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Part 2

Obedience Training

Simple Training

Simple commands o£ "Come," "Sit," and "Lie down" should be taught at three to four months of age. Your puppy will learn very quickly to come when he is called if every time he answers the call, he receives a pleasant reward such as a piece of meat, dog candy, or a word of praise.

He will quickly learn the command "Sit" if his head is held high and a little pressure is applied to his hindquarters. He will learn the meaning o£ "Lie Down" if you press on his shoulders and pull down on his collar. When you do these things, keep telling the puppy that he is a "Good Boy."

The young puppy should learn not to pull on the leash. Use an ordinary leather collar for this training and tug gently on the leash until the puppy learns not to pull ahead.

When you train your dog obedience at six months, you need a chain slip collar for the big strong dog.

 
A chain leather one or a nylon slip collar for the small dog or the puppy.

You need a leash a foot longer than you are tall. Get one with a strong snap. The pinch kind may open by accident. Get a leash made of flat leather. A round one or a chain leash will hurt your hands.

Learn How To Put On The Collar

If you are right-handed and your dog walks at your left, the correct collar looks like this.

This is wrong.

If you are left-handed and your dog walks on your right, the collar is reversed.

 (Right)

 (Wrong)

For the purpose of teaching, we will assume that your dog walks on your left.

How To Hold The Leash

Take the leash in BOTH hands. Hold your hands close to your body and keep your left elbow straight.

 
Know Your Dog's Temperament

Handle the shy dog gently. Gain his confidence through encouragement and praise.
Pep up the lazy worker. Move quickly yourself and your dog will move quickly.

If your dog is a clown, speak more sharply and correct with firmness.

If he is stubborn, make each correction more severe.

While training, keep your dog's attention. When he looks away, nudge him with your knee.

When he sniffs the ground, give the leash a tug.

 
For all corrections, snap the leash!

Never drag on it.

For best results, praise your dog when you give him a command. Praise him when you use the leash.

 
Heeling

Heeling means to walk at your side without pulling. Every time your dog passes your knee, say "Heel," jerk the leash backward, and pat your side to encourage him to stay close.

If he passes your knee a second time, stand still and jerk the leash harder!

 
If your dog holds back instead, don't jerk the leash. Pull on it gently and keep saying "Good Boy! Good Boy!" After he takes a few steps, slacken the leash and pat your side.

While training, stand up straight and don't slow up when you turn!

Don't let your dog play with the leash.

Don't let him climb on you.

Before long your dog will understand that if he runs ahead or darts off to the side, he will hear the word "Heel!" and feel a sharp tug on his collar. If he stays close to your knee, praise him and pat him.

Sitting

To make your dog sit, shorten the leash in your right hand and pull up. Say "Sit!" and push on his hindquarters with your left hand. Dogs like to be praised, so while you make him sit, tell him he is a good boy.

If he braces himself, spank him once on his rear and tell him more firmly "SIT!" Now pat him with the same hand you spanked him with so he will think you spanked him in play. At the same time, push his hips over. Make him sit straight!!

When you tell your dog "Sit!," don't step toward him or he will jump away.

Don't let him use you as a leaning post. Bump him with your knee!

If he sits too far away, coax him to sit close.

If he sits ahead, pull him backward.

The proper sit is even with your knee, square and facing straight ahead.

When you take your dog on the street, make him walk at heel. Practice making him sit. Your dog should obey wherever he is.

Staying

When you want your dog to stay, hold your left hand in front of his face, tell him "Stay!" and step forward on your right foot.

When you turn to face him, turn your hand so the palm is toward the dog.

If he starts forward, bump him once under the chin to remind him you said "Stay!"

For some dogs, learning to stay is a very hard lesson. If your dog thinks you are playing games, speak more sharply!

If he stands, "spank" him to a sitting position.

If he is lazy, use your leash.

Your dog may even try to run away.

Most of all, don't keep telling your dog "Stay! Stay! Stay!" if he is staying. Wait until he moves before you tell him again.

Return  To  Heel  Position

When you circle your dog, walk close to him and hold the leash to your left. Your dog can turn his head but don't let him turn his body.

If he tries to get up when you walk in back of him, hold him and keep him sitting.

And remember the pat and praise when you give him permission to move.

Test your dog but stand on the leash in case he tries to dart away.

Make him stay while you put on your hat and coat to take him for a walk.

Make him stay while you fix his dinner.

And while you pack the car for a picnic.

Tell him "Stay!" so he won't dash out an open door.

With practice, he will even learn to stay when the telephone rings.

Coming When  Called

When a puppy is small, we kneel; we coax; we bribe with food to get him to come. Now that your dog is growing up, teach him to come because you called him.

