How low can you go?
Well, how FAR can you go? Adding distance to your commands can be a challenging prospect. Usually when we ask our doggies to do things, they are right in front of us. “SIT!” While we stand directly in front of them, holding a treat, and looking them right in the eye. And they do. Well, most of the time. If they don’t, of course, then you repeat “Sit sit sit sit!” In ever increasing anxious tones till your trainer starts to worry that you are going to stroke out on her and steps in to calm you down. Pet-pet, its going to be fine, really!! Whew!
Sometimes people just baffle me.....
Anyway. So the first thing we always add distance to, is ‘come when you are called’. Puppy is across the room – ‘puppy puppy,come! yay!” So ANYTIME we do distance, the first thing dog wants to do is ‘come’.
'Come' is Easy! 'Stay' is challenging.
‘Come’ is a good thing mostly. A good solid ‘come’ command can, quite literally save your dog’s life. But…sometimes that is not what I want. I want them to sit/stay. Or lay down. Or…Stop Barking At That Squirrel Before I Go Insane! I want to be able to Send – “go to your mat!” “Kennel up!” I want to play ‘fetch’. I want my dog to ‘go find!’.
All those are distance commands.
You want me to do what from where? I don't think so!
Just like with anything else – we want to start slow and easy. Instead of standing directly in front of your dog, take a step backwards. Then say ’sit’ Just Once! Really!!!!!! If dog has no clue what you’re saying – step forward. Say it again. Practice three times, then try again with a step back.
'Down?' Sure I can 'down' anywhere, anytime, anyplace. "Up?" Nah.
A good way to do this is with a tether. Tie dog to something. The dining room table. A tree. Then step away and practice from a few feet away. The good thing about a tether is that they can’t do what they want – which is, of course, chase that squirrel…I mean, ‘come!’.
Its hard to learn 'come' when I never leave your foot!
There are three D’s to dog training – distance, distraction and duration. Only work on ONE of those at a time. Then once that’s reliable, add in one more. Then finally add in the third. Slooooooowwwwlllly. There is NO hurry. The longer you take to proof, the more certain your dog will do as they are asked.
Take a deep breath. Calm down. I'm going to be around a while...
And a well mannered dog who reliably does as he’s told, no matter what, IS what we’re after.
Just checking
Played with my settings – just checking things out….
we'll check it out from waaaaay over here!
Potty Training Class
I did a little potty training class yesterday – so much fun!!! Yeah, yeah, I know, I have a warped idea of fun sometimes. Strange but true.
But this one was. There were only about six or seven people there and that was nice. Sometimes I’ve had potty training classes be standing room only. I don’t really get stage fright but that overwhelms me a bit. So this one was nice and cozy.
Me, you, snuggled with the blanket. Now, that is cozy.
My usual spiel is to do a quick over view – here is a good method to try. Do these things this way and it will work for most of the dogs most of the time.
Me? Average? Normal? Noooooo........Special! Different! Unique!
Then I open it up to questions. Because you know what? Everyone thinks their dog and their situation is special. And you know what else? They are right. None of us live the same way. All our families and households are different. What works for me and mine at my house probably won’t work for you and yours at your place.
I think we're twins! Do you think we are?
Our households are different. Our schedules are different. Our rules are different and our expectations are different. And you know what else? That’s okay. Really.
However – you knew there was a ‘however’ didn’t you? – you have to adapt to puppy for a while. Our teeny little ones or our recently adopted bigger ones – or even ones we are changing the rules on (sometimes people wake up and think OMG, he’s two years old and still peeing in my house! I don’t want this anymore!) – need us to understand their needs for a while, ’cause they sure don’t understand ours.
Those two legged creatures can be so challenging sometimes!
Get rid of the “old Shep” syndrome with your new dog. The “Old Shep” syndrome is when people tell me frustrated “but I never had to do that with Old Shep! He was Perfect in every way! He never peed in the house and he never tore anything up!” I laugh and say “in ten years you’ll be saying that about this one too.” Really. This too will pass.
SO true! One day you won't remember any of my flaws. Only how great I am!
It sometimes takes Months to reliably house train or paper train your four legged buddy. We’re flawed humans, not Perfect Old Shep and sometimes we will mess up. If you mess up, take out that rolled up newspaper, swat your own bottom with it, and move on.
Soooo.....I'm not supposed to pee on the newspapers? They have other uses?
Today is a new day. We can Do this.
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