In This Chapter
- Doing the Stand for Examination exercise
- Transitioning to and accomplishing Heeling Off Leash
- Perfecting the Recall exercise
- Excelling at the group exercises
- Stand for Examination
- Heeling Off Leash
- Recall
- Group Exercises
- Long Sit
- Long Down
Tip
During a training session, practice different exercises, and vary the order. Start with some brisk heeling as a warm-up, including fast starts and changes of pace. Keep training interesting and fun for both of you.
The Stand for Examination
The Stand for Examination is
a requirement for the Novice class, but it’s also a practical and useful
command to teach your dog in general. Brushing, grooming, and wiping feet, as
well as visiting the vet, are certainly a lot easier with a dog that’s been
trained to stand still than with one that’s in perpetual motion.
In the ring, Stand for
Examination looks something like this: You give your leash to the steward. Then
the judge says, “Stand your dog and leave when ready.” You stand your dog in
Heel position (see Chapter Mastering
Basic Training), say “Stay,” walk six feet straight forward in
front of your dog, turn around, and stand facing the dog. The judge approaches
your dog from in front and touches your dog’s head, body, and hindquarters with
one hand. The judge then says, “Back to your dog.” You walk around behind your
dog and return to the Heel position.
Tip
When you put Buddy into a Stand, watch his front feet. They must remain in place and not move forward. You can lock them in place by applying a little downward pressure with two fingers in his collar underneath his chin as you stand him.
When you begin teaching this
exercise to your dog, you can stand, kneel on your right knee or both knees, or
have the dog on a table, depending on his size. You want to avoid leaning over
him, because if you do, he’ll want to move away from you — especially if he’s
low in defense fight behaviors (see Chapter Understanding
Your Dog’s Mind).
Teaching Buddy the “Stand” command
To prepare Buddy for the Stand
for Examination exercise, you’ll need to teach him a number of sequences.
First, you need to teach him to stand on command. Then you need to teach him to
stand still, and finally, the examination part of the exercise.
Your Sequence 1 goal is to teach
your dog the “Stand” command:
1. Start with Buddy sitting at
your left side, off leash, with both of you facing the same direction.
Remember
Make sure your shoulders are square and not turned toward him.
2. Put the thumb of your right
hand in the collar under his chin, fingers pointing to the floor, palm open and
flat against his chest.
3. Apply a little downward
pressure on the collar, say “Stand,” and at the same time, apply backward
pressure on his stifles (the joint of the hind leg between the thigh and
the second thigh — the dog’s knees) with the back of your left hand.
(See Figure 14-1.)
4. Keep both hands still and
in place — the right hand through the collar and the left hand against his
stifles, and count to 10.
5. Praise and release.
Repeat this exercise three to
five times per session over the course of several sessions.
Figure 14-1: Placing your hands
properly for the “Stand” command.
Teaching Buddy to stand still: The hands-on method
Sequence 2’s goal is to teach
Buddy to stand still:
1. Place your dog into a Stand
(see the preceding section).
2. With both hands on your
dog, keep him standing still to the count of 30.
3. Over the course of several
sessions, increase the time you keep him standing still to one minute.
Teaching Buddy to stand still: The hands-off method
Your Sequence 3 goal is to get
your dog to stand still without holding him in position:
1. Place Buddy into a Stand
(see “Teaching Buddy the ‘Stand’ command” earlier in this chapter).
2. Take away your left hand.
3. Count to 30.
Reposition him if he moves.
4. Praise and then release.
5. When he’s steady without
you holding onto him with your left hand, take your right hand out of the
collar.
It will take Buddy several
sessions to learn this sequence.
Remember
Praise is a verbal thing — not a petting thing. When you praise Buddy, be sure that he remains in position. Praise tells him he’s doing something correctly and isn’t an invitation to move. Don’t confuse verbal praise with the release.
Teaching Buddy the “Stand-Stay” command
Sequence 4’s goal is to teach
Buddy the Stand and Stay:
1. Stand your dog as described
in “Teaching Buddy the ‘Stand’ command” earlier in this chapter.
