Working on the "come" and I want her to sit front on the "come" command. She (2 of them) both will come back to the heel position so nicely and I don't really want to discourage, but it is not what I want. I use my hands out front to try to guide them to sit front but they get all ****-eyed...they follow my hand to the side quite nicely to the "heel" position...any suggestions?
Need advice on how to correct the "come"...
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I have this problem with Kenya. She used to do a great come with a front sit, but after I taught her right and left finishes, she wanted to get ahead of me and come to heel or sit crooked. Two things off the top of my head...
1. Train her to run through your legs - I haven't tried this yet
2. Backup - this is what I currently do. When she gets close, I hold out my hand with a treat, then jog a few steps backward to keep her lined up in front of me, then bring the treat up so she goes into a sit. If she ignores this or is too crooked, she gets "uh oh" and no treat or praise.
If she is consistently crooked in one direction, do a few short comes along a wall or barrier.
1. Train her to run through your legs - I haven't tried this yet
2. Backup - this is what I currently do. When she gets close, I hold out my hand with a treat, then jog a few steps backward to keep her lined up in front of me, then bring the treat up so she goes into a sit. If she ignores this or is too crooked, she gets "uh oh" and no treat or praise.
If she is consistently crooked in one direction, do a few short comes along a wall or barrier.
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Try using a different command and training it as a new *trick*. I use "FRONT" or sometimes i'll say "Here Front" which she comes just as her normal recall but sits in front of me with her toes basically touching mine. Once i get the *focus look* she is treated and lots of praise. That way your dogs wont confuse it with their come to a heel position. You could even add a hand signal (like you've been doing) to guide them where you want them.
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I would say, teach the sit in front as a seperate exercise.
When I was teaching a formal "here" (run and sit close in front), I was told to first teach the dog the sit in close position and name it "here". The word then comes to mean sit in front close to Mom, and then when you add distance, obviously in order to complete the command the dog has to come to you to get in position.
I would also lay off asking them to move to a heel position after they come for awhile. They will start to anticipate that you always ask them to heel after coming and they'll end up sitting for a milisecond before moving into heel position. It may be that you've asked for heel so many times after come, that the commands are starting to join together.
When I was teaching a formal "here" (run and sit close in front), I was told to first teach the dog the sit in close position and name it "here". The word then comes to mean sit in front close to Mom, and then when you add distance, obviously in order to complete the command the dog has to come to you to get in position.
I would also lay off asking them to move to a heel position after they come for awhile. They will start to anticipate that you always ask them to heel after coming and they'll end up sitting for a milisecond before moving into heel position. It may be that you've asked for heel so many times after come, that the commands are starting to join together.
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Re: Need advice on teaching Front
I changed the title of your thread.
First, it is really neat that your dogs on th recall goes to the heel position. I would leave that on the "Come" command.
Now you want to teach your dog "Front" on the recall so he/she comes and sits in front of you.
Start from a short distance and have a treat or toy to lure you dog in to the "Front" position you want. I would use front or here as a command and leave the come command to return to your side.
As your dog is coming into you back up a few steps to keep encouraging your dog to come into you. Now you are going to add the sit. Once you have your dog moving towards your front then add the sit. Dog comes into you then ask for a seat then treat. Now add some distance. When you get a longer distance working and your dog is coming to you really hard you might have to call sit, 4 - 6 feet from you. Just break the excercise down and teach it in steps.
One thing I really enjoy seeing in OB competitions is on a recall a dog running hard to the owner, it is a thing of beauty. LOL you do have to teach the dog to shut it down before they get to you or they might run into you, but once you get it down it is really pretty.
I changed the title of your thread.
First, it is really neat that your dogs on th recall goes to the heel position. I would leave that on the "Come" command.
Now you want to teach your dog "Front" on the recall so he/she comes and sits in front of you.
