OBEDIENCE
TRAINING.
A well-behaved dog.
Basic obedience training
by
Dennis Fisher.
A trained, obedient dog is a pleasure and a delight; a reliable,
trustworthy and dependable companion whose behaviour will never give you
cause for concern. On the
other hand a spoiled, rowdy, pampered, undisciplined animal is a
nuisance and frequently a source of great embarrassment. In the case of
the larger, powerful breeds, an uncontrollable dog is a positive danger.
Although most dog owners would agree with the above, there are many
who nevertheless shirk the responsibility of training their dogs because
they mistakenly believe that it is a long, complex time-consuming
process.
Obviously if you have ambitions to train your dog to Competition
standard and to work with the perfect precision necessary for top honors
in the Obedience ring, you must be prepared to devote a considerable
amount of time to training. But
if your purpose is simply to have a well-disciplined companion, you can
achieve this goal without great effort and in a relatively short space
of time.
If you are able to join one of the Obedience Dog Clubs in your area,
so much the better. You will receive competent direction from an
experienced trainer and in addition will have the opportunity of
allowing your dog to come into contact with other dogs, which is a very
great advantage.
Let us assume however that for various reasons this is not possible
or convenient.
At the outset it is important for you to accept the fact that in
order to have a well-behaved dog it is necessary for your dog to respect
you in addition to loving you.
You will command this respect by being firm, calm and confident
in your manner without creating any confusion in your dog’s mind.
How can you can command this respect?
This is not as difficult as this may seem. There are certain basic rules to follow.
Guide your dog in such a way that he has no doubt whatsoever as
to what is required of him. Insist when you give a command it is in fact a command
not a request. Praise him lavishly and unstintingly when he obeys your
command. Reprimand him
suitably and appropriately when he refuses to obey your command.
This is the basis of all obedience training. Praise for obeying a command and reprimand for
disobeying a command.
Of these two factors, the question of reprimand is clearly the more
difficult to apply. It also
gives rise to the greatest difference of opinion
in training methods.
Whereas it is virtually
impossible to praise a dog too lavishly, and even if excessive praise is
given no harm can result, an unnecessarily harsh reprimand of a
sensitive young dogs for a relatively minor misdemeanor will have
serious consequences and set your training back many months.
Understand the command.
Another point that should always be borne in mind is that you must always
be absolutely certain that your dog understands
the command you have given.
If you have the slightest doubt on this score, the dog must be
given the benefit before he is reprimanded.
All commands must be given in a firm, confident manner without raising
your voice unnecessarily. There
is no need whatsoever to act as if you were a drill sergeant on a parade
ground. Any screaming or
loss of control on your part – even if you consider you are being
deliberately provoked – will only jeopardize the training process.
You want your dog to respect you by accepting the fact that you are
someone prepared to guide him but who will
not allow yourself to be taken advantage of by disobedience.
This can be accomplished without loss of control on your part.
It can be accomplished by reprimanding him adequately and
suitably for any disobedience. As
soon as he accepts the fact that your commands are not requests,
will respect you. The
whole relationship between you and your dog hinges on this attitude.
How to reprimand
Now to turn to the important question of how to reprimand for disregarding
a command you have given.
It must be accepted that the temperaments of different dogs are
as varied as that of human beings.
The temperaments of different breeds vary enormously and even
within a breed certain strains vary in sensitivity.
Dog and bitches will also react differently to reproof.
Because of this it is most important for you to assess accurately the
level of sensitivity of the dog you are training. For example, a mild correction such as a sharp
“No! You bad dog!” could quite easily be sufficient reproof for
a sensitive Border Collie bitch in order to bring about the required
change in behaviour. On the
other hand a boisterous, Great Dane male or Rottweiler would, in some
instances, require a more vigorous and pronounced indication of
disapproval.
It must be remembered however, that one should not fall into the
trap of categorizing breeds with regard to behaviour patterns.
In mentioning the boisterous Great
Dane this by no means is meant to suggest that all Great Danes are in
any way obstinate or difficult to train. There are tremendous variations
in temperament within the breeds. In
fact a young harlequin Great Dane that I have at the moment responds so
readily to commands t it only necessary for me to give them in a very
soft voiced - almost as a whisper!
The same applies to Shepherds.
I have had obstinate, self-willed Shepherds, while others I have
owned have been so eager to please they have been an absolute delight to
train. They have required
an absolute minimum of effort in training.