2. Take both hands off your
dog and stand up, keeping your shoulders square.
3. Signal and say “Stay.”
4. Count to 30, praise, and
release.
5. Practice until you can
stand next to him for one minute without him moving.
Tip
Learning the “Stand” command (or “Sit” or “Down-Stay”) isn’t exciting for your dog, so follow the exercise with something he enjoys. After the release, play ball or throw a stick. Give him something to look forward to.
Leaving Buddy in a Stand-Stay
Ready for Sequence 5? You’re
going to leave Buddy in a Stand-Stay position:
1. Stand next to your sitting
dog.
2. Put the thumb of your right
hand through the collar as in Sequence 1 (see “Teaching Buddy the ‘Stand’
command” earlier in this chapter).
Tip
Depending on the size of your dog, you may have to bend at the knees to avoid leaning over him.
3. With a little downward
pressure on the collar, say “Stand.”
He should now stand without you having to touch his stifles.
4. Take your right hand out of
the collar and stand up straight.
5. Say “Stay,” and step
directly in front of him.
6. Count to 30, step back to a
Heel position, praise, and release.
Reposition him if he moves.
7. Gradually increase the
distance you leave him to six feet in front.
8. From now on when you leave
him, go six feet straight forward, turn and face him (don’t back away from
him), count to 30, go back, praise, and release.
Teaching Buddy the Return
Your Sequence 6 goal is to teach
the Return behind your dog:
1. Stand your dog (see
“Teaching Buddy the ‘Stand’ command” earlier in this chapter), and go six feet
in front (see the preceding section).
2. Go back to your dog, put
two fingers of your left hand on his withers to steady him, and walk around
behind him to the Heel position.
3. Pause, making sure he
doesn’t move, praise, and release.
4. When he understands that
you’re going to come around behind him, eliminate touching him as you return to
the Heel position.
Warning!
Dog shows are held indoors and outdoors in all kinds of weather conditions. If the dog show you’re attending is outdoors and it’s raining, the judge will have on rain gear, which may include a big, floppy hat — something your dog may not have experienced before. Don’t be caught unprepared: Practice under those unpleasant conditions.
Teaching Buddy the actual examination
Sequence 7’s goal is to teach
Buddy the examination part of the exercise. For this sequence, you need a
helper. At this time, the helper can be a family member. Eventually, however, Buddy
has to be examined by a stranger, and because the judge can be either male or
female, you need to practice with both men and women.
1. Put the rings of the collar
on top of the dog’s neck.
2. Attach your leash to the
collar.
3. Sit your dog at the Heel
position.
4. Neatly fold the leash into
your left hand, hold it above his head, and say “Stay.”
5. Have your helper approach
and offer your dog the palm of his or her hand.
Tip
If Buddy tries to say hello to the helper, reinforce the “Stay” command with a check straight up.
6. Have your helper lightly
touch Buddy’s head and back.
7. Praise and release.
8. Repeat Steps 1 through 7
until he readily permits the examination.
Practice the examination over the course of several sessions.
9. Repeat the steps off leash
with your dog standing at heel, then with you standing directly in front, then
three feet in front, and finally six feet in front.
Before every exercise, the judge
asks, “Are you ready?” We answer with “Ready!” for the heeling exercises and
“Yes” for everything else. (Check out Chapter Getting
Ready to Compete for how to prepare your dog
for the “Ready!” command.)
Transitioning to Heeling Off Leash
To make the transition from
Heeling On Leash to Heeling Off Leash, we use a technique called umbilical
cord. This maneuver lets you and your dog experience the feeling of Heeling
Off Leash while he’s still attached. Here’s how it works:
1. With your dog sitting in
the Heel position and the leash attached to the collar, take the loop end of
the leash in your right hand and pass it around behind you into your left hand.
2. With your right hand,
unsnap the leash from the collar, pass the snap through the loop of the leash,
and reattach it to the collar.
3. Pull on the leash to
tighten the loop end around your waist at your left side.
4. Put your left hand against
your belt buckle, and let your right hand swing naturally at your side.
5. Say “Buddy, heel,” and
start to walk your normal brisk pace.
