my best friend obedience: Sometimes it is 'what' you say AND 'how' you say i...

my best friend obedience: Sometimes it is 'what' you say AND 'how' you say i...: Student Question:  Ok, since Saturday (when you mentioned be careful of double meanings with commands) I've caught myself using "c...

Sometimes it is 'what' you say AND 'how' you say it!

Student Question:  Ok, since Saturday (when you mentioned be careful of double meanings with commands) I've caught myself using "come on" or "come in" when his is outside, OR (when he is) on free walk (and) he stops too long at bush to sniff. Can't use "let's go" because that's (his) release word! Is that when I use "leave it" or "no"(?)

Or what should I tell him?

ANSWER:

Sounds like you are asking, "What do I say when I want my dog to stop sniffing a bush".

This is a fun question.  Certainly makes one think!  Words are important!

“LEAVE-IT” is fine here, BUT some people like to differentiate between stuff that is always forbidden (I use “LEAVE-IT” or “NO”), and stuff that you don’t want him to have now.  (I still use LEAVE-IT, but I also use THAT’S ENOUGH, depending on the context.  I try not to use “NO” for stuff that I may let them have/do later, but I am not perfect). Confusing?  Yes, a bit!  Do my dogs get confused when I don’t use the right command?  Yes, sometimes they do!

Don’t get so bogged down by the details you don’t say a command when you need to, but think (like Sharon did) about being clear for your dog’s sake.

For example... a burger wrapper on the ground may always be forbidden (“No” or “Leave it,” maybe “Yucky”) but a biscuit may not be forbidden, “Leave-it” , unless I don’t know where it came from, then it may be, “NO”.  For me usually tone plays a part here!

Sniffing a bush usually isn’t forbidden, unless in your world it is NEVER ok to sniff a bush... so in my world, the word is "That’s Enough" but, for me, "Leave-it" would not be incorrect.  I may use “That’s Enough” for barking too, or looking at another dog … and I may use “NO!” if they are sniffing roadkill, or paying looking at a snake passing at a distance on a trail, or see an aggressive dog across the street, but I may also use “Leave-it.”

The answer is, there always room for improvement!  I try to use my tone to define what I need from my dogs at the moment, but strive to better than me.  Practice makes perfect.  Clarity is important for people, and dogs.  I know, it isn’t black and white and that is challenging…

Words can be tricky.. the easiest solution is to create a glossary of terms for yourself that use for training, and post on the fridge with definitions and uses.  Read them often!  Say it in a sentence?  Can you recall that word on the fly?  What about your family?

I hope I answered the questions.

Happy training!

Here are a few from my list:

Sit-butt and front feet on ground

Down – check and front and back elbow on the ground, from down I sometimes say “get comfortable” meaning to shift the back legs at the very least you may be here awhile or “dead dog” for on your side and head down.

Bow – front elbows on the ground

Head down – chin on the ground or chair or my lap depending on where the dogs is

Come – come to me

Front- sit front and center facing me up close to my feet/legs until given a new command or released.

Heel – go to my left and remain there until given a new command or released.  Sit/down if I am stopped and walk if I walk unless you are told to stay or I leave on my right foot.

Stand – on all four feet

Leave-it – don’t touch that (usually something they cannot have at the moment)

Take it – pick that up

Find it – hunt for whatever we are hiding or playing with (could be a scent)

Stay – Don’t move from the position you are in until released or given a new command.  My dogs are allowed to lie down if I leave them a long time without release.

Let’s go – release from wait when leaving to walk, or move along on a walk away from something.

ALL DONE! – release from any command, you are free to go for now until a new command comes.

Hup up – get up on this!

Speak – bark

Wave – move front paw in air,  other one to switch paws

Paw – give me front paw, other one to switch paws

Roll over – obvious.

There’s more but you get it….

Then there are environmental cues like don’t leave the yard and don’t leave the house and don’t jump on guests (when mom is watching, lol) follow me on a walk