I’ll save you right now from a trap I fell into with both my dogs by sharing what I learned in the Canine Good Citizen class I took with Logan. The topic as a whole is establishing a consistent sequence of communication to go with your consistent cues.
Tag Archives | obedience
Stay (and Free)
Sometimes you need your dog to wait for a minute while you do something, or you need her to stop where she is until you catch up. That’s where you need “stay” –and its opposite counterpart “free.”
Down
Let’s get one thing straight from the start: “Down” means “lie down on the ground.” It is not to be confused with “four paws on the floor,” which we call “off.” Train all the humans who have regular contact with your dog to make this distinction and never to say “down” when they mean “off.”
Teaching Sit
Not only will you learn how to teach your dog to sit, you will also see that different dogs may need different approaches. This video shows three different ways to teach this basic skill.
Come When Called (Recall)
If I had to pick only one thing my dogs and I could do well together, “come when called” would be my pick. A good recall is your dog’s ticket to outdoor freedom and your key to her safety. I can’t say enough good things about this skill.
Walk on a Loose Leash
Walking on a loose lead is one of the most important skills you and your dog can cultivate. It’s your dog’s key to freedom in walks around the neighborhood just as “recall” is key to true freedom in a park or other less restrictive setting.
No Jumping! aka Four Paws on the Floor
Stopping your dog from jumping on people is a prime example of the importance of understanding how your dog thinks and of teaching Yes.
Leave It (and Take It)
I don’t generally emphasize teaching your dog what not to do. “Leave it” is an important exception.
Teach a Place
Have you ever gone into a store and admired the sweet dog hanging out on her bed? Guess what her person taught her? Targeting a place, first of all, and then “down” and “stay.” Once your dog can stay on her rug or in her crate, life is more fun for both of you, because […]
Targeting: An Essential Building Block for Many Skills
A fundamental skill your dog needs is targeting, or focusing on a particular object. Once you teach a target, you can ask the dog to follow it, pick it up, sit on it, and many other things. Targeting is thus a building block for many different skills and tricks you can teach.
Stop Bad Behavior
There’s one good way to stop your dog from doing things you don’t want him to do: Give him something better to do instead, and reward him for doing it, as explained in our page on Teach Yes, Not No.
Training Your Dog, Kindergarten to College
No matter what you’re trying to train your dog to do (or not do), the key to success is to start slowly and work gradually. It’s like grades in school.
Use Consistent Commands
Actually, Dog Momma prefers to say “cues” instead of “commands.” A command is harsh, an imposition of your will on the dog. A cue is assertive without being aggressive; it tells the dog what behavior is going to work for both of you in the current situation.
Appropriate Barking
The first step to controlling your dog’s barking is to understand what the dog is trying to communicate.
Read (and Use) Your Dog’s Signals
Imagine how you’d feel if you moved to a foreign country where you don’t speak the language and they don’t speak yours. How would you communicate?
Clicker = Training Magic
The clicker is a wonderful training tool! It gives you a clear way to tell your dog “yes” in the moment she is doing something good. You “mark” the desired behavior by clicking at the exact moment the dog does what you want her to do—or, in the early stages, comes close to doing it. Dogs are very good at remembering what action brought the click—and therefore the treat.
Give Good Rewards
In order to do any training at all, you have to find a reward that is meaningful to your dog.
Teach Yes, Not No
Always look for the “yes” in every situation. In other words, what IS acceptable right now? Don’t get into the routine of saying “no” all the time; this will be no fun for you or your dog. Positive reinforcement is a phrase we’ve all heard; this article breaks the concept down into a few good examples.
Control Yourself, Control Your Dog
Often times when dogs feel uneasy, there is an uneasy human around. Focus on good energy for yourself, and the dogs will follow.
