Nate Schoemer

How to Teach Your Dog a Competitive Retrieve!

Check out my top-rated course, From Novice to Pro: The Ultimate Guide To Dog Training, on Sit Stay Learn! It covers beginner basics to advanced techniques. I’m really excited to share this training video with you. Even though the audio has a few flaws, the instructions are very professional and well-explained. As I’ve mentioned before on my channel, Dave van Garderen was one of my first mentors in dog training. I owe a lot of my success to learning from him.

In this video, Dave works with two of his students on the competitive retrieve. He’s acting as a helper for his students while they train their dogs. As he explains, his job is to help prevent and minimize any mistakes the dogs might make. This is important for competitions since even small mistakes can mean the difference between winning and losing. He trains his students to win.

Dave also explains how and why they are using the techniques demonstrated in the video to train the dogs. This helps show the dogs that they must listen to their handler’s guidance, even when they prefer to do something else, which improves training reliability. If you want to become a professional dog trainer trained at a higher level than most others, I recommend checking out Kennelwood Academy and learning from one of the best in the world.

If you’re passionate about dogs and want to turn your love for them into a successful career, my number one recommendation is Kennelwood Academy. Their level of commitment and dedication to their students and understanding of dog training is second to none.

Dave is a seasoned expert in the industry and has helped countless individuals launch successful careers in dog training. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn from him and achieve your dream career.

Don’t miss this chance to learn from the best and start your journey towards becoming a professional dog trainer. Watch our video now!

First Step to Training Your New Puppy!

Check out my top-rated course, From Novice to Pro: The Ultimate Guide To Dog Training, on Sit Stay Learn! It covers beginner basics to advanced techniques. Dog Training Basics: First Steps to Build Trust & Success 🐾

Ready to start your dog’s training the right way? In this video, I walk you through the proven first steps I take with every dog—whether it’s a playful puppy, a rescue, or a dog needing a training reset. These are the same techniques I’ve used with countless dogs and taught at the Tom Rose School for professional dog trainers.

What You’ll Learn:

✅ How to build trust and engagement fast (even with behavioral issues)

✅ The right way to “charge” a reward marker for faster learning

✅ Why marker timing matters—and how to avoid common mistakes

✅ Step-by-step luring to teach walking, sitting, and laying down without commands

✅ The secret to capturing behaviors for a confident, proactive dog

First Step to Training Your New Puppy!

In this comprehensive guide, I'll take you through the foundational steps of dog obedience training with a German Shepherd puppy, highlighting techniques that I've found most effective for training any new dog. The session begins with the basics of handling food for training, followed by a detailed demonstration of using a food lure to encourage your puppy to follow a straight line. This technique not only engages your puppy but also lays the groundwork for more advanced commands.

To kick off each training session on a high note, I'll share my personal method for getting puppies excited about training. Using enthusiastic phrases like "Are you ready to train?" boosts their eagerness and speeds up the learning process.

Next, we'll progress to more complex maneuvers, teaching your puppy to follow the food lure through six different positions relative to the trainer. These include lateral movements (left and right in front of you), heel positions on both sides, a center position, and a backward follow, which serves as a precursor to the recall command.

A key focus of the training is the timing of praise and rewards. Effective praise during the lure followed by rewarding your puppy at the end of the movement encourages them to re-engage with you, fostering a dynamic where the dog feels they are leading the session. This approach significantly boosts their motivation to train.

Additionally, we'll integrate sit and down commands within each position and movement to generalize the training, ensuring your puppy adapts to a variety of commands seamlessly. To conclude each session, a clear "all done" signals to your puppy that the training is over, helping them distinguish between training and free time.

Throughout the first week of training, I repeat these exercises about 35 times. Repetition is key to reinforcing the training and ensuring the puppy grasps and responds to the commands effectively. My approach emphasizes engagement, repetition, and positive reinforcement, aiming to establish a solid foundation in obedience and behavior for the puppy.

3 Things You Should NEVER Skip When Training Your Dog