If your dog deviates from Heel position, slowly reach for the collar. Put two fingers of your left hand through the collar, palm facing you, at the side of his neck, and bring him back to Heel position. Keep walking, let go of the collar, and tell him what a good dog he is. If Buddy is a small dog or has long hair, use the leash snap to bring him back to Heel position.
Tip
Use slow, deliberate movements when training. When you reach for your dog, be sure you do it slowly so as not to frighten him. Remember, he’s still on leash and can’t go anywhere. If you start snatching at him, he’ll become apprehensive and try to bolt.
For Buddy, this lesson is
important. He learns to accept you reaching for the collar so that you can do
it when he’s actually off leash. Reaching slowly is so important so you don’t
inadvertently teach him to become apprehensive when you reach for his collar.
Tip
If you have difficulty getting two fingers through the collar — because your dog is small or has lots of hair around his neck — use the leash snap to bring him back to Heel position. When you get to the off-leash part, put a little hang tag on his collar that you can easily grasp.
The umbilical cord technique
teaches your dog that it’s his responsibility to remain in Heel position.
Unless he learns to accept that responsibility, he won’t be reliable off leash.
You can help the process by being consistent in reminding him of that
responsibility. Anytime you make a move to bring him back, you must follow
through. If Buddy deviates and you reach for the collar, but he corrects
himself and you do nothing, Buddy doesn’t learn anything.
Tip
Keep the time and distance short, and you have a better chance of maintaining your dog’s interest and attention.
Gradually increase the number of
steps, make a right turn, take another ten steps and halt, praise, and release.
Remember to say your dog’s name before you make the turn. Start over and
incorporate an about-turn, using his name before the turn. Also incorporate
changes of pace. You get the picture.
As you and your dog’s proficiency
increase, add distractions in the order you did in Chapter Getting
Ready to Compete. You also need to
gradually increase the time and distance that you heel your dog before a halt.
How much total time should you spend on this exercise? After a two-minute
warm-up of heeling in Control Position (see Chapter Getting
Ready to Compete) in a large circle
or straight line with plenty of releases, you should spend no more than one to
two minutes per training session.
Heeling Off Leash
Heeling Off Leash, although it’s
really only an extension of Heeling On Leash, isn’t quite the same. Buddy knows
when he’s on leash and when he’s off leash. When he’s on leash, he may give you
the impression that he’s perfect. Then you take the leash off, and he acts as
though he has no idea what the exercise is all about. The reason is simple — he
knows he’s off leash.
If this situation happens to you,
review Heeling On Leash (refer to Chapter Getting
Ready to Compete), and reinforce the “Heel” command
with a treat or a check when he needs help. For normal pace, he usually doesn’t
need any reinforcement, but he probably does for changes of pace and turns.
Tip
You can remind your dog of his responsibility to remain in Heel position by taking him by the collar as you do when heeling with umbilical cord (see the preceding section).
Remember that Heeling Off Leash
is the ultimate test of your training. With a little practice, Buddy will get
the hang of it. To make sure he understands, 90 percent of your practicing
should be done on leash so you can remind him what you expect from him.
You’re now ready for Heeling Off
Leash. If you have any doubt about what Buddy will do, practice in a safe area,
such as your backyard.
1. Start with a two-minute
warm-up in Control Position (see Chapter Getting
Ready to Compete).
Walk in a large circle or a straight line. Forget about turns, and concentrate on keeping his attention on you.
Now is the time to remind him to pay attention to you. Check, if you have to, and then praise and release.
2. Set up for umbilical cord
(see the preceding section), and heel for 10 to 15 steps and release.
Set up again and heel for about the same distance and halt.
3. Put your right hand against
his chest, place him into a Sit, and stand up.
4. Unclip the leash from his
collar, and put the snap into your left pocket so a loop dangles on your side.
5. Say “Buddy, heel,” and
start at a brisk pace.
If you need to reinforce, very slowly reach for his collar, bring him back, let go, and praise.
6. Halt after ten steps, and
sit your dog.
7. Put the leash back on your
dog and release.
