PRIME is an acronym I created to show people that, no matter what the training goal or behavior problem, the answer is always- train your dog. This acronym shows you how to break down your dog's training into doable steps. We will use PRIME in all our training. Plan: What behaviors do you want to teach your dog? 4 feet on the floor? Walk on a loose leash? Make a list; if you have a family, have the family make a list together. Answer the questions: who will train? What will they train? Where? Why? When? How? Reinforce: Mark behaviors you want your dog to learn: the clicker works best, but you can also use a marker word, like ”Yes!” or “Good!” Reward the dog after you mark the behavior. Make sure your dog understands that the marker means reward. Your marker should get a startle response from your dog. Dog has 4 feet on the floor? Click and feed. Dog takes a step without pulling on the leash? “Yes! “ and feed. What sort of reinforcer will you use? What does your dog LOVE? These are your reinforcers! Make a list of them. Ignore: behaviors you want the dog NOT to do. Dog jumps up on you? Do not react until their feet are on the floor, then reinforce by marking and rewarding. Dog pulls on the leash? Do not move when they pull, only when they do not pull. Manage: what you have not trained. Dog jumps on company? Keep the dog on leash when company comes over, until the dog knows to keep its feet on the floor. Dog eats the furniture? Keep dog in crate unless it is under your direct supervision. Evaluate: Look at the list of behaviors in your Plan. Have you achieved them? If you have, go to the next training item in your plan. If not, help your dog succeed by breaking your Plan into smaller steps. Go to the last step at which your dog was successful at the behavior you are training. When you will bet $10 that your dog understands it, move to the next slice of behavior.