Train Your Dog Yourself

[Marty]

Think of it - a well-trained, manageable pet in just a few weeks! You and your dog won't have to leave the house to go to obedience class or call in an expensive professional trainer, you will find easy-to-follow directions on the following pages on everything from HEEL to STAY. This method is easy enough to use that you will be able to teach your dog one new item each week. Follow these step-by-step instructions, and your dog will love you for it. And, it is all free!

Beginning training sessions should be in a safe area with no distractions. After you and your dog have finished this "course" and he has the commands down pat every time, try moving the sessions to a park so he will eventually learn to follow commands despite any distractions.

You should only concentrate on one new command per week. Once you start your dog's training, you will need to practice the new command for at least fifteen minutes every day. After adding a second command, practice both every day. And so on. It won't take long for your dog to forget these new things if you don't keep practicing. Not all dogs learn at the same pace, so don't feel discouraged if you need to practice each command for two weeks instead of one.


Getting Started


Beginning training sessions should be in a safe area with no distractions. After you and your dog have finished this "course" and he has the commands down pat every time, try moving the sessions to a park so he will eventually learn to follow commands despite any distractions.

You should only concentrate on one new command per week. Once you start your dog's training, you will need to practice the new command for at least fifteen minutes every day. After adding a second command, practice both every day. And so on. It won't take long for your dog to forget these new things if you don't keep practicing. Not all dogs learn at the same pace, so don't feel discouraged if you need to practice each command for two weeks instead of one.

Your dog wants to make you happy, and he will quickly do what you want once he knows what it is you want him to do. The way for him to know it is what you want is to praise him every time he does it - even if you had to put his body in the right position or he did the right thing on accident. In the beginning, your praise should sound hapy and excited and include lots of nice petting.

The commands you give should be said in a commanding voice - just slightly louder than normal, very authoritative and stern, and in a slightly deeper tone than normal. "Sit!" means sit down right where you are and do it immediately. Saying "sit?" means please sit - that is, if you feel like it - okay, when you get around to it - maybe?


When you say come in your most authoritative voice and he runs through the front yard of three neighbors before coming to you, do not say no, yell at him, or sound mean. He came, so praise him. The last action is the only one he will relate to your praise or lack of it - the only one that he will think made you happy or mad.


All commands must be enforced. Dog training is not for a lazy person. In the beginning, each command will be given at the same time that you literally put his body into the position that you want. When you think he knows the command, try it with the verbal command alone - once. If you have to give the command a second time, it should be done at the same time that you physically put him into position. Otherwise, he will think that he can either obey or not, or that he can take his own sweet time to obey.


Anything that you have been allowing a dog to do in the past that you want to change now will take longer than if you start with a new puppy that does not yet have any bad habits. A six-week old puppy can learn to sit, come, stay, get off, and heel in a matter of days. Stay takes longer with the really young ones because they are usually only not moving when they are sleeping or chewing on your good slippers. But, a dog of any age can and will learn all of these things if you are persistent, you sound authoritative when you give the commands, and you praise him as soon as he does it right.

First, raise your hand and repeat after me. "I swear that I will never leave the training collar on my dog except when actually training him or taking him for a walk."

Obedience training requires a special collar. This is called a choke-chain collar and is meant to "choke" the dog for a matter of seconds to tell him that he can't continue to do what he is doing, and to release quickly - this doesn't actually hurt him. When the collar is put on incorretly, the "choke-hold" will not release at all. Even if the collar is on correctly, he could be choked to the point of injury or death by something in the house or yard if he is wearing the collar without supervision.


The collar must form a circle with the loop continuing to the right at the top. (You can test this by doing it incorrectly on your own arm to see the difference.) The leash attaches to the loop. With the leash attached to the collar loop, hold the loop at the other end of the collar and allow the collar to drop down through the loop. With the leash on the right, put the collar over the dog's head. You need to be sure that the collar has about 2 inches of extra length once it is on. The collar links should be as thick as needed for your dog's size. Thin links will do fine for little dogs, but a very large dog needs very thick links so the choke chain collar won't break if he decides to run after another dog someday.

The training lead or leash should be about 6 feet long.