8. Go on to another exercise
or end your session.
Proficiency comes in small
increments and not all at once. Add something new to your off-leash heeling
each session, such as a turn (use his name) or a change of pace. Keep it short
and snappy, and make it exciting and fun. Over the course of several sessions,
both you and Buddy will become increasingly confident and begin to work as a
team. Resist the temptation to go beyond his ability to be successful.
When you and your dog are
comfortable doing this exercise in an area relatively free of distractions, you
can go on to Heeling Off Leash with Distractions. Use the same order as you do when Heeling Off
Leash — that is, making it incrementally more difficult as you progress. When
you come to halt, put your right hand against Buddy’s chest for the Sit.
The Recall
The Recall exercise is
different from the traditional “Come” command, where you’re only concerned
about the dog coming to you. The Recall consists of four components:
- Stay
- Come
- Front
- Finish
The Recall is performed from one
end of the ring to the other. The judge tells you to leave your dog in a
Sit-Stay and to go to the other side of the ring. He or she then tells you to
call your dog. You give the “Come” command, Buddy comes, and he’s expected to
sit directly in front of you. The judge then says “Finish,” and you say “Buddy,
heel,” and Buddy goes to the Heel position.
Stay
Chapter Mastering
Basic Training covers the basics of
the “Stay” command. We cover training your dog to stay with distraction in “The
Group Exercises” section later in this chapter. For the Recall exercise, the
judge designates the starting point for the exercise, usually at the far end of
the ring. He or she tells you to leave
Come with distractions
Even though Buddy already knows
the “Come” command, you still need to work on distraction training — for which
you need a helper. Leave Buddy in a Sit-Stay, and go 20 feet in front. Have
your helper position herself equidistant between you and Buddy — about two feet
from Buddy’s anticipated line of travel. Facing Buddy, the helper crouches and
smiles.
Call your dog, and as he passes
the distracter, release backward with an enthusiastic “Okay!” Then give him a
treat when he gets to you. If he goes to the distracter, smile and very slowly
approach Buddy. Put the leash on the dead ring of the training collar and, with
a little tension on the leash, show him exactly what he should’ve done by
trotting backward to the spot where you called him. Praise and release
backward. You may have to show him a few times until he catches on. After he’s
successful, stop for that session.
Tip
Release backward any time you want to encourage the dog when he’s coming toward you. Lean backward, throw up your hands invitingly, and take a few steps back with an enthusiastic “Okay!”
If your dog veers from the
distracter, use two distracters, separated by about ten feet, and teach your
dog to come between them. As Buddy progresses in his training, work your way
through second and third degree distractions.
Remember
The purpose of distraction training is to build your and your dog’s confidence that he can do it. It also teaches him to concentrate on what he’s supposed to do. If at any time you feel the exercise is too much for him, stop. Come back to it at another session.
Front
The object of both the Front and
the Finish (see the following section) is to teach the dog a position, and you
can practice both exercises inside in the form of a game. The Front is similar
to the Automatic Sit at Heel (see Chapter Getting
Ready to Compete) in that the dog is supposed to
come to you and sit in front without a command to sit. We like to use a chute
to teach the dog exactly where we want him to sit when he comes to us. For a
chute, we use plastic rain gutters, commensurate to the size of the dog. They
should be about as long as your dog. Place them on the ground, just far enough
apart so your dog can sit comfortably in between.
Tip
When practicing the Front, keep the upper part of your body erect. If you lean over or toward your dog, he won’t come in close enough. If you need to get down to his level, bend at the knees.
Getting Buddy used to the chute
Sequence 1’s goal is to get Buddy
used to the chute:
1. Place the chute on the
ground.
2. Walk your dog through the
chute a few times.
3. Heel your dog into the
chute and have him sit in it.
4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3
until he readily sits in the chute.
Teaching Buddy to come into the chute
Yep, Sequence 2’s goal is indeed
to teach your dog to come into the chute:
1. Heel your dog up to the chute,
and tell him to stay.
2. Walk through the chute and
face your dog.
3. Hold a treat in both hands
below your waist.
