Sit, Down, Focus...now what?

lonestarag05 · 07-07-2011, 04:53 PM

Trying to see what to transition to . Sarge (puppy) has got sit, down working, not perfect yet and were working on focus. Start working on stay?

Whiteshepherds · 07-07-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonestarag05

Trying to see what to transition to . Sarge (puppy) has got sit, down working, not perfect yet and were working on focus. Start working on stay?

How about stand? A lot of people miss this command and it comes in handy.

For the sit and down, does the pup stay in place until you release him?
If not you want to work on that. Otherwise you end up having to give two commands in the furture - sit and stay.

Have fun!

Lilie · 07-07-2011, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonestarag05

Trying to see what to transition to . Sarge (puppy) has got sit, down working, not perfect yet and were working on focus. Start working on stay?

There is the thought process that you shouldn't have to teach 'Stay'. If you ask your pup to sit, it should remain at the sit till you release him.

I did teach stay, but I don't use it anymore. I use 'wait'. Like if I'm at the door and I don't want to be bum rushed out the door - my boy must 'wait' before he goes through the door.

If I tell my boy to sit (or down etc.) he is to remain at that command until I give him another or until I signal him that he is free.

You can also have fun teaching the sit and down using hand signals.

lonestarag05 · 07-07-2011, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilie

There is the thought process that you shouldn't have to teach 'Stay'. If you ask your pup to sit, it should remain at the sit till you release him.

I did teach stay, but I don't use it anymore. I use 'wait'. Like if I'm at the door and I don't want to be bum rushed out the door - my boy must 'wait' before he goes through the door.

If I tell my boy to sit (or down etc.) he is to remain at that command until I give him another or until I signal him that he is free.

You can also have fun teaching the sit and down using hand signals.

What the best way to convey to the dog that you want them to "stay"? I guess im saying, the best way to convey to them what we want?

Thanks

Lilie · 07-07-2011, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonestarag05

What the best way to convey to the dog that you want them to "stay"? I guess im saying, the best way to convey to them what we want?

Thanks

There are varied opinions on 'stay'. My trainer uses 'stay'. There are some sports that does not utilize 'stay'. So it's pretty much up to you.

For me - I tell my dog to 'Sit'. If he gets up, I correct him and put him back into the 'Sit'. I tell him "Free Dog!" when I want to release him.

I work with horses, and I'm gearing my dog to be able to come out to the barn with me when I'm working horses (he is 20 months). So I incorporated hand signals with my commands. "Free Dog!" is both hands up, like 'touch down'. I wanted to make sure he isn't confused with anything I might say to the horse. So 'Free Dog' had to be a grand motion.

'Sit' is finger up. 'Down' is finger down. 'Dead Dog' (gotta have a parlor trick or two) is rolling the wrist. "Stand" is flicking the wrist upwards. "Look" is pointing two fingers at my eyes.

Hand signals make it entertaining when you have company. You can incorporate any command within a conversation to the dog and people think that your dog can understand every word you are saying.

AxelsDad · 07-07-2011, 08:08 PM

After I got Axel to sit, and down. I started to do "Touch" and this will come handy for advanced "tricks". I used the back of my one hand, and I held it about 4-6 inches from his nose while he was in a sit. I said "touch" and moved my hand to his nose and just kind of bumped it, and then gave him a treat. I did this 10 or so times, and then I just held my hand there. My guy hesitated, but sure enough he stuck his nose right out and touched my hand, and then I rewarded him. I reinforced this behavior for awhile, and now I move my hand around, and he will do "Touch" no matter where my hand is. "Touch" helped me teach him how to ring bells by the door when he needs to go out to eliminate . My little nephew even gives Fist-Bumps with Axel, but Axel uses his nose. It is adorable.

**MaggieRoseLee** · 07-08-2011, 03:11 PM

I'd really spend WAY more time on 'engagement' training and work in teeny bits of 'obedience' with any puppy.