You may want to have some healthy treats on hand.


Stay

Have your dog sit next to you in the heel position. Once he is not excited and is settled down into a relaxed sit, "push" your open hand directly in front of his face as you say stay, and take two or three steps to get right in front of him. Just the action of a hand seeming like it was going to hit him in the face (do not actually make contact!) will shock him and almost push his butt farther onto the ground long enough for him to actually stay put. Only make him stay for a few seconds - not giving him time to move, and say good boy!. He did it. Each time you do this, you can increase the time a little, but don't yet increase your distance. And, don't look him in the eye because it will make him want to leave the position.

After your dog is able to stay nicely for a minute or two, you will start to increase the distance. Stand a little farther back, next time going farther back, and farther still the next time.
Stay will become old hat to him, boring, and easy as pie. Then, put your hand in front of his face while saying stayno, sit, and push your hand in front of him again while saying stay. After making him stay for just a short time, say good boy!Walking around him while he is in the stay position does several things. It definitely makes him keep an eye on you - and you do want him to pay attention to you during the entire training session. Also, this lets him know that he is safe in the stay position - that he doesn't have to be afraid of someone that comes up from the front, side or back of him. and walk all the way around him. This one may cause him to try to get up and go with you. If he attempts to get up, say no, sit, and push your hand in front of him again while saying stay. After making him stay for just a short time, say good boy!

Walking around him while he is in the stay position does several things. It definitely makes him keep an eye on you - and you do want him to pay attention to you during the entire training session. Also, this lets him know that he is safe in the stay position - that he doesn't have to be afraid of someone that comes up from the front, side or back of him.

Now, the down-stay. Have your dog sit on your left. Say down. Then, say stay! as you push your hand in front of his face. While still holding the leash, take a few steps around to stand in front of him. Don't forget to end with good boy!. Continue this as you did the sit-stay, getting farther and farther away. After he is doing really good at staying in the down position, walk around him while he is lying still. Later, you will even be able to walk over him, showing him he has nothing to fear in this vulnerable position.Eventually, you will be able to be any distance from him and he will stay for as long as you need him to.

[Marty]

Heel

Let's begin heeling.

Hold the leash tightly with your right hand, and let it be loose in your left. With your dog on the left side of you, say heel, give the leash a quick tug as you start walking, and say good boy! as soon as he starts moving. Keep walking - different directions - different speeds - all the while saying heel with a quick tug of the leash and saying good boy! every time he stays with you. You might have to tug heel, tug heel, tug heel, three times or so before he gets near your heel area and you say good boy!. If his mind starts to wander, his attention will go back to you the first time you make a turn and he doesn't. Left turns are great - walk almost into his head, kind of pushing it and him with your leg while saying heel and good boy! It won't take long at all for him to realize that he has to pay attention to where you are at all times. This is the essence of heeling - paying attention. After he seems to be getting the hang of go straight and making left turns, throw in a right turn. Yeah, he will not be expecting this, and he will probably need to tug heel, tug heel, tug heel before he gets to hear good boy! Keep this first session down to about 20 minutes of actual heeling. Finish up with an extra happy and excited good boy! and lots of petting and hugging. This is the signal that this session is over. And, now is when you healthy training treats on hand. What about tomorrow?

A dog has a very short attention span. You will need to have a heeling session once or twice a day for 15 minutes everyday for the next week to get him to remember what to do.

Your dog may get the hang of this early and improve more and more each day. Or, your dog may be one of the tougher ones and will need a full week - or even two - to really catch on. If your dog is one of the "slower" ones to catch on, it may actually be that you are not being consistent enough, or not saying good boy! like you really mean it, or you are not tugging hard enough to get the message through. It may not be his fault.


Down

Down is not to be used when he is jumping up on you - that is off (which we will get to later). Down will mean to lay down. And, don't say "go lay down," as that is another command still.