4. Call your dog and, as he
comes, bring your hands to your waist — using the treat to make him sit.
5. Give him the treat, praise,
and release backward.
(See the section “Come with distractions” earlier in this chapter for info on the release backward.)
6. Practice Steps 1 through 5
about five times.
7. When your dog understands
this part, leave him on a Stay three feet from the entrance of the chute and
call him.
8. Increase in 2-foot
increments the distance that you leave him facing the entrance of the chute,
until he is 35 feet from the entrance.
You want to teach Buddy to sit as
close as possible in front of you without touching you. Using treats, you can
practice this sequence inside without the chute. Call him to you and use your
treat to make him sit. Only give him the treat when he sits straight. If he
doesn’t, try again.
Remember
In the ring, you’re not allowed to carry food or give second commands. You can give either a command or a signal but not both. The exception is the “Stay” command, which can be accompanied by the “Stay” signal.
Ultimately, Buddy has to sit in
front of you with your hands hanging naturally at your side, so you need to
wean him from seeing you with your hands in front of you. You can still reward
him in practice when he does the exercise correctly.
Finish
After your dog comes to you and
sits in front, the judge says “Finish.” You say “Buddy, heel,” and your dog
goes to the Heel position. He can either go directly to Heel position to the
left, or go to the right and walk behind you to Heel position. We like to teach
both, just to keep the dog guessing. For the Finish to the left, we use the
“Heel” command and for the Finish to the right, we use the “Place” command (see
Teaching a Finish to the right). Actually, we prefer giving a signal because
the dog more readily understands a signal than a command — and it more clearly
indicates to the dog the way we want him to go. For the Finish to the left, use
your left hand to indicate the direction in which you want Buddy to go, and for
the Finish to the right, use your right hand.
Teaching a Finish to the left
Your Sequence 1 goal is to
introduce Buddy to the Finish to the left:
1. Sit your dog at Heel
position, say “Stay,” and step directly in front of him.
2. Say “Buddy, heel,” and then
take a step back on your left leg, keeping the right leg firmly planted in
place, as you guide him with a treat held in your left hand in a semicircle
into Heel position.
Make the semicircle large enough so that he winds up in the correct position.
3. Give him the treat, praise,
and release.
4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3
until he enthusiastically and briskly goes to heel.
You’ll quickly see that the
guidance of your left hand becomes his signal to go to heel.
Tip
Any time we want a dog to move, we use his name before the command — for example, “Buddy, come.” Any time we don’t want him to move, we eliminate the name — for example, “Stay.” Using a dog’s name makes him excited and ready to move, and not using his name on the stationary exercises helps him to focus on the exercise and stay still.
Teaching a Finish on command or signal
Your Sequence 2 goal is to teach
Buddy to finish on command or signal:
1. Put the leash on the
training collar.
2. Neatly fold the leash into
your left hand.
3. Step in front, say “Buddy,
heel,” and step back on your left leg, using the leash to guide him into Heel
position.
4. Reward him with a treat,
praise, and release.
5. Practice Steps 1 through 4
until he goes to heel without any tension on the leash.
6. Now eliminate the step back
on the left leg, and experiment by using either the command or signal.
The signal is the same guiding motion you use in Sequence 1 (see the preceding section).
Teaching a Finish to the right
The Finish to the right uses the
same progressions as the finish to the left, except that you step back on the
right leg and guide Buddy around behind you into Heel position. When you’re
using a treat, you have to switch it behind your back from the right hand into
the left. The same applies to the leash.
Your dog’s response to the Finish
to the right or left tells you which direction is better for him. As a general
rule, a long-bodied dog does better going to the right.
The Group Exercises
The group exercises are the last
part of the Novice class test. They consist of a Long Sit and a Long Down for
one and three minutes, respectively, and
they’re done off leash in a group. The number of dog/handler teams in a group
depends on the number of exhibitors competing in the class and the size of the
ring. The judge tells the teams to line up on one side of the ring. He or she
then instructs the handlers to sit their dogs and leave their dogs, whereupon
the handlers go to the opposite side of the ring, turn, and face their dogs.