When you are absolutely certain your dog understands your command and
there is no confusion as to what you want him to do, it might be
necessary for you to give him a really hard jerk of the leash. Before doing so make certain his training collar is of
sufficient length to give positive effect to the jerk.
You should accompany the jerk with a very definite and
unmistakable “No!”
Limits to the extent of training.
It might be well to mention at this stage that with certain dogs there are
limits to the extent of training to which you can hope to aspire.
Now this may sound very negative advice indeed but it is raising
false hopes to pretend that every animal can reach the same level of
training.
Certain breeds are noted for their independence of spirit and in fact
devotees of these breeds admire them for these very qualities.
For example, it is highly unlikely if your happen to be training
a Daschund – as lovable as this breed of dog happens to be – or a
miniature Schnauzer – that you will reach top honors in Obedience
tests. This in no way
is meant to suggest that your Daschund or Schnauzer cannot be trained to
become very well disciplined, obedient and responsive.
Patience, understanding and
application of the principle of praise and reprimand will achieve the
desired results with any dog.
But with certain dogs it requires more patience and perseverance
than with others.
Choice of breed to train.
If you are an ambitious and competitive type of person and anxious to excel
in Obedience tests, it will be necessary for you to be very judicious in
your choice not only with regard to the breed you select, but also to
the strain within the breed. There
is no doubt whatsoever that some dogs are more amenable to training than
others and the training process will involve far less time and effort
This applies particularly to the German Shepherd Dog, a breed with which I
have been associated for more than fifty years. Any competitor in German Shepherd Dog working trials will
tell you that if you hope to be successful in this highly competitive
field it is necessary to be
very selective in your choice of the Shepherd you intend training.
A examination of the pedigrees of the top winners in German Shepherd
Dog working trials
in Germany, the United States and Britain
will reveal that certain “working” lines
consistently produce the
top winners. There is no question that intelligence and –more
important – willingness to work are inherited traits.
In all probability however, you already have a dog.
You love him dearly and have no intention of parting with him
merely because his ancestors were not noted for their working
qualifications.
Training
dogs with different temperaments.
In order to assist you with your training methods, let us try and simplify
the process and deal with three distinct types of temperaments
frequently found in dogs.
Obviously there are many variations and many traits overlaps but for the
purpose of this article let us deal with three distinct type of
temperaments and examine the training methods necessary in each case.
1.Dog Number One.
The
highly-strung, over-exuberant dog.
Here is a bundle of nervous energy; a highly-strung, excitable,
over-exuberant, extremely noisy, boisterous animal. Sometimes he barks excessively without any apparent reason.
Often he is over-aggressive towards others dogs and even humans.
2. Dog Number two.
The
shy, timid dog.
This dog is very shy, timid and completely lacking in self-confidence.
He shrinks from human contact and when confronted with any
situation with which he is unable to cope, he either backs into a corner
and barks hysterically or otherwise rolls on his back in abject
submissiveness.
3.
Dog Number three.
The
lazy dog.
This
animal is quiet, docile to the point of disinterest, sluggish, dully and
lazy, completely without enthusiasm except for his dinner dish.
Now we
have three distinct types of dog – possibly somewhat exaggerated –
but nevertheless easily recognizable.
Our objective in each case is the same – to have a
well-disciplined animal that will obey our commands,
Because this article is limited in scope let us presume that our initial
training objective is to have a dog that will walk quietly at heel
without pulling, dragging, straining or lagging.
Let us examine how this can be achieved using the above three
dogs as training examples.
For our
purpose we shall require a leather lead and a training collar of
sufficient length and sufficient strength.
Place the collar over the neck in such a way that when the leash
is jerked the collar will tighten and when the lead if relaxed the
collar fits loosely. This
simple training collar is a remarkable training device that will work
equally well with all three dogs.
Let us
commence with Dog Number 1. We
will to refer him as “Blitz”.
"BLITZ."
With your ball of fire on our left side, you step briskly forward.
The dog is given the command “Heel”.
Holding the leash very firmly in your right hand you
nevertheless make certain there is sufficient slack to give the dog the
impression that he is NOT firmly restrained.
In fact, because of this slackness,
the dog is uncertain whether he is on lead or not
As expected the dog proceeds for exactly five
seconds and then like a bolt he surges forward.
With leather leash very firmly held by the right hand – or both
hands if you prefer - you allow the dog to bolt forward until almost at
the end of the lead. At
this point you simply do a smart about turn.
