Dog Calendars, Dog Breed Information, Training Aids & Everything Else |
 Profile Logout
|
 |
|
 Forum Pics Shop Ask a Trainer Find a Trainer Adopt a Dog Dog Websites |
|
|
Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Joy has been teaching dog obedience for twenty years. A graduate of the University of Texas in Austin with a BS in education, Joy taught and trained Canine Good Citizen classes at Exmoor Kennel in Austin for 5 years and currently teaches basic obedience at Panola College in Carthage, Texas. Her teaching methods are described as gentle with positive motivation. Joy believes that dogs who have basic obedience training are less troublesome, their owners are happier, and the dogs are more content.
Click here to join Joy's mailing list and receive an email each time a new
column is published.
printer friendly
email this column
comment on this column
 |
|
Joy Parker
|
[Edit]
4/3/2005
How many folks have stated, "I can get my dog to sit, down, or stand, but he won't stay.".
The simple solution to this problem is that the owner has never taught the dog a release word.
This is the most important word, or command a trainer can teach a dog. It is usually, "OK".
I teach this before any other command.
For example, put the dog on his back, speak to him in a low tone stroking his tummy.
Hold him there for a second, and then let him up, release him, get him up on all fours
at the same time and say, "OK". Repeat this exercise 2-4 times, holding the dog down
a little longer each time, and upon releasing him say, "OK". Make sure you are the one
allowing the dog to get up, and say "OK" each time with a happy voice and lots of praise.
Also make sure you are the one who puts the dog on his back, don't wait for the dog to
just get on his back on his own accord. Do not let the dog be the one to dictate when
he gets up. You will notice the dog will be more willing to stay on his back in a relaxed
manner because he knows you will release him with the "OK" command. Repeat this
exercise every time you greet the dog, and before meals.
The "OK" command should be said every time you release the dog and should be said with lots of enthusiasm.
This exercise should only take 5-8 minutes, and you shou
ld end on a positive note, with the
dog in a relaxed manner before you let him up.
I learned this by watching the first leader of the pack.........the puppies mother! If a puppy in
a litter misbehaves, the mother holds the puppy down with one paw on his tummy, and her mouth
on the puppies throat, growling till the puppy relaxes, then she lets him up.
Now, when you move on to teaching the sit, after the dog sits a second or two, get him up and be sure you say, "OK".
Have him sit, tell him to stay with a hand signal in front of his face, then release him after a few seconds with
the "OK" command. Gradually increase the amount of time you require the dog to stay. You can mix it up, too...
sometime 5 seconds, sometimes 2 seconds, sometime 10 seconds. Increase the amount of time up to
3 minutes before you increase the distance away from your dog. Your dog should be happy to stay, because he
knows you will release him with the "OK" command, and lots of praise. You want to increase the time before you
increase the distance so that you can correct the dog if he even thinks about moving. You can't correct the dog
if you are too far away from him.
Be consistent, and always give the "OK" command after any other stationary command, like sit stay, down stay, or stand stay.
Have fun with this exercise.....it works!
|
Are you a trainer? Interested in being involved in the Ask a Trainer column? Click here!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