After a minute the judge gives the order to return and the handlers go back to
their dogs, walking around behind the dogs to Heel position. The same procedure
is followed for the three-minute Down. A dog that lies down during the Long
Sit, sits during the Long Down, or moves out of position, receives a
nonqualifying score.
Tip
When you’re training your dog, change only one variable at a time. When teaching a Stay, for example, change the distance or the time but not both together. Increase one, and increase the other when Buddy is steady.
Look at the Stay exercises from
the perspective of time and distance. Teach Buddy to stay in place for a
specific period of time with you about three feet in front. Then the first time
you increase the distance from your dog, decrease the time you’re away from
him.
Although you can give a command
and/or signal for any Stay exercise, your dog’s Personality Profile (see
Chapter Understanding
Your Dog’s Mind) influences whether you want to use a signal. Any Stay is a pack
drive exercise, so you want your dog in pack drive. For dogs low in defense
fight behaviors, a “Stay” signal puts them into defense drive where they’re
uncomfortable. Using a “Stay” signal may cause the dog to break the Stay and
come to you — or to whine and fidget.
Because he is competing for the
Companion Dog title, Buddy already knows the basics of the Sit and Down-Stay.
You just need to fill in the missing pieces, meaning you need to practice
- With distractions
- Off leash
- At the right distance
- For the requisite length of time plus one minute
- At different locations and on different surfaces
- The review progression for any Stay is the Sit-Stay test (see Chapter Canine Cruise Control: Walking, Coming When Called, and Leaving Stuff Alone).
Introducing self-generated distractions
To introduce self-generated
distractions, put the leash on the collar, with the rings under his chin. Then
say and signal “Stay,” and step three feet in front. Place your left hand
against your belt buckle and hold your right hand ready to reinforce. Jump to
the right, the middle, the left, the middle, forward, and backward. Any time
Buddy wants to move, reinforce the stay. How vigorously you do these
distractions depends on Buddy’s Personality Profile and your physical
condition.
As he learns, add clapping and
cheering. And periodically review these distractions in your training.
Increasing the level of difficulty
Practice with self-generated distractions off leash from about three feet and then six feet in front of Buddy to increase the level of difficulty. When Buddy is off leash, and you need to reinforce the Stay, slowly approach him and put him back by placing two fingers of each hand through the collar at the side of his neck. If he’s coming to you, put him back from in front — that is, guide him back to the spot where you left him in such a way that you’re facing him when you reinforce the Stay. Don’t repeat the command.
You also need to practice the
Down-Stay, using the same distractions you did for the Sit-Say, both on and off
leash.
Remember
Whenever you approach your dog, do so in a nonthreatening manner so he doesn’t become anxious. You never want your dog to become frightened when you approach him.
Gradually increase the time to
two minutes for the Sit-Stay and four minutes for the Down-Stay. Although
practical, these are boring exercises for both you and your dog. You usually
don’t need to practice them every session. Once or twice a week suffices.
Afterward, reward your dog with something he enjoys, like throwing a Frisbee or
a stick.
When Buddy stays for the
requisite length of time, gradually increase the distance you’re away from him
to 35 feet. Increasing the distance should go quickly, because this exercise
isn’t new for him. Finally, you need to practice in different locations and on
different surfaces.
Oops: Playing the yo-yo game
Some handlers have
unintentionally taught their dogs, or vice versa, what we call the yo-yo game.
The scenario goes something like this:
1. Buddy is on a Sit-Stay with
his handler standing 30 feet away.
2. Buddy lies down, and the
handler approaches to reinforce the Stay.
3. Buddy sits up by himself,
and the handler retreats.
This scenario can, and often
does, deteriorate into the yo-yo game. Buddy lies down, the handler approaches,
Buddy sits up, and the handler retreats, with Buddy not having learned a blessed
thing — except perhaps how many times he can play the game.
Moral of the story? When you make
a move — any move — to reinforce a command — any command — you must follow
through, even if Buddy corrects himself before you’ve had a chance to reinforce
the command. But always do it with a smile.
by Jack and Wendy Volhard
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