How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend

by Monks of New Skete

  Continue holding the leash straight up as you begin to walk around the dog clockwise.

  Use both hands to hold the leash straight up as you walk behind the dog.

  position to correct Una instantaneously if she breaks her command. After giving the stay command, swing out in front of her to leash length, reversing the position of your hands as you do so (presuming you are right-handed). With the leash draped through your right hand between the thumb and first finger, you are now in a position to correct Una if she breaks the stay. At the first sign of this simply step into her and raise the leash sharply with a "nah!" This move pins Una right to the spot where she was told to stay. Repeat the command and hold the position for increasingly longer periods of time, up to a minute. Timing is crucial here — and this means you must read your dog. You have to be ready to correct Una at the first sign of her breaking the stay, when the thought is just occurring to her.

  In your initial sit-stays, keep your leash in hand, holding it loosely. Only later, much later, when you are more confident of your dog's staying power, can you drop the lead. But even then, attach it to a long rope. This allows you to correct Una quickly and effectively in the event of a break. During a sit-stay, sustain eye contact with the dog to keep encouraging her to look at you. Vary your movements. Go out ten feet, then go from side to side, then return to Una's side. If her attention wanders, whisper softly and dramatically, "Watch me, watch me," to refocus her attention on you.

  If you work on sit-stays in a group, do it in a circle with the handlers bunched in the center.

  Next, proof her on the stay. Start with simple distractions at first, at leash length. Sidestep lightly, or toss up a ball or rock. If you are working in a class or with friends, try working in a circle, with the handlers bunched up in the middle and the dogs on sit-stays on the edge of the circle, facing in. For an effective distraction, the handlers can then rotate once and return to their original positions. Dogs who are weak on the sit-stay should be placed between dogs who are solid in their staying power. This helps the weak dog learn to stay. For now, simply return to your dog after a sit-stay. Make sure that when you return, you circle around in back of the dog, ending so that she is on your left side. Break the sit-stay with an animated "okay" and give your dog praise if the exercise was performed correctly. When your sit-stays are solid, you can utilize them in training what is perhaps the most crucial of all obedience exercises, the recall.

  The Stand-Stay

  There is another command known as the stand-stay that we have found invaluable. The object of this exercise is to keep your dog remaining still in a standing position. This simple control exercise comes in handy during grooming sessions, when drying off a dog after he gets wet or muddy, and when examining him for ticks and other potential health problems. The dog who knows how to stand in one place for several minutes relieves you of the chore of having to wrestle him into place for whatever type of control you may need to exercise. It is not just a "frill" exercise. Taking the time to teach it to our dogs has saved us from many a strained muscle and moment of consternation.

  Begin with your dog sitting on your left side. Kneel beside him so that you are facing him. Slide two fingers of your right hand through the training collar, under the muzzle, so that your palm is facing down and the back of your hand is under his chin. Placing your left hand under his belly, say, "Stand," as you press your right hand forward, parallel with the ground, and gently pull on the collar. With some slight upward pressure from your left hand, your dog will move into the stand position. Tell him to stay, praise him, and wait ten seconds before releasing him with an "okay" and guiding him back into the sit. Repeat the procedure several times per session, gradually

  In teaching the stand-stay, say, "Stay," hold the collar with your right hand, and with your left hand keep the dog from sitting.

  Slowly move backward as you lengthen the lead and give the hand signal to stay.

  Another way to teach the stand-stay using two leashes.

  lengthening the duration of the stand. At this stage, keep your hands on your dog. Make your initial goal that of getting him to stand for a full minute after a week of practice.

  The next phase involves removing your hand and eventually moving away from your dog while he remains standing in position. Begin with the preliminary positioning described above. When you sense that your dog is relaxed and unlikely to move, give a stay command as you remove first your left hand, then your right. If he does not move, praise him gently. Should he break the stay, give a slight "nah" and place your hands back to their former positions. Once he is back in position, repeat the stay and try again. Soon he will be able to hold the stand-stay unassisted by you, and you will be able to move away from him as he stands in position.

  To this point, the stand-stay has been executed from a stationary position. It is now possible to teach it while your dog is moving. However, be aware that some people experience difficulty with this transition as their dog tends to move into a sit by virtue of habit. Rather than fighting this tendency with potentially confusing corrections, we have found it helpful to use a second leash to assist the dog who is learning the distinction between stand and sit. Simply take a thin leather leash and loop it under his belly, holding the clip end above him with your left hand. With your normal leash in your right hand, walk at heel for several paces, holding the second leash with your left hand. As you come to a stop, say, "Stand," making sure to keep the second leash taut so that your dog doesn't move into a sit. Praise your dog warmly. As your dog gets the hang of things, start alternating between stand and sit. This way, you teach your dog the distinction between the two exercises, allowing you to wean your dog away from the second leash.