Get your dog to sit. If he is sitting next to you, reach over and push your arm from behind his front legs. As you say down, slowly and gently force his legs forward, and his body will go down to the ground. It should not take much effort on your part since it is a natural reflex for him to move his own legs once they are being botherred. As soon as he is in lying on the ground, say good boy!. He will probably pop right back up. That's fine because he did lay down. If you prefer, you can have him sit in front of you. Grab both of his front legs, down by the bottom, and gently pull them out toward you as you say down. Say good boy! as soon as he gets all the way down. Each time you give the down command, try to have your own body less stooped or bent over. If you continually are bent over when you give a command, he may not respond later when you give the command from a standing position.

After your dog does know what down means and he usually does it on command, you may have to get his attention sometimes if he is distracted. With him on your left (looking at that cute little poodle walking by a few yards away and not wanting to change position now while she's watching), bend down and give the leash a quick snap down and to the right. This should get him in the down position quickly.

When this session is over, you can give him a healthy treat.

Down is used for your dog to lay down right where he is when you say it - immediately - as part of the obedience training session. Go lay down is used outside of the obedience training, comfortably and relaxed around the house or yard. Go lay down means go pick a good spot yourself for yourself, take a little time if you need to, and eventually lay down.



Stand

Stand is a necessary command for the show or obedience ring. And, it can also be quite useful around the house or yard, like for having him stay standing while you bathe him.

Have your dog sit on your left. As you say stand, pull his leash forward with your right hand and move your left foot forward like you are going to start heeling. Say good boy! as soon as he stands up.

Here is another way to have your dog stand. Have him start in a sit and bend down to him. As you say stand, pull his leash forward just a little while you push your entire left arm backward from just behind his front legs. Your pushing backward should make him stand up. Good boy!
When this session is over, you can give him a healthy treat


In the show ring, your dog is required to stand while being touched all over for inspection. Once your dog stands on command, have a family member touch the dog so he can get use to it. The person's hand should start by going slowly toward the dog's face and stopping briefly in front of the nose so the dog can smell the hand. The person then rubs his hands down the dog's sides, down each leg, down the tail, and then goes back up to pet the dog's head. (In the ring, the judge would also open the lips to see the dog's teeth.)

[Marty]

Sit

Even with a puppy as young as five or six weeks old, he will learn to sit after only a day or two of you putting him into a sitting position while saying sit if he gets praise each time.


Sit training is easiest with the choke chain collar and leash.

Have your dog at your left side. Say sit as you pull up on the leash with your right hand, and gently "push" his rear end down with your left hand. With most dogs, the "push" needed will only be a gentle guiding. As soon as he is in the sitting position, say good boy!, good boy! Do this several times, and he will understand what sit means. If you have a very large dog that just grins at you when you try to push is rear end down, you will need to get a little tricky. You could (1) stand in front of him (facing him), say sit as you lift his face up with your hands and start to walk toward him (almost into him) and push his head back just an inch or so. The combination of his head going up and back and his body starting to go back to avoid you walking into him may "push" him right into a sit position. Good boy! Or (2), you could stand to the right of him and say sit as you really pull up on his leash with your both hands. His butt will "fall" to the ground. Good boy! This sounds mean, but this will all happen in a matter of seconds and he won't be hurt at all. In fact, it will be such a shock to him that you will probably never have to do it again.

You may help the sit command along by giving him a healthy treat and saying good boy! Treats are too distracting to use while heeling.

From now on, you will begin each heeling session with the dog in a sitting position, and you will tell him to sit every time you stop. "Heel" said outside of going for a walk actually means for him to immediately come sit next to your left heel.



Come


This is a fun one, and possibly the most important command you can teach your dog.

"Come!" means to come immediately and sit right in front of you. ("Come here" in a loving, questioning voice means that he is allowed to come to get a hug in a minute or so - at his own pace - when he wants to. For this kind, you can even start down on your knees.) Before he is trained, you may find he is running all over the yard before he comes to you. Never, never, never tell him no or scold him when he DOES come to you or he will think that is what he did wrong!

Start with him sitting next to your left heel. Say stay while pushing your hand in front of his face, and go stand in front of him. Push your hand in front of his face again and say stay again. Now back up a few feet. Say come! as you give a little tug on his leash. If he is coming slowly, repeat come over and over excitedly. As soon as he gets an inch or so from you, loudly say sit!. Technically, he has not come until he is right in front of you and sits, so don't say good boy! until he sits. Practice this way for a week. If the sessions are going well, you can back up more and more each day until you are at the end of the leash.

