most comfortable, where he regularly gets Eat but also where other basic needs should be met. Your dog's home is his place of safety and that's why we start our basic obedience training right here. The general measures include all aspects of a dog's life. Without a coherent basis, training cannot continue at all, as general conditions do not allow for successful learning. 

Every dog has an innate territorial behaviour. It is therefore completely normal behaviour for our dogs to want to inhabit, guard and protect their territory. Even if we humans don't always think this is so great - or at least the neighbours find it annoying. With our dogs, we differentiate between territory and patrol area. You could also call it core area and action area. The territory is defended by the dog, while the dog stays in the roaming area or action area, but does not defend it. The areas in which the dog's important resources are located, i.e. its sleeping place or food, are defended particularly intensively. This is the core territory.

Territories are important for our dogs because:

• they are the location of a food source
• they have secure social contacts
• they generally minimise the risks and thus offer safety.

Your dog's territory is inhabited by him for long periods of time and he and other inhabitants (you, your family, conspecifics or other animals) spend time there. The territory is also walked regularly. You can think of it as a patrol during which the territory is checked. Dogs also mark in their territory. Marking is understood to mean defecating or urinating, but also scratching or growling and barking. And last but not least, a territory is also defended against all kinds of intruders.

Your dog's territory may include

• the flat / house (but possibly not all rooms)
• the garden
• the car
• the footpath
• other places where the dog is regularly found (dog park, dog day care centre, walking area...)

Core territory

There should be a very special core territory in your home, namely your dog's main place of residence. This is the place where your dog can retreat to in exciting, unusual or stressful situations or where he can easily find peace and quiet. Kennels, dog boxes or cave-like dog areas are particularly suitable for this. You can also create a corner with dividers. This helps the dog to feel secure and gives him the opportunity to come down. This is highly recommended if there are children in your household, you have a large family or you have a lot of visitors.

Sleeping place

In every dog household, there should be at least one more sleeping area than there are dogs in the household. In main rooms where the dogs and you spend time, ideally one sleeping place for each dog. For one dog there should be at least two sleeping places, for two dogs there should be three sleeping places, and so on. If possible, the dog should be able to sleep in the bedroom. This aspect is particularly important for young dogs, but older dogs also prefer to sleep with their humans. This promotes your dog's well-being as well as your relationship. In a pack or a larger dog community that is not related, the dogs always sleep together. Whether you decide to allow your dog to sleep in the bed with you or not is entirely up to you. There are no canine arguments with advantages or disadvantages in favour of sleeping in bed. If you decide that your dog should be allowed to sleep in the bed, then he should only be allowed to come into bed after you have given your permission, but not decide for himself.

With kennels or dog crates, you must make sure that your dog can stretch out in them and stand upright. A kennel that is too narrow can have exactly the opposite effect to what you actually want: Your dog will feel helpless, cramped and left alone. With dog sleeping areas, on the other hand, it is not too bad if they are small and cosy, as a dog can always get up and out of them.

Lining

When feeding your dog, it is important to ensure that food is not always available in the bowl. Constantly available Dog Food is one of the biggest mistakes in dog nutrition. Constantly available Dog Food can promote your dog's resource defence, on the other hand it can also lead to your dog becoming very overweight. Nowadays we know that obesity is linked to joint problems. It also helps in training if food is not constantly available. Especially with new exercises, luring and motivating with treats works particularly well if the dog was not able to eat constantly beforehand. 

An adult and healthy dog should be fed twice a day. Feeding twice a day is better than feeding once a day because the dog's stomach does not tend to become acidic. For dogs that tend to be very hungry, feeding three times a day may also be advisable, or an afternoon snack should be considered. If there is any food left in the bowl, you can take the bowl of food and put it away. You are welcome to make the leftover food available again a few hours later so that your dog can still eat the rest. Under no circumstances should you make the mistake of trying to persuade your dog to Eat. If you notice that your dog tends to have stomach problems, you can seek advice from a vet if necessary. However, as long as your dog is healthy, it is important to put the bowl away. As always, keep a close eye on your dog! If your dog doesn't eat his bowl a few times, there's nothing to worry about. However, if your dog does not eat at all and is not impressed by other food, you should observe the situation and consult a specialist if necessary. How much you feed your dog depends on what the food manufacturer recommends, but also on your dog's activity, individual needs and age. In a healthy dog, the ribs should be easy to feel with your fingers. If you cannot easily feel your dog's ribs, this is an indication that your dog is too fat. We humans can control our weight and therefore our attitude to life, but our dogs cannot. A fatter dog suffers more in everyday life than a dog that is a little too thin. Overweight dogs have a shorter life expectancy, they suffer more frequently from illnesses and their enjoyment of exercise is limited.

Quiet room

In addition to the core territory, it is possible to establish a quiet room. This is the room that can be used in particularly stressful situations. For example, when there are a lot of visitors at home and it is very loud and wild for the dog. In such situations, it is actually better for your dog to take him to the bedroom or another room where a dog sleeping area is also available. Unlike the core territory, a quiet room is not a place, but an entire room where the dog should spend several hours if necessary. You can use this room as a management measure and relieve your dog of stress, but also help visitors who are afraid of dogs.

Taboo zones

A dog lives with us in the same household, but this does not mean that the dog has to have access everywhere. It is perfectly fine to introduce so-called taboo zones for whatever reason. For example, the kitchen can be defined as a no-go zone. Taboo zones must be observed in any case, otherwise it will lead to great confusion for the dog. Taboo zones are not a must. It is therefore up to your own ideas, wishes and hygiene measures as to whether you set up no-go zones or not.

Summary

Well thought-out house rules create the basis for harmonious coexistence with your dog. It gives him security and clear orientation, which is particularly important in everyday life. By setting and adhering to rules, your dog learns where its boundaries are and how it is allowed to move around the house. This not only strengthens the trust between you and your dog, but also makes training outside much easier.

The 21-day rule is a helpful guideline to ensure that new habits become ingrained in both you and your dog. After this time, you can gradually relax the rules without losing the framework. By giving your dog a defined core territory and clear no-go zones, you encourage their independence and create a safe environment in which they can relax and learn.

With consistent house rules and clear structures, your dog will know what is expected of him. And if you give him this security, he will be more relaxed, more willing to learn and generally more balanced.