Put him on leash and when he is busy sniffing the ground or saying ugly things to another dog, call his name and tell him "Come!" After you call, jerk ONCE on the leash with lots of praise.

Your dog will come gaily if you clap your hands and make a game of the training.

He will learn more quickly if you give the command before you jerk the leash, and make a fuss over him after he comes.

Leave the dog in a sitting position. Then stand behind him. Call him! If he doesn't move, tug once on the leash and give him extra praise.

When he is off leash, ask a friend or one of your family to help. When you call your dog, ask the friend to point to you and tell the dog "Go!" The friend should even chase him if necessary. Your dog will quickly learn that if he goes to the person who calls, he will be praised and patted. If he goes somewhere else, people will chase after him and tell him "Go! Go!"

If there is no one to chase your dog, turn and walk away. Perhaps he will follow.

If he plays hard-to-get, make him curious!

Never, NEVER grab!

Reach for him slowly. Pick up a small dog gently by supporting his chest with one hand while he sits on the other arm.
 
A dog biscuit or a piece of dog candy will also help teach your dog to come.

Lying   Down

If you move slowly and give lots of praise, your dog will not struggle when you make him lie down. Hold the leash in both hands. Let the center of the leash rest on the floor. Step over the leash with your right foot so it will slide in front of your heel, and tell your dog "Stay!"

Now that you are ready, quietly say "Lie Down!" Then keep repeating "Good Boy! Good Boy!" while you pull slowly on the leash.

If you are training a small dog, reach with your right hand and press gently on the shoulders. While you push him to the floor, scratch his back and give praise.

If your dog braces himself, don't force him! Stay just as you are and wait for him to relax. When he does, pull up slowly on the leash with continuous praise.

If your small dog gets excited, stand on the leash, and use both hands to draw his front paws gently toward you. While you do it, give praise.

After your dog goes down, tell him "Good Boy!" and scratch his ear.

When you teach your dog to lie down at your side, use your left hand to pull down on the leash. If he lifts his head or tries to nip, turn your face away and hold tight. When you hold, keep whispering "Good Boy! Good Boy!" so he will relax.

Small dogs feel more secure when you use BOTH hands to make them lie down. Pull down on the leash with the left hand and press on the dog's shoulders with your right hand. If you give continuous praise, your dog should go down without trouble.

When your dog will lie down on command, teach him to obey a signal. Tell him "Stay!" Face him. Hold your right hand in a salute with fingers pointing up. Then tell him "Lie Down!" After you give the command, slide the leash under your right foot by pulling up with the left hand. Keep your right hand raised until your dog goes down.

Practice making your dog lie down in strange places. Make him lie down when he is excited. He probably will not stay but keep at him until he does. If he gets up without permission, put him down quickly and tell him "Stay!" with more authority. When he has stayed down for one or two minutes, release him. Praise him and give him a big pat.

Standing

Your dog's obedience lessons now consist of heeling, sitting, staying, lying down and coming when called. He must also learn to stand and to remain standing.

Wad the leash into a ball and hold it in your right hand. Now place your hand that holds the leash in front of your dog's face and reach over his back with your left hand so you can rub his stomach. Tell him "Stand!" and pull the leash forward.

Your dog will learn to stand at heel instead of sitting if, while walking, you place your right hand in front of his face and tell him "Stand!" At the same time, scratch his back with your left hand and give him lots of praise.

If he starts walking ahead, bump his nose with the hand that holds the leash. After you bump him, pat him on the nose and tell him he is a good dog so his feelings will not be hurt.

Train your small dog by looping the handle of the leash under his stomach. Tell him "Stand!" and if he tries to sit, lift him very gently to a standing position.

To keep your dog standing, place your left hand in front of his muzzle. Tell him "Stay!" and step forward on your right foot, just as you did when you left your dog sitting.

When you turn to face him, turn your head also.

If your dog creeps toward you, a cuff under his chin will remind him you said "Stay!"

When sitting is your problem, tap him lightly under his stomach.

If your dog still will not stand, straddle him over a broom handle placed on the rungs of two chairs. If your dog is small, place an empty coffee can under him.

Never pull your dog's tail to make him stand!

Or his skin.

Lift him gently by tickling his stomach.

Return to heel position by circling your dog just as you did in the sit-stay.

With practice, your dog will learn to stand without moving away, even when someone touches him.

Graduation

Graduation comes nine weeks after you start training. Here is what your dog must do in order to win a dog school diploma with his name on it:

He must walk and make turns without pulling on the leash. When you come to a halt, he must sit without being told.

He must lie down when you tell him and come when he is called.

He must remain standing while a stranger touches him on the head, back and tail.

He must stay sitting for one minute without a second command.

He must lie down for three minutes.

Happy Training!

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