Obedience commands
Daina Beckman
Obedience training should be fun and interesting for both you and your dog. Consistency is a must. Keep your body up tall and confident, use the same tone of voice, use the same movement with your hand and arm. I recommend you make a list of commands and define them. For example does “down” mean lay down? Or does it mean all four feet on the floor. If it means lay down then perhaps “off” means all four feet on the floor. If “sit” means fanny on the floor two front feet on the floor and “down” means lay down then what does sit down mean? Sit down now is to different commands you can’t do two opposing commands at the same time. Make sure everyone is using the same word for the same action. Correct company if you need to.
Don’t keep saying his name and don’t keep saying the command. Just say the command once. You wouldn’t like it if your boss kept saying Mary chakuseki, chakuseki, chakuseki Mary, Mary Mary chakuseki. Are you confused? So is your dog. Do you feel nagged? So does your dog. Chakuseki is Japanese for sit down.
Always end training sessions on a positive note with lots of praise. If you one or both of you are getting frustrated move on to an easy command and then end the session. Dogs place learn. That is why some dogs do okay at obedience class but not at home. You have to practice at home. Practice in every room of the house and out side. If you go to the park or visiting practice there too. It is better to have lots of short practice sessions. For example before feeding practice sit then put the food down. Practice sit and 2 or 3 other commands in the kitchen when you get home from work. After dinner practice the psychological heel and stop periodically to practice sit, down or stay. Practice sit and down in the evening in the living room. Mix it up, make it fun.
Sit
Give the command in a confident you can do it I’m in charge voice. Don’t ask like you have doubt. Place your hand over your dogs head above his nose with the treat between your thumb and forefinger facing palm up. Slowly raise the treat and move it towards your dogs backend. Wait for him to think about what you are asking. As soon as he starts to put his butt on the floor say good boy sit and give him the treat. If he doesn’t sit because he is unsure or distracted say ok and walk away for 10-20 seconds. He doesn’t want the treat. Try again. This time if he doesn’t sit gently push his back end down while you say sit. If he still won’t sit, walk away for 10 – 20 seconds. Try again. Keep repeating this process. He will get it. It is important that when you push down on his back end you are not pushing so hard that you are forcing him to sit. This is very hard on knees and hips. Be gentle when you press down, just use the tip of one finger. If you have a puppy and he is still not getting it, place your forearm behind his legs and gently sweep them forward. This will bring his back legs into a sitting position.