Note: There is no
reprimand whatsoever!
In fact not a word is said. If your timing has been correct – and this may
require some practice – a very surprised ball of fire will find
himself being air-borne and completely jerked off his feet by his
momentum.
He turns in mid-air to find you walking in the
opposite direction At
this stage you call his name very pleasantly and enthusiastically.
“Good boy, Blitz! Heel
boy!” and you pat your left leg encouragingly.
A somewhat confused “Blitz” comes running up
to your left to receive his just rewards – lavish praise and a loving
pat on his head!
Remember No word of reprimand should be
given. “Blitz” was told
to heel. He didn’t heel
and the jerk he received will not be associated with any unpleasantness
caused by you. It was
entirely his own fault; due to his own ineptness and clumsiness in not
staying close to your left side.
There will be occasions in the future where you
will be required to jerk the lead as a definite reprimand and accompany
the jerk with a vocal reprimand.
“Blitz” will then have no doubt in his mind that this jerk is
a reprimand. But at this
stage our purpose is to confuse “Blitz” into believing that the
discomfort he received by being jerked off his fee was entirely his own
fault.
After no more than 4 or 5 incidents of this
nature a very disconcerted “Blitz” will suspect that every cat that
darts in his path and every motor-cyclist who happens to ride by is
merely a trick that has been devised to fool him into rushing after it
and being jerked off his feet.
Quite soon you will be well on your way to having a dog who is a
pleasure to take for a stroll because he heels comfortably at your side
in spite of every possible distraction.
Dog number 2. “Flinch”
Quite clearly the method we used with Dog Number 1 will be
unsuitable with dog Number 2 – the shy, timid dog who is lacking in
self-confidence.
This dog – le us refer him as “Flinch – is so lacking in confidence that he is
constant need of praise and assurance.
Let it be quite clear that if one has the patience, perseverance
and calm temperament to deal with a dog of this nature it is possible to
have a remarkably good worker who will do everything possible to please
you and earn your praise.
He will ask nothing more from
life than your praise and he will become absolutely devoted to you.
But, it should be stressed, dogs of this type do
require a tremendous amount of patience, understanding and – above all
– self-control. Whereas
it is possible to speak harshly to most dogs without serious
consequences, a dog of this nature will react most unfavorably to
harshness and one thoughtless
reprimand can set you back weeks of hard work in building up his
confidence.
Dog refuses to budge.
After placing the collar on your “Flinch” and
attaching the lead he is more than likely to set his hind-quarters on
the ground and refuse to budge; or he will twist himself around your
legs – pull to the right – to the side – dart off in the direction
of home and do absolutely everything anything but the “heel” you
have commanded him.
In this case you must resort once again to a little trickery, but of a
different kind. Try
and let him associate the training collar and the leash and the stroll
with something pleasant. In your left hand or your left pocket keep
little pieces of boiled liver that you have dried in the oven, or some
other delicacy. If he
refuses to budge coax him – encourage him.
Once he has come to your left side praise him with great
enthusiasm and give him a tit-bit.
As you walk he will, haltingly, be tempted to
follow. With very
gentle jerks of the lead, accompanied by soothing words of
encouragement, keep on re-assuring him how good and clever he is.
It might try your patience but eventually you will have gained
his confidence. Any
distractions that may present themselves must be accompanied by slight
jerks of the lead. No
words of reprimand, remember.
But plenty of praise when he eventually comes to heel.
Regard this type of
dog as a challenge to your perseverance and self-control. If you are capable of meeting this challenge –
and capable of controlling (or at least hiding) your understandable and
justifiable bouts of irritability,
you will eventually have an excellent Obedience worker of whom
you will one day be justifiably proud.
Do not continue to “baby talk”, coddle and
pamper this type of dog.
There is another important point to remember with
regard to this highly sensitive, nervous type of dog.
Once you have managed to overcome the first step of your
training, which was the extreme reluctance to walk at heel and
you have a dog that now walks willingly at heel, you must start
to modify your method of training.
Very often owners with
dogs, who have this nervous disposition, persist in to trying to
reassure their on every occasion they demonstrate fear when faced with
some unaccustomed unusual object or situation.
If, for example, while
out walking with the dog, the animal is frightened by some unusual
object in the street, the owner resorts to soft, soothing,
“baby-talk”, words of encouragement:
This is quite wrong.
All that is happening is that the owner is endorsing the dog’s
nervous behavior. In effect the message the dog receives is:
“I quite understand your concern.