Start from a short distance and have a treat or toy to lure you dog in to the "Front" position you want. I would use front or here as a command and leave the come command to return to your side.
As your dog is coming into you back up a few steps to keep encouraging your dog to come into you. Now you are going to add the sit. Once you have your dog moving towards your front then add the sit. Dog comes into you then ask for a seat then treat. Now add some distance. When you get a longer distance working and your dog is coming to you really hard you might have to call sit, 4 - 6 feet from you. Just break the excercise down and teach it in steps.
One thing I really enjoy seeing in OB competitions is on a recall a dog running hard to the owner, it is a thing of beauty. LOL you do have to teach the dog to shut it down before they get to you or they might run into you, but once you get it down it is really pretty.
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Re: Need advice on teaching Front
also an idea,,if you have a couple of "gates" or something you can use as a "chute",,this will bring them in straight, they can't divert to sides, because they are blocked..this will also help get straight fronts. I use both hands together, lure 'in and up' with the hands.
Hard to explain but hope you understand what I'm describing
))
I also used to work next to a wall to block from going into heel position.
also an idea,,if you have a couple of "gates" or something you can use as a "chute",,this will bring them in straight, they can't divert to sides, because they are blocked..this will also help get straight fronts. I use both hands together, lure 'in and up' with the hands.
Hard to explain but hope you understand what I'm describing
))I also used to work next to a wall to block from going into heel position.
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Re: Need advice on teaching Front
Diane - I also used a wall. I had taught Dante the front finish on the come command but then did too many "hips" (Sit by side) after the command and so he was anticipating that command and flipping over really fast.
Moved next to the hall wall to block the flip and it helped a lot, I of course also shut down the "Hip" after the come as well for a bit.
Diane - I also used a wall. I had taught Dante the front finish on the come command but then did too many "hips" (Sit by side) after the command and so he was anticipating that command and flipping over really fast.
Moved next to the hall wall to block the flip and it helped a lot, I of course also shut down the "Hip" after the come as well for a bit.
Re: Need advice on teaching Front
Yes, I see where I made the same mistake with the girls...always following the "come" with "heel"... I worked them all week just on the "come-sit front" and they were great, until today. We did our CGC and Daize went to heel position...didn't really matter for today, but still need to straighten it out. thanks everyone...I haven't been on these boards for very long and I'm amazed at the support and knowledge here. thanks again.
Yes, I see where I made the same mistake with the girls...always following the "come" with "heel"... I worked them all week just on the "come-sit front" and they were great, until today. We did our CGC and Daize went to heel position...didn't really matter for today, but still need to straighten it out. thanks everyone...I haven't been on these boards for very long and I'm amazed at the support and knowledge here. thanks again.
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Re: Need advice on teaching Front
I have Jesse trained as follows:
"Come" as he runs to me looks for directions when he gets close I say "Sit" if I want him in front - he will sit any direction just ends up in front cause that is when I say it. If I want him in heel position I say "By me" and he runs around behind me and sits on my left side in heel position - not bad I had him doing that since he was 4 months old.
I am currently working on also when he is in a command "Come" when he gets about halfway I say "Stop" "Sit/Down" - that is taking a while but getting much better he is 5.5 months old.
I have a fail safe come command - when I really really need him and he is distracted "Hussle" and also gets something very good with that command and I don't use it often.
Lauralie
I have Jesse trained as follows:
"Come" as he runs to me looks for directions when he gets close I say "Sit" if I want him in front - he will sit any direction just ends up in front cause that is when I say it. If I want him in heel position I say "By me" and he runs around behind me and sits on my left side in heel position - not bad I had him doing that since he was 4 months old.
I am currently working on also when he is in a command "Come" when he gets about halfway I say "Stop" "Sit/Down" - that is taking a while but getting much better he is 5.5 months old.
I have a fail safe come command - when I really really need him and he is distracted "Hussle" and also gets something very good with that command and I don't use it often.
Lauralie
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