A friend stops by to visit and your dog races to the door, barking exuberantly. When you tell your dog to stay, what happens? Will your dog obey? What about a week later with a similar scenario, will he obey then as well? If you answered “no” to either of the latter 2 questions, then your dog is a likely candidate for obedience training. Of course, this is not the only reason for a dog to have obedience training. Other reasons include:
- To develop a well-respected canine citizen
- To build a strong owner-dog relationship that is based on trust, cooperation and understanding of the pet owner relationship
- To promote confidence in and control of your dog, regardless of a situation
- To learn to work with your pet’s strengths and weaknesses
- To build a bond between you and your dog that can last a lifetime.
Different Obedience Training Commands
So, what types of commands are taught in obedience training? Here is a list of the common commands used in obedience training:
Stay – The dog must remain in the requested position (sit, stand, down) until the command is revoked.
Sit – Dog should sit down
Down – Dog will have its elbows and rear legs touching the floor/ground
Here/Come – Calling your dog results in his coming to where you are
These common commands will make pet ownership, and your pet’s interactions with other people or animals, more successful and pleasant. Of course, if you want to give your pet an even greater sense of accomplishment, there are more than a dozen advanced commands an obedience trainer (or you) can teach them. Some of these include:
Stop/Platz – Teaches the dog to stop (platz is German for “stop”) what they are doing and lie down; a dog who masters this command can be taken anywhere.
Steady- Tells the dog to stay nearby; they can walk around but not wander away.
Back up – Perfect for large, in particular, aggressive breeds to help make people more comfortable. The dogs are taught to back up on command.
Leave it/drop it – Directs the dog not to touch something.
Take it – Tells the dog to pick up an item and hold on to it.
Give – Tells the dog to place an item in the command givers hand.
Tips for Training your Dog
If you would like for your dog to follow your commands, then you have a couple of options- train Fido yourself or pay an obedience trainer to do it for you. If you opt for the former, here are a few things to keep in mind.
- Positive reinforcement- This will result in repeatable, predictable results. When your pet is rewarded for doing well, they are more likely to do the “action” again. If you opt to have someone train your dog for you, be sure to find out if they use positive or negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement may include speaking harshly, hitting or shaming the dog and will result in unpredictable and even aggressive behavior.
- Scheduled training- Having a specific time each day for training will make it easier for you and your pet to know what to expect. Consider doing your training before mealtime doing your training before mealtime, or another daily routine your pet enjoys, as your pet will associate training time to be followed with something “more fun”.
- Keep it short- Most dogs have a short attention span, so limit training to less than 10 minutes daily.
- Have a plan- Determine what commands and signals you want to use, before you begin.
- Be consistent- Don’t keep changing commands/signals each time you train as that will confuse and frustrate your dog. Also, determine how long/where you want your dog to sit, stay, stand, etc.
- Use a clicker- This is a great teaching too but can take practice on your part to be consistent and effective.
Local Obedience Trainers
If you are interested in your dog receiving obedience training, but want someone else to do it, then check out these local obedience trainers:
·K9 Solutions LLC
www.nck9solutions.com
(919) 779-3813
·Dog Training In Your Home
betterdog.com
(919) 872-2221
·PetSmart
stores.petsmart.com
(919) 544-9902
·Teamworks Dog Training
www.dogtrainingraleighnc.net
(919) 855-0422
·CareFirst Animal Hospital at Oberlin
www.carefirstanimalhospital.com
(919) 832-3107
·Canine Country Club & Pet Hotel
www.canineclubandpet.com
(919) 876-9538
·Dog Dynamics LLC
www.dogdynamicsnc.com
(919) 349-2267
Of course, here at Sleep Eas…Zz, we know the importance of having a well-trained dog. If you have any questions regarding dog obedience training, please let us know. We will be happy to help.
January 7th, 2012 - 8:05 am
Sweet post, incredible website layout, stick to the great work
March 28th, 2012 - 2:42 pm
My favourite story that I share frequently with my clients is my brother’s counting dog. (an English Springer Spaniel) My brother repeated commands frequently and what I noticed was that Jasper would wait until her heard the “sit” command 8 times before he plunked down. I tested it and he consistently sat after hearing the cue 8 times. It didn’t matter if the verbal cue became louder, softer, done in a whisper or matched with a hand signal. 21 was his magic number.
April 3rd, 2012 - 3:15 pm
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