It is quite alright for you to be frightened”.
Instead of reassuring the dog with exaggerated words of
reassurance and soft talking, the owner should behave in a completely,
unconcerned manner with words and actions that reflect the following
attitude. “Don’t be
silly now. You are acting foolishly.
There is nothing to worry about”
Distract the dog.
Do a few obedience exercises.
“Sit” “Down”.
Speak in a mater-of-fact tone of voice. Act unconcerned
as if there is nothing to worry
about.
The lesson should be
clear. In the initial
stages of training you can reassure and encourage as much as you
consider necessary so that you can overcome the initial hurdle of the
dog not wanting to heel. But one you have got past this stage, move on.
Do not go back to
kindergarten classes.
Dog Number 3. The
lazy dog. “Dozy”
The third type of dog – the dully, sluggish, and lazy dog –
requires yet another approach. Here
the enthusiasm must come from you.
Once again it is important to remember that you must no show
irritation as much as you are goaded.
Muster as much enthusiasm a you can place the collar around
“Dozy’s” neck.
Walk briskly forward
giving the command “heel” pleasantly and brightly.
As “Dozy” lags behind – as he inevitably will – give
little jerks on the lead and accompany these jerks with sounds of
encouragement. Use your
left hand to pat his hear with great affection. Show excitement as you walk briskly forward and
remember that even though you are tempted to give the lazy blighter a
smart kick in the rear, resist the temptation. Do not show any
irritation at all.
One advantage of the
lazy dog is that very often he is also
a very greedy dog. Once
again you can make judicious use of the tit-bit to encourage him to
walk, closely at heel. But
obviously do not make a habit of this form of encouragement because he
will soon come to expect it as his just dessert every time and will not
be satisfied with mere praise.
Because a dog of this
type is not usually particularly sensitive you can correct lagging by
turning sharply to the right without giving “dozy” any prior
warning. While walking forward, and aware that “Dozy” is a
few paces behind, pivot suddenly on your left leg and lunge sharply
right. Accompanying
your turn to the right with a sharp jerk on the lead as “Dozy” is
caught unawares. He is forced to increase his pace in order to catch up
with you. Praise him
enthusiastically when he eventually does come to your left side.
Even though the
approach is quite different with these three types of dogs, it is clear
that the basic principle remains the same.
When using the training collar to teach the dog to heel
correctly, the dog must be left with the distinct impression that the
jerk and discomfort that follows are his own fault.
The dog soon comes to
realize that when he corrects his behavior not only does the discomfort cease but there is also the additional
incentive of praise from
his handler.
Use the training
collar correctly.
Take full advantage of
the training collar during these early stages of training.- the jerk
followed by praise. At a
later stage of training when the dog is required to work off lead, you
will not be able to do so. But
at this early stage of training make full use of the training collar to
help you establish the correct relationship between you and your dog.
In this way your dog will learn not only to love you but also to
respect you. He will
become an eager- to- please,
willing, obedient, lovable companion.
********************
Training should begin the moment you bring the
pup into your home. Not
serious training of course, but basic training in what you consider to
be acceptable good manners. With gentle but firm handling your pup
will soon learn what is expected of him.
It is important to remember, when you reprimand
your pup, the correction must be associated with the unacceptable act.
In housebreaking him, for example, it is essential to correct him
immediately you find him misbehaving.
It is pointless taking him to a spot you find
later, pointing to it and reprimanding him in a loud disapproving
voice, Or even worse,
rubbing his nose in it. Of
course he is going to look “guilty”.
You may gain the impression that he understands what he has
done but this is certainly not so.
If you intend your dog to be a housedog, when you
bring the pup into your home for the first time it is essential for him
to have a place that he can consider “his home”. Find a suitable
place in the house. Provide suitable bedding of some sort – an old
blanket, or towel – and let him know that this is where you expect him
to lie.
Housebreaking your pup
A young
animal’s control of his functions is going to be weak. You cannot
expect too much with regard to bladder control from
a very young pup. If
you live in a home where there is an outside garden,
training will be very much easier.
A soon as you see any evidence of him wanting to
relieve himself, which will be very obvious by his behavior, pick him,
without grabbing him. Make
disapproving sounds without being too harsh – “No my dog!
No my dog! Outside!”
Carry him outside and watch him while he does his business.
Then praise him enthusiastically. “That’s
a good dog!”
