Clear commands make training easier

by Mary Russell

As an instructor of novice class I have run across quite a few people that say things that confuse their dogs, such as sit down. I cringe every time I hear that. The poor dog stands there not knowing weather to sit or to down. This is a mistake I hear quite often.

Another mistake that is common is using down instead of off. If your dog is on the couch and you say down and he lays down ( on the couch ) instead of getting off, that's exactly what you told him to do. Use off the furniture and off when he jumps on people, instead of down. We need to have separate words for each thing we want our dogs to do, such as heel means sitting, standing or walking at your left side. Every time you tell your dog to heel he will know to take his place at your left side whether you are standing ( in which case he sits ) or walking or running.

Another thing I have noticed is when we do a recall most people use the word come, which is fine except when the dog reaches them he seems confused and not quite sure what to do next. These same people use this same word when calling their dog in from the yard and he is not expected to sit in front of them, but now all of a sudden we expect him to know that come means sit in front on a recall in class. Eventually the dog would learn that is what they want, but it is so much easier and faster just to use a different word (such as front ) then he would know exactly what you wanted.

When I call my dogs I usually just use their names and they know I want them. I use here when I want them to stay close, heel when I want them at my side and front for my recall, this way there is no doubt as to what I want them to do, and they execute my commands with confidence.

So when you begin training your dog decide what words you want to use and stick to them, also make sure your family uses the same commands. Your dog will then learn a lot faster.