YouTube - ‪Michael Ellis on the Importance of Keeping Your Puppy Engaged‬&rlm;" target="_blank">YouTube - ‪Michael Ellis on the Importance of Keeping Your Puppy Engaged‬&rlm;

YouTube - ‪Lindsey Sommer Working Engagement Training with Her Puppy‬&rlm;" target="_blank">YouTube - ‪Lindsey Sommer Working Engagement Training with Her Puppy‬&rlm;

YouTube - ‪Cindy Training Endy, our New 8 Week old Puppy from Michael Ellis‬&rlm;" target="_blank">YouTube - ‪Cindy Training Endy, our New 8 Week old Puppy from Michael Ellis‬&rlm;

YouTube - ‪Cindy's New Puppy, Endy, Working Engagement at 13 Weeks‬&rlm;" target="_blank">YouTube - ‪Cindy's New Puppy, Endy, Working Engagement at 13 Weeks‬&rlm;

Playing with Prey Drive: The Key to Attitude and Enthusiasm in Performance Dogs - The Dog Athlete

Selecting the Best Toys to Motivate and Train Your Performance Dog - The Dog Athlete

Oh, and I'd work on ME learning how to use the clicker!

Here's some great info to start up with:

Clicker Training: Marking Your Dog's Successful Behavior

YouTube - Intro & equipment for dog clicker training" target="_blank">YouTube - Intro & equipment for dog clicker training

YouTube - An Introduction to Clicker Training" target="_blank">YouTube - An Introduction to Clicker Training

YouTube - How To Teach Your Dog to Listen (leave it alone)" target="_blank">YouTube - How To Teach Your Dog to Listen (leave it alone)

YouTube - Dog Training Tutorial: Building Eye Contact & Attention!" target="_blank">YouTube - Dog Training Tutorial: Building Eye Contact & Attention!

elisabeth_00117 · 07-08-2011, 03:15 PM

My pup is 12 weeks and all we have been working on is focus/engagement. We will keep it at that for awhile (prolly for a long while... LOL) and I will throw sit, down and maybe stand in there too. I will also do some foundation heel work (muscle memory more than anything) but other than that we ain't doing much other than getting out and about and experiencing EVERYTHING!

**MaggieRoseLee** · 07-08-2011, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elisabeth_00117

My pup is 12 weeks and all we have been working on is focus/engagement. We will keep it at that for awhile (prolly for a long while... LOL) and I will throw sit, down and maybe stand in there too. I will also do some foundation heel work (muscle memory more than anything) but other than that we ain't doing much other than getting out and about and experiencing EVERYTHING!

I've found elisabeth_00117's puppy plan is also one that works well for me. I'm also very into the mindset of Teaching a trick is the least important part of teaching a trick <-- click that

YouTube - ‪puppy tricks by Bi, 3 months‬&rlm;

07-07-2011, 04:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
lonestarag05 Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 129	Sit, Down, Focus...now what? Trying to see what to transition to . Sarge (puppy) has got sit, down working, not perfect yet and were working on focus. Start working on stay? __________________ Belle, "Texas Southern Belle", Fox Red Lab 2/27/2005 - 2/3/2011 Sargent Rio Cass "Sarge" 5/12/2011 -

07-07-2011, 08:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
AxelsDad New Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 14	After I got Axel to sit, and down. I started to do "Touch" and this will come handy for advanced "tricks". I used the back of my one hand, and I held it about 4-6 inches from his nose while he was in a sit. I said "touch" and moved my hand to his nose and just kind of bumped it, and then gave him a treat. I did this 10 or so times, and then I just held my hand there. My guy hesitated, but sure enough he stuck his nose right out and touched my hand, and then I rewarded him. I reinforced this behavior for awhile, and now I move my hand around, and he will do "Touch" no matter where my hand is. "Touch" helped me teach him how to ring bells by the door when he needs to go out to eliminate . My little nephew even gives Fist-Bumps with Axel, but Axel uses his nose. It is adorable. __________________ Axel "Foley" GSD 1/23/11 ~ Dogs can't speak, so they don't understand us. Dogs learn because we allow ourselves to understand them.

07-08-2011, 03:15 PM	#8 (permalink)
elisabeth_00117 Crowned Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Posts: 7,251	My pup is 12 weeks and all we have been working on is focus/engagement. We will keep it at that for awhile (prolly for a long while... LOL) and I will throw sit, down and maybe stand in there too. I will also do some foundation heel work (muscle memory more than anything) but other than that we ain't doing much other than getting out and about and experiencing EVERYTHING! __________________ Battleborn Hundesport Wild Winds Archangel Raphael "Stark", HIC (2009-04-10) Wild Winds Zephyr "Zefra" (2011-04-15) *Beau* 03/08/97 to 06/07/10

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