By watching the pup carefully, especially after
he has eaten, the indication that he wants to relieve himself, will be
more and more obvious to you. For
the first week of two it might be necessary to be very attentive and
watch him carefully. But
housebreaking is usually not a lengthy process and it certainly should
not continue for more than two weeks.
Of course the process can be helped
considerably if you feed him at regular times, regular intervals and in
specific place. He should
also be allowed to drink water at specific times.
About an hour after he has finished eating give him his bowl of
water.
After
he has had enough to drink it will not take long before the water starts
to start taking effect. Within a half an hour after he has had
sufficient water he will want to relieve himself.
With regard to water not being freely available, it should be noted that
restricting water applies only to a pup.
Adult dogs should have water available for them at all times
If you are still in the initial stages of
housebreaking, you can take
wait for your pup to show the telltale signs of wanting to relieve
himself. Then continue with
the process of picking him up before he has a chance to do so.
Take him quickly
outside.
Alternatively if you have passed this early
stage, you can take him directly outside; wait for him to perform, then
praise extravagantly.
The procedure is slightly different if you live
in an apartment and it is difficult to take the pup quickly outside.
You can put down several layers of newspapers over a fairly wide
area in a certain place in the house – preferably near the back door.
Wait for him to show signs of wanting to relieve
himself. Then pick him and
place him on the newspapers. Use the same process of praising him when he has finished
Place the papers near the door so that he will
learn to associate this as the place where is required to go. At a later stage you can even place some of the papers half
under the door and half outside. He
will soon get used to the idea of going to the door when he wants to
relieve himself, even when there are no papers.
Obviously the idea of newspapers on the floor can
be very convenient at night. A very young pup will want to relieve
himself frequently during the night.
It is also a good idea to restrict the pup at night to a certain
area in your home, preferably the kitchen or bathroom, rather than let
him have the run of the house.
At a later stage, when he has the run of the
entire house, he will soon
get the idea of going to his own special area or will whine to go
outside.
How to pick the pup up.
You must also be careful how you pick up the pup
and carry him outside.
There is a recommended technique that can be
quite easily learned. Don’t
grab him suddenly by the legs, either front or back, or by the scruff of
his neck.
The easiest way to pick your pup up is to place
your left hand between his front legs and under his chest.
Then place your right hand under his tummy.
Starting at his rump, extend your hand until it is comfortably
under his tummy. Do not pick him
up by the scruff of his neck, or pick him up by dragging his front legs.
When to start training your
dog.
Depending on the breed and
the temperament of the pup, as a general rule serious training should not begin until the
pup is about 6 months. If however,
your dog is large and boisterous and you have the feeling
that he may become unmanageable when he is a little older, you can start
training earlier.
This applies to
serious training, but there is no reason why you should not start
training your pups to get used to the collar and leash
almost as soon as you have got him home, even when he is as young as
three months.
Start with a soft leather collar that fits snugly around his neck. Try
not to be awkward in your efforts to fasten the collar.
Be quick and dexterous.
Play with the pup after you have placed the collar around his
neck to distract him. Leave
the collar on for a few days so that he can run around and get used to
it. You can then introduce
the idea of leash training.
Leash training.
It is very useful to start leash training as early as possible.
If you leave it until the pup is older you may have a fight on
your hands. After he
has had the collar around his neck for a few days and become accustomed
to the idea, you can introduce him to the leash. Present it to him
initially as something to play with.
It may be a good idea to leave the leash on the collar without
handling it at all. Let him
drag it around for a short while.
Once he has got used to the idea of the leash and has no objection to it
you can take it up in your hand and being the process of teaching him to
walk on leash.
The easiest and most practical way is with the help of food. It is best to use a tasty
morsel that he finds very attractive.
Coax him to follow you while the leash is in your hand. The food
you use can be
cheese, that is usually a tasty snack for dogs, or
small pieces of boiled liver that most dogs love.
After having cut liver into very small pieces,
boil the pieces and then place them in the oven to brown. This will prevent the
liver from crumbling.
You can place the small pieces – (even tiny
pieces if you are training a very small pup) - in a small plastic bag.
For convenience keep the plastic bag in your pocket.
Holding the leash slack when you walk, persuade
the pup to follow you with a pleasant, encouraging voice.
Even if he has followed you only a few steps,
stoop down; reward him with a piece of liver and
praise him lavishly.
Continue the process until he is willing to walk
quite a distance without tugging
and trying to escape the restriction of the leash.
Progress slowly. If
you have remarkable success the first time, don’t press your luck.
