# Things to teach your dog



## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

So Tucker is very enthusiastic and has pretty much mastered sitting, lay down, kennel, shake, look (focus on me), leave it and come ( good inside, sketchy outside )
I must say mastered when I have treats in hand :
So how do I continue his training, as far as him doing things by command when he doesn't think I have treats. Also I feel like he isn't having to mentally work that hard with some of these commands so I want him to learn more, just not sure what commands besides making him sit or lay until released not sure how I train that aspect or recall better. I would like him to learn place, I'm just not sure if he is old enough for place. That and I want to use his dog bed for place and he isn't allowed to have it yet as all he does with it I'd dig and chew and drag it around the living room. 
I have to add he is about 10 1/2 weeks old now. So I'm not expecting a lot but I want to keep up his mental stimulation. Also how much do you think I should be focused on loose leash walking and not running around sniffing everything. We don't walk him a lot, maybe a couple times a week around our block so maybe 15-20 min each trip.


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Work on "drop it"/"release" whatever you want to call it. It's really handy when they're young and want to eat everything. And you never know when they'll pick up something dangerous and you need them to spit it out, ASAP.

We also use "wait" a lot, but I know not everyone uses it. We do a lot of practicing the commands in a "creative" way to keep it interesting... so like for a "wait" (as in, I am going to place a cookie somewhere and you should not eat it until I release you) instead of just the typical cookie on the floor, or cookie on the paw, try throwing a cookie while you are standing behind the pup so it lands in front of them. Maybe have them do a "watch me"/"look at me" so they have to take their eyes off the cookie and turn around to look at you before you release them to take it. So same commands, but just in different scenarios. Teach the basic command first of course, but then make it more and more difficult as they master it. If he will listen to "leave it" when a cookie is on the floor, will he respond to "leave it" if you toss something in front of him, etc.

We did a lot of silly trick training in the winter because we were indoors so much more. This book is awesome:

http://www.amazon.com/101-Dog-Trick...qid=1400616471&sr=8-1&keywords=101+dog+tricks

Playing dead, giving high fives, rolling over, bowing, etc. isn't all that useful but they are so fun to train and it does give them a little mental workout. We're always looking for more things to teach Dex to keep him busy, so I hope everyone else has more ideas! We'd like to work on "stand" and want to try "woah" at some point.


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Daul77 said:


> I'm just not sure if he is old enough for place. That and I want to use his dog bed for place and he isn't allowed to have it yet as all he does with it I'd dig and chew and drag it around the living room.


Haha I can't help with that one - we still are working on that too!

We didn't work much on loose leash walking until about 4 months. Before then we just let him do a lot of exploring and sniffing and having fun! If you're using the Gentle Leader though, it's probably good to keep him used to wearing the halter.


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

Whoa would be great as he has started getting confident and running into the neighbors yard. ( have to finish the fence this weekend )
I have been working on stand, I have him start in a sit position then lure him to a stand position with a treat while saying stand. He will go from a sit to a down to a sit to a stand for one treat. Haven't tried with no treat yet since I don't think he will. I need to figure out how to get him to do what I want with no treat in hand. Have you taught Dexter to sit until released? How did you go about that if you did?


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Daul77 said:


> I have been working on stand, I have him start in a sit position then lure him to a stand position with a treat while saying stand. He will go from a sit to a down to a sit to a stand for one treat. Haven't tried with no treat yet since I don't think he will. I need to figure out how to get him to do what I want with no treat in hand.


That's exactly our problem. We taught him "stand" using the lure method too and he will NEVER do it now without a treat. Sometimes not even with a treat. So per our trainer, we're working on re-teaching it by physically moving him. Just met a V that will do a down stay, owner will walk down the street, and he can ask her to stand from far away. She will still stay while standing. She's great at "whoa" too. Impressive. I plan to annoy him for training tips  He never had a treat on him.

Our first puppy class was positive training only and all the "lure" method. I think it's helpful, especially when they are little and just learning. But eventually Dex just started ignoring us if we didn't have cookies, etc. Our new trainer has us do a lot more without hand signals (so they're not complying because you might have a cookie hiding in your hand) and physical repositioning if they don't listen. She actually showed us that Dexter never ONCE listened to verbal only commands if we didn't have a treat. It was very enlightening! (Not that hand signals don't have their place too.) But that was really when the teenage years hit. For a young puppy, I think lure training has it's place to teach them the commands. It's when they start to flat-out ignore you that you might need to try different things! I find the physical repositioning more helpful now (so if I ask Dex to sit and he doesn't, I lift his chin until he does, etc.) 

Also, as Dex gets older, praise is a lot more motivating to him now than as a puppy. I think it's because he can handle the excitement of it without nipping and going nuts  When he finishes a puzzle or something, we clap our hands and make a big deal out of it and he just wiggles with joy. It's adorable. Before he would have been sharking!

But I'm sure the more experienced members will be of more help!


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Daul77 said:


> Have you taught Dexter to sit until released? How did you go about that if you did?


For that, just put him in a sit. Every time he gets up, just sit him back down. I wouldn't repeat the command unless he seems really lost. Start with shorter increments and work up to longer lengths of time. We use a release word "Okay!" (which when you say it very excitedly, usually gets them to break the sit at that age by itself) to let him know he can get up, etc. Treat upon release.

Just keep it short and sweet until they know the command. Then you can start testing it a bit more because they will know what you're asking of them.


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## Watson (Sep 17, 2012)

If you plan on hunting with Tucker, I wouldn't bother with sit. He's a pointer, and I believe the preference is to stand at heel. You can teach stay without teaching sit. 