Start with him sitting next to your left heel. Say stay while pushing your hand in front of his face, and go stand in front of him. Push your hand in front of his face again and say stay again. Now back up to the end of the leash and hold your arm out in front of you - making you 8 or so feet away. Say come! as you give a little tug on his leash. If he is coming slowly, repeat come over and over excitedly. You may even have to pull on the leash a few times to keep him coming quickly. As soon as he gets an inch or so from you, loudly say sit!. Good boy! when he sits. Practice this way for a week.

If he is not coming quickly enough or is not coming without extra pulls on the lead, change the pace with this next one.

Start with him sitting next to your left heel. Say stay while pushing your hand in front of his face, and go stand in front of him. Push your hand in front of his face again and say stay again. Now back up to the end of the leash. Say come! as you give a little tug on his leash. When he gets up and starts toward you, run backward as you excitedly repeat come. As soon as he gets an inch or so from you, loudly say sit!. Good boy! when he sits. Practice this way for a week.

Now you will need to extend your training lead. Either buy a 20- or 30-foot-long training lead, or tie a 15-foot-long rope onto the loop handle of your 6-foot-lead.

Start with him sitting next to your left heel. Say stay while pushing your hand in front of his face, and go stand in front of him. Push your hand in front of his face again and say stay again. Now back up to the end of the 20-foot-long training lead. Say come! as you give a little tug on his leash. This is a long way, you may have to keep repeating come excitedly - and you may also have to pull on the lead a few times to keep him coming quickly. When you stop and gets a few inches from you, loudly say sit!. Good boy! when he sits. Practice this way for a week.

Don't forget to give him a healthy treat.

In the end, he should be able to come directly to you immediately and sit in front of you no matter what he is doing or how far away he is.


Off


Off is the correct command when a dog is jumping up on you or the couch. If your dog has jumped up on the couch, literally push him off while saying off. If he is small enough, you can just pick him up and put him on the floor. As soon as he is off the couch, say good boy!. If you have allowed him to get away with this in the past, it may take many tries before he learns it. And, once he learns that he can't jump onto the couch without being told to get off, he might stay on the floor and put his front legs on the couch. It's up to you if this will be acceptable or if you want him to keep his paws off the couch also. If so, take both his paws in your hands, push them gently toward the floor while saying off, and say good boy! as soon as his feet are off the couch.

Your dog likes to jump up on your dress with muddy paws just before you leave for the office. But, he is only trying to give you a hug or get some attention, but he has to learn that this is not acceptable. As he is jumping up, turn your body away from him while saying off! He should then simply sit down, at which time you immediately pet him on the head and tell him he is a good boy! He wants your attention, not your back! Even if he has already jumped on you, turn away.

Or, since you already know that he will jump up on you, you can try to beat him to the punch. As he starts to jump up, put your hand out quickly and pet him on the head and start to bend over. This action would encourage him to stay off or to sit. This is an acceptable position for him to be in when he first sees you in the morning or when you get home at night. If he is sitting patiently waiting for you to pet him each time, go greet him quickly with by petting his head (while saying good boy! or hello!) or bending down to take his paw and saying good boy! or shake. He won't see the need to jump on you to receive a greeting if you greet him first.

A third method is to stick your knee out and say down! if you see him starting to jump up. Jumping up into your knee is not comfortable. If he is really large, you might have to push him off you. When he is off you, say good boy!.

Continue either of these actions until he actually stays off, then give him extra praise and some petting and saying good boy!. This may start him jumping up again because he may get excited, so you continue the same method until he really gets the idea. Eventually, you will be able to tell him to get off anything or anybody from any distance.

To reinforce all of this, it is best to always have your dog sit before you greet him or give him a treat or anything else. This way he will soon learn that he won't get any of these things unless he does sit nicely and calmly. (Some people take it even farther and teach their dogs not to eat any dogfood, or even human food, until they are sitting and given a command to eat. This prevents them ever taking poisoned food from a bad stranger.)