Stop! Remove
the leash. Play with him.
You can even use the leash as a play object.
But don’t remove the collar.
Day by day you can continue walking a little
further, encouraging the pup all the time.
The pup will soon this is a very pleasant process.
You will also be able to dispense with the food reward quite
soon. Your praise and
encouragement will be quite sufficient.
If the pup reacts against the leash, which is
fairly common, don’t despair. It
sometimes takes a few days for the pup to realize that the entire
process is pleasurable, especially if he can see by your behavior that
you are enjoying the walk as much as he is.
Achieve little steps of progress day by day.
It may even take as much as a week, but he will
definitely get the idea and associate the leash with a very pleasant
procedure. A little patience in these early stages of training will
avoid a great deal of unnecessary friction and
frustration if you are in too much of a hurry and try and hasten the process.
A word of warning.
Even though the process can be very frustrating with a stubborn
pup, and there definitely some animals that are very stubborn, do not
allow yourself to show the slightest irritation.
Easer said than done!
It may be difficult but it is a good test of your will power! By
displaying irritation – as justified as you may be – you will be
setting yourself back in the training process by several weeks until you
have regained the pup’s confidence.
Obedience training (continued.)
Importance of discipline and consistency.
Whether or not you would like to become involved in
obedience competitions, you should think seriously about joining a dog
training Club and attend obedience classes.
As mentioned previously,
the usual age to start training is about 6 months, but this can
vary depending on the temperament of the dog, and also the size.
If you have a very large, boisterous pup of a
large breed it may be advantageous to start him earlier.
In any event, even though the dog may not be quite ready for
formal training, the fact that he has learnt
at an early age to socialize
with other dogs is of great
value.
Although there
are a variety of training methods, depending on the personality and
experience of the trainers, there are certain basic rules common to all
training methods.
The basis of all training is discipline.
Your dog must obey. Whether
or not he obeys in his own time or responds immediately to your commands
will depend on you. But
discipline is the basis of all training.
You cannot expect you dog to obey you
merely because he
loves you. He has to
respect you. Respect
means listening to what you tell him – obeying you.
In essence training is fairly simple.
It consists of praise and correction.
If he obeys you, he is praised.
If he disobeys he needs to be corrected.
The difference in training methods depends to a
large extent on the degree
of correction that is used. Here
again it depends on the temperament of the animal.
A very sensitive animal might require only the mildest of
reprimands, which can be given verbally.
A tough, obstinate dog might require much stronger methods.
An important concept to always keep in mind,
especially in early training, is that when you give a command you must
always be in a position to
correct him if he does not respond to your commands.
You will notice that all the advice given makes
mention of a male; it presupposes that your dog is a male. This is not
intended in any way to slight the female of the species.
It has been done
purely for convenience. In
fact in most instances it is far easier to train a bitch than a dog.
Not only are they more attentive and not distracted by
interesting new smells, they are very often more anxious to please than
males.
To return
to the idea of always being in a position to correct the dog in the
event of refusal to obey your command.
Never allow yourself to be placed in the frustrating
situation of giving
a command and then
being forced to
watch helplessly as your dog runs away
and refused to return.
This is a very common situation and one in which
a great many people new to obedience training find themselves.
But it can be avoided. And
far easier than you think.
How do you place yourself in a position to
correct your dog if he disobeys you?
Very easily.
By not letting go of his leash
and allowing him to run free in the early stages of training.
Note this specifically refers to the early stages
of training. Obviously it does not refer to occasions where your dog is
allowed to romp and run free when it is convenient for him to do so.
The training collar.
Leash Training.
In the early stages of training an essential price
of equipment is the training collar.
The training collar is a very simple, but
remarkably effective device. It
consists of a length of light chain with two rings at either end. The chain, which is in effect a slip chain,
should be of sufficient length to allow it to be slipped
comfortably over the dog’s head.
The chain should also be four or five
inches longer than the width of the dog’s neck .This extra length is
necessary because the noise of the slip chain, as it is drawn up or
jerked and then released, also acts as an extra command, encouraging the
dog to obey.
Let your pup wear his slip chain –(or training
collar if you prefer this term) – for a
short periods while
walking with you, so that he gets used to the feel, which is quite
different to the leather collar, to which he has become accustomed.
You can use it in addition to his normal collar at this early
stage of training.
But do not leave the chain on while the dog is running around on his own.
Because of its length it could easily become entangled in a bush
and cause the dog and injury.
