Obedience Training
Whether you want a competition winner or a companion pet, give your dog basic obedience lessons.
Up to now, this section has been devoted mainly to the "No, No" school of dog training, perhaps properly so because the very young puppy is more apt to do what he shouldn't than what he should. Some additional positive steps in raising the dog should now be examined, prefaced by a few words on how to give praise and correction.
An actor knows that when you want intense attention, whisper. When you give an order, insist that it be obeyed, but don't shout. It isn't loudness that teaches the dog but quiet firmness, the repetition of words, and the praise you give for work well done. Generous praise for sustained effort rather than for the quick accomplishment should be showered upon the very young puppy. Light pats should accompany the words to impress your approval on him. As the dog develops, there should be less emphasis on praise for effort and more on praise for accomplishment. The dog will try harder to deserve your plaudits. The road to fear and obedience only under duress lies in the whip.
An early positive step in the training of the young dog is accustoming him to the collar and leash. Put a collar around his neck that is tight enough so that it will not slip over his head, yet is not so tight it causes discomfort. Leave it there until he has become accustomed to it, then attach a light leash and let him play with it, all the while watching to ensure he doesn't get it tangled and choke. Once he is accustomed to both collar and leash, he can begin lead training. The lead is your means of control over the dog in all the elementary obedience lessons, in training him for the show ring, and, in the form of a long check rope, in bird-dog training.
But first, he must learn to walk at your side without rebelling, plunging, or pulling. Some grown dogs are never satisfied merely to accompany the master. They try to pull his arm off, pursuing every whim of scent and fancy. They have never been properly trained, and they violate one of the main principles of obedience training: to walk at heel. The others are to sit, lie down, and come to you when called by an appropriate command. In leash training, place the dog on your left side and start walking. The left side is always used in obedience, whether in formal competition or otherwise.
The puppy will probably be very reluctant or will pull ahead. As you start walking, say "Heel!" and if there is resistance, give the leash a light tug, but not a yank. Have a rolled-up newspaper in your right hand, and when the puppy pulls ahead, give him a tap on the nose, accompanied by the use of
the word "Heel!" When he moves at your side in an orderly, even manner, there is no tension on the leash and no taps, and the dog begins to enjoy the experience of walking with you. The older dog should draw a sharp rebuke for occasional disobedience once his lead-training has been completed. The extremely young puppy should not be subjected to training, as severe curbs on its natural playfulness may harm its spirit. Remember to continue the use of the word "Heel" to make him thoroughly
familiar with it. Don't make any of the lessons too long. Fifteen minutes at a time is long enough; otherwise, the dog will tire. Half an hour will do for the older dog. In either case, the lessons should be held on a regular basis. If there is complete non-cooperation, end the lesson for the day and resume it the next day.
Another step in training the dog of five or six months of age should be coming when called. This can be done either through the use of a check rope or entirely by vocal orders with no force. When using the rope, the command "Come" is given, and the cord is pulled simultaneously. In the other system, the puppy is left free of restraint, with the word "Come" used enticingly, accompanied by a pat on the floor with the hand, and rewarded upon compliance with affectionate petting and praise. While the check-rope method is effective, it has one drawback.
The puppy may get the impression that he is required to come only under compulsion. No rope, no need for response, he thinks. If you use the rope, allow the puppy to play about with the rein attached but unhampered. When he is sufficiently wrapped up in his game, say, "Come!" and tug the cord. Then reward him. He probably won't, though, at first. Give the cord a few yanks, then pull the cord to you, and when he arrives, administer the usual plaudits. Repeat the process four or five times, then stop. You can pick up the lesson later in the day, after a rest. Also important in the obedience process is the response to the order, "Sit!" Place the dog in front of you or at your left side.
Take a short grip on the leash with your right hand and say the word, at the same time pressing down on the dog's rump with your left. He will be forced to a sitting position. When he is down, give praise and a tidbit. Then repeat the operation. Always say, "Sit!" and always accompany the order with the hand pressure. After a while, he should sit without being pressed.
There may be a tendency for the dog to lie down initially. Pick him up and set him in the correct sitting position until he knows what is required. A number of short lessons a day is better than one or two excessively long ones. Don't keep the dog sitting too long. Later, you can train him to remain seated or lying for a considerable period when desired, but that is another step in the training process. Once he has mastered the meaning of "Sit," begin the lying down lesson. The word "Down" is used here and should be taught the same as the others. Don't use the word to order him to get on the sofa. It has a definite place in obedience training and should be used only in the context of training. When teaching the "Down" phase, place the dog directly in front of you, say the word, and accompany it with a downward motion of your right hand. Then step on the leash so that the dog is pulled downward to a lying position.
When he knows what is wanted, step a few feet from him and repeat at that distance. He may want to come to you, but keep him at a distance until he knows the order means he is to lie down where he is put. When he knows, try the operation without the foot pressure but with the hand motion and the vocal command. The "Down" can also be taught with the same hand pressure as used in the "Sit," only carried a step further. When he is sitting, say "Down," and pull his front legs out from under him with your right hand while maintaining pressure with your left.
When he has learned the sit and down positions, he may go on to "Stay." With the dog in either of the other positions, give the order, "Stay," correcting the dog if he tries to get up. Step on the leash as you say the word, from near the dog at first, then gradually backing away until you do not use the lead at all, although it may still be attached. Obedience competitors are required to remain at "Stay" for extended periods while the handlers are completely out of sight. They are scored on their compliance.
There will be times when you will want the dog to leave the room. A stern "Go!" with the arm extended and pointed toward the door is the most natural means of conveying your meaning. If that doesn't get across, a simple pulley arrangement attached to the dog's collar that will draw the dog away from you as you give the order may turn the trick. In the education of the dog, it is important that the same short word always be used for the same order. Don't say simply, "Come!" one day and "Come to me, Fido,'another. A dog will learn to recognize several words over time, but short, concise words, always meaning the same thing, will sink into its brain quicker than sentences or long words. Come, Sit, Heel, Down, Good Dog, are examples. The dog will respond to word commands, but only when the words have come to have a definite meaning through
If you exercise common sense and regularity in your training, you will have a well-behaved dog and one of which you can be proud without resorting to tricks of any kind. The dog will not be ready for competition in obedience trials, but if you are like the majority of pet owners, you will be satisfied and will have no particular desire to pursue further training. All the average owner wants is a dog that is mannerly and under control. The degrees of control are accentuated at the trials, where most exercises are based on practical value in everyday life.
Over the last few years, training schools for dogs have emerged all over the country. Some are commercial ventures on a rather ambitious scale, with carefully worked out courses taught by paid specialists. The classes consist of ten to a dozen dogs. Others are club projects that operate one evening a week. The objective is the same: to produce orderly dogs by teaching the owners. They are not interested in producing trick or performing dogs.