As for moving away from treats, at a year we cut way back on the amount of treats when training, although still used some. We still take treats out for recall when off leash. 

Recall training: I did very little whistle training with Watson when he was young, but he picked it up so quickly, even to this day two quick blows and he comes flying back. Works way better than calling his name over and over again.


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Watson said:


> If you plan on hunting with Tucker, I wouldn't bother with sit. He's a pointer, and I believe the preference is to stand at heel. You can teach stay without teaching sit.


Very true. Dexter sits now when he's confused as to what we want him to do (like when we were doing e-collar training) which isn't always ideal. I'm sure even less so if you're hunting with him.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Even though my dogs are older I've started teaching them Touch. They are catching on quick. Just for fun I've also taught June to belly crawl on command, and Cash will be learning it before the hunting season starts.
I think it could be useful when were goose hunting.
They always like to come in when me and Cash have gotten up to stretch our legs. He will already drop down in the field if I do. Plus I'm not against tank jumping, if I'm after a certain species of duck in the late season for the wall.


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## CatK (May 29, 2013)

Once you start getting more actions for each trick (eg. sit, stand, sit - treat), then maybe keep the treat out of sight until they do the trick, then move to occasionally treating and sometimes not.

As they get older, they'll work on the lottery principle, that if they get the treat occasionally then they'll keep doing the action when asked, just in case.


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

> Even though my dogs are older I've started teaching them Touch.


I'm not familliar with touch. What is that exactly?


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Having them touch the palm of my hand with their nose.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Da - here & whoa - the only commands a V needs - past that point the rest are easy - a 1 word command - followed with hand & whistle - takes a year for you & the pup to get it right - I'm old school - no treats 4 training - praise & 1 toy that is used 4 a reward 4 well done - the only time the pup gets 2 c it - also - my pups are NO TRICK pups - the commands they learn r 2 make them well socialized at home & in the field - not to entertain me or other people


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

I love the "touch" command. They seem to like it better than "come". Just make sure everyone is on board with that command. I forgot to tell my husband I was working on it and when Bristol would touch his hand, he didn't realize he was supposed to praise her.


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Ditto the "touch" command. It's useful if Dex thinks something looks scary - if I go up to it, he'll come to me if I ask him for a "touch." And it's good for if you want them to jump up on something, off of something, cross a stream, etc. If Dex is a little hesitant, he seems to forget about it if he's given that command and just focuses on me and where I want him to go.


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

How did you go about teaching touch?


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## SuperV (Oct 18, 2011)

if you just want him to touch your hand.... put a treat between you fingers, so the dog touches your hand to get the treat....when he touches your hand, say Touch and he gets the treat. Repeat for a few days with the treat between the fingers...then start removing the treat and treating from the other hand...

Nate


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Or instead of putting the treat between your fingers, just rub a smelly one (like a Zuke) on your palm and treat with the other hand when they touch.


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## mommaofalot (Apr 10, 2014)

I would say teach kiss. I have taught Koda kisses and ever time she starts to get nippy I tell her kisses and the bites turn to kisses. Teaching kisses has saved me from a lot of shark bites.


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## SuperV (Oct 18, 2011)

mommaofalot said:


> I would say teach kiss. I have taught Koda kisses and ever time she starts to get nippy I tell her kisses and the bites turn to kisses. Teaching kisses has saved me from a lot of shark bites.


LOL..thats what i do, except i make her give me a kiss before she gets to eat. Well her kiss is bit more of a poke with her muzzle to my cheek. You have to be careful as if she is really hungry she'll poke with force just to get it over with so she can get her food...

Nate


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Mine have been learning touch without a command. Its just me placing the palm of my hand out to them. They know I have treats, and would be trying to figure out how to get them. If they accidently (at first) touch my palm with their nose, I hand them a treat. They are happy to get the treat, and then try and figure out how they got it.
They try different things and then touch my palm again. They again receive a treat. It does not take long for them to catch on. They are working their brains, using trial and error. I have to do it with each dog separately, when they are first learning. Timing the reward quickly with the touch helps them know they have gotten it right.


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

> Well her kiss is bit more of a poke with her muzzle to my cheek. You have to be careful as if she is really hungry she'll poke with force just to get it over with so she can get her food...


Ha! That's how Dexter "kisses" too. Somehow he always manages to poke me right in the eye socket...?!


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## koda13 (Dec 17, 2013)

Hey all! 

I love all of these essentials to teach your V! 

My boy Koda, is 7 months and is going well with his training. Has known how to sit from a very early age, waits until told to 'go', drops to the ground etc.. His recall is something that needs to be worked on. I'd probably say he is about a 7/10 when we are out _*on our own*_ in a big field or oval and he is sniffing around. For his age i'm pretty happy with that, but when he is at the dog park or around other dogs he is more like a 1/10. I have been using a 10m rope for recall with his training, and he is really responsive. Although when around other dogs he obviously wants to play etc.. which i'm fine with but obviously needs to be when i give him permission too etc.. i would love his recall to be atleast around the 7/10 or even 10/10 (i know i have high hopes here) just for when a sticky situation arises!

Any other tips with recall besides using a long rope? Or do i just persist with the rope around other dogs etc? 

Or any other tips??

Also i have heard heaps of people saying they teach their dog to 'whoa'.. what is this??

thanks all!!!!


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## Idntnw (Mar 21, 2014)

We have an e collar with a beep sound feature. Seems to turn Rangers 7m old ears back on. My friend calls it a hearing aid. 😉 
So glad to read this today. His recall has been.... frustrating... lately. He gets distracted easily when he doesn't believe a treat is awaiting his return. Im glad to see that it seems to be normal. I now have some new commands to work with him. 👍


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