The purpose of making use of the slip chain at
this early stage of training is merely
to get used to the idea of the chain At this early stage do not take
advantage of the correction
features of the chain. This
will come a little later.
Because your pup has become used to walking
pleasantly on leash
with you, because of your
early training with the
tasty morsel, you should have no trouble at all replacing the leather
collar –(or using it in
addition to the leather collar).
The pup should follow you just as easily as he did previously.
Walk a fair distance but
make no attempt to use the correction features of the chain.
If he lunges ahead, simply stop turn around and walk the other
way calling him pleasantly and patting your left side at the same time.
After he has become accustomed to this new training device, it is time
to take advantage of its excellent training features.
Having the training collar on your pup and the leash in hand, you
will be a position to be in complete control and able to insist that he
obeys your commands.
Once the
pup has become completely accustomed to the training collar it is time
to take advantage of the slip action, and the jerking action of the
collar.
If , while walking with your pup, he is suddenly
distracted, for example by a passing cat, or motor cycle, stop abruptly,
turn sharply around and
walk in the reverse direction,
It is important that you must not reprimand in any way. Do not say a word.
Simply turn around and walk the other way. Your surprised pup
will suddenly be jerked off his feet.
It is here that a little skill in using the training collar and
taking advantage of its slip
chain effect will prove exceptionally valuable.
Before you suddenly turn around make sure the
training collar- which is four or five inches longer that the width of
the dog’s neck - is not taut, but slack. The leash must also be held
slack. When you suddenly
turn around see that you time your actions so that you are able to jerk and release at
precisely the right moment.
As you turn give a definite jerk on
the leash – remember without any word of reprimand or
correction. The training collar is obviously going to become taut.
But immediately afterwards, as you turn, let your leash become
slack. This
sudden jerk and release action of the training collar will make a
rasping sound.
This distinctive sound will prove to be a useful
training feature the dog will come to recognize.
Furthermore, and this important, by not saying
anything as you suddenly turn – no word of
correction - the dog
will gain the impression that the discomfort he has suffered was
entirely his fault. You
are not to blame in any way. It was due to his own clumsiness and lack
of attention to your movements.
In future the
dog will watch your movements carefully; especially your feet and be
very aware of any
sudden right or about turns that you decide to make.
He will make sure that he is not going to suffer the same
discomfort again. And you
may be assured that, even if he yelps, this is more from surprise than
pain. What you have
been responsible for is nothing more than discomfort.
As your pup is forced to suddenly to turn around
and change direction, pat your side
as he comes to heel on your left side.
Give him friendly, pleasant words of praise.
Act as if he has
done exactly what you have told him to do:
“That’s a good boy! Heel
my boy!”
Training your dog to sit.
This the first basic exercise you can teach your
dog. It can be accomplished
very easily and very painlessly. While
walking with your dog at your side – at your left side – not lagging
or forging ahead, halt and give him the command in a firm voice
“Sit”.
Hold the leash in your right hand.
Pull the leash up until the training collar is fairly tight –
but not too tight –around his neck and use your left hand to gently
press down on his hindquarters. Remember
to press down just behind
the rib cage rather than the middle or the back or at the tail.
It may be necessary to press down
quite firmly with your left hand until your pup gets the idea.
Your right hand is used to pull the leash quite high;
your left hand presses down firmly
on the dog’s hindquarters
at the same time. Your
dog has little option but to obey your command of “Sit”.
This double action, done simultaneously, ensures
that the dog must sit. He has no option but to listen to your
command because you have the means to be in complete control..
Once he has obeyed you – not necessarily because
he wanted to but because you gave him no option – let him believe that
he acted on his own. Praise
him lavishly. “That’s a
good dog. Sit”.
Keep him in the sit position for a short while; keep repeating
the “Sit” command, pleasantly and firmly “That’s a good boy! Sit!” and then walk on, giving the command “Heel”.
Then stop again and repeat the process.
Continue for about three or four times, no
longer. Then
call it a day. Don’t
forget to let the dog assume that he has listened obediently to your
command of his own accord.
Once he has learned to listen to your command you
can stop using your left hand to press the hindquarters down. Stop and simply use your right hand to pull the leash up.
Quite soon you will find that he will respond to
the “Sit” command without you having to use your left or right hand.
At a later stage, if you happen to progress to
the stage where you are entering Obedience
competitions, you will find that immediately your stop your dog
will automatically stop without it being necessary for you to
give any command at all.
There is a far easier way to teach the dog
to sit and that is with food, or a tasty morsel.
You can teach a greedy dog to sit in a few minutes by placing a
morsel in front of his nose, giving him.
But the purpose of this leash and training collar method is to
introduce the important concept mentioned earlier.
When you give any command make sure you are in a position to see
that your command is obeyed. You
have the means at hand. You
are in control. This is the
essence of obedience training.
The
"Down" exercise
This exercise is a natural progression from
the “Sit” exercise. The
same principle applies. It
is not as difficult as it may seem because you are in a position to
insist that the dog obeys you.
Have your dog sit at your side then give him the
command “Stay”. This
he will quickly learn because the leash is in your right hand and he
knows that you are in a position to restrain him.
Here again the command is given pleasantly but firmly.
At this stage it should be
mentioned that all commands should always be given firmly.
A command is exactly what it is intended to be.
It is not a request. Very
often, in training classes, one hears a hesitant dog owner
giving the dog a
command in a very uncertain tone of voice,
as if it were a
request. It is as if the
owner was saying to the dog: “If you don’t mind I would prefer you
to this..”
This certainly doesn’t mean that you have to
shout at the dog. Your command could be very soft, almost a whisper.
But your very attitude and inflection of your voice immediately
makes the dog aware that you are quite definite in wanting him to carry
out your command.
The down exercise is not difficult if you follow
these simple rules.
Having given the dog the command “Down”.
Kneel beside him. Lean
over him. Take his front legs, one in each hand.
Hold them just below the dog’s elbow. Then gently but firmly
lift the legs up so that
they are extended
in front of him. Hold the legs gently and firmly while continuing
to give the “Command, down my boy!”
Then lower the front legs to the ground.
Both your hands are occupied so you will now
have use your elbow for the next movement. Push his hindquarters
with your left elbow. on
your left side, or you knee of you find it more convenient – so
that the dog is slightly off balance and comes into a sideways down
position.
This sideways position is the natural most
comfortable position for the dog to lie down.
It also means that he will resist the temptation
to stand up.
Training your dog to stay down.
Now that he is the “Down” position, continue
to give him with the
“Down. Stay” command,
not forgetting to praise at the same time. “That’s a good boy”.
You can remove your hands from his front legs and
stroke his back firmly, but caressingly with your left hand, speaking
him to him in a reassuring voice all the time.
At a later stage, after he is realizes what is required of him, you can
stand up next to him and keep him in the down position.
If there is any tendency to get up when you stand up, you can
quickly correct this, with a firm “No!
Down!
You can train your dog to stay even when
you have left him in the down position, every easily. It is useful
for this purpose to have a particularly long leash - or a long length of
very light cord or strong ribbon attached to the leash.
It is a good idea to give him the DOWN command
when you are fairly close to a pole or a tree - say about a yard or two
away. After having given him the command DOWN STAY in a firm
voice, accompanied if you wish with very definite hand signals,
step back and loop the length of your long leash -or cord - around
the pole.
Keep the long leash completely slack. Do
not put any pressure on it otherwise the dog may be inclined to get up
and walk towards you. Then back away from the dog - walking
backwards while still facing the dog - until you have reached the
full extent of your long line.
Continue using your hand signal, which is the
hand extended up with the palm of your hand opened and facing the dog,
and repeat the command STAY. If the dog does make a
movement to get up and walk towards you, jerk the lone line which you
will be holding in your left hand, and give the firm command NO -
DOWN!
Because you are able to control the dog by means
of your pressure on the long line, the dog will have no option but to
listen to you. At a later stage you can repeat the process.
Walk away from the dog after you have given him the DOWN command,
but at this more advanced stage you can drop the leash - or line -
completely. Leave it lying on the ground.
The dog will have no idea whether the leash is in
your hand or not and will take it for granted that you have control.
Even if it is lying on the ground, the dog will also have no idea how
quickly you can move to get hold of the line lying on the ground in
order to give it the necessary jerk to restrain him from moving forward.
It won't long before the dog realizes that you
are in control - and that you have a way to exercise this control.
Even at a later stage of your training, when the
entire obedience process is done off leash, the same principle applies,
The dog must always have the impression that you are in control
and that you have the means - and the will - to exercise this control.
He will not be able to get away with disobeying you.
Obviously, when he does listen - even if
he had not option but to listen - do not forget to be unstinting
in your praise. Let him know how pleased you are with him
for having listened!