  34

  The Recall

  Most dog owners want two things from training. They want their dog to come when called and to lie down when asked. They may perceive other training exercises as ornamental and unconnected with their dog's ability to come when called and to lie down and stay. But there can be no real recall unless there is a sit-stay to practice it from, and no real lying down unless there is a down-stay. It is on the recall that owners of leader-type dogs experience difficulty.

  Since dog training must be approached within the context of the overall dog-owner relationship, don't expect the techniques in this chapter to guarantee perfect performance in your dog unless you correct the other defective aspects of your relationship at the same time. For instance, don't expect the dog to run to you happily in a formal training session if you persist in calling him to you for punishment when he is off lead. If you have ever in the past called your dog to you and then punished him, resolve now to avoid doing so at all costs. Never call your dog to you for a correction. As a last resort, always go get the dog if you must reprimand him. But before things get to that point, think preventatively. Keep him on leash. Don't put him in a position where he is free not to come.

  Begin to practice the come while you are heeling. As you heel, step back suddenly three or four paces and call Una in to you. Una will be surprised at this interruption of the heeling pattern and may continue to forge ahead. As she hits the end of the leash, give a quick pop that reorients her back to you, saying, "Una, come!" As Una nears you, pull up gently on the leash, as you did in training for the automatic sit, and have her sit in front of you. Now bend over and praise her.

  When Una is coming in well and sitting automatically in front of you, begin to give the command and hand signal for stay, then walk around her and back to position with Una on your left side. Then repeat the routine several times. When you are sure she has the idea, put her on the sit-stay and move out farther. Do so incrementally, holding the leash taut over her head at first, until you can move out to leash length with the leash slack. If she starts to break her stay, simply correct upward with a "nah" and reinforce the stay. Later, move out to the end of the lead. Before proceeding, make sure that Una can hold the sit-stay for at least thirty seconds.

  You a
re now ready to begin a more formal recall. We teach the command in three steps: leash length, trotting backward, and long-distance recall. The manner in which you take this sequence is very important and will likely influence your eventual ability to call Una reliably to you in off-leash situations. Above all, you have to keep this exercise happy and pleasant. The more natural and inviting you can keep your demeanor, the better. As we have said, our approach is geared toward the everyday dog owner, so we feel free to make use of voice and body language to aid in teaching this exercise, something not allowed in competitive obedience. Given that so many dogs are poor at this skill, the more inviting we can make the exercise, the better. Let the obedience aficionados work for the precision necessary for the ring — we feel free to use whatever gets Una coming consistently.

  For example, how often have you seen a frustrated dog owner standing on her porch, hands on hips, stern expression on her face, and in an even sterner tone of voice repeatedly calling her wayward dog? Meanwhile, assuming that the dog even hears the command, she may be bounding about playfully, blissfully ignoring her owner. Finally, she might eventually crawl back to her master, fully expecting a trouncing. Many a dog owner pronounces at this point, "See, she knows she's done wrong — just look at the way she comes to me!"

  If these dog owners could see themselves calling their dogs, they would realize that no living, feeling being, canine or human, would want to come to a person with that kind of body language and vocal expression. Not surprisingly, we have found that some handlers who train like Puritans and call their dogs like army sergeants often raise and call their children in the same manner. If you have experienced chronic difficulties in getting your dog to come to you, look closely at how inviting a target you have made yourself. Keep the end in mind. Realize that your tone of voice (elevated and happy) and physical bearing (open-armed and crouching) are extremely helpful in getting a consistent recall. Obviously, you can use treats as further motivators at each stage, knowing that you will wean your dog away from them as she gets better.

  Phase one of teaching the recall. From the end of a six-foot leash, call your dog to you. Finish with the dog in a sit position and reward with praise and/or a treat.

  For phase one, with Una facing you on a sit-stay at leash length, crouch down and open your arms wide, calling her happily, "Una, come!" Chances are that your body language and tone of voice will encourage Una to begin coming. However, if she remains still, simply give a slight tug on the leash to encourage her (immediately letting the leash go slack), then guide her into a sit as she reaches you. Reward her with a treat and plenty of praise. Repeat this procedure several times. Over the course of two or three lessons, Una will grow quite comfortable with it. If you have to correct at all, make it ever so slight. Since you don't wish to force the dog, don't reel her in like a fish. Simply give a light tug and then release. You want Una to think it was her idea to come.

  Now you can proceed to phase two. From the same starting position, open your arms as you say, "Una, come," and then start trotting backward. Una will follow after you. The purpose of this phase is to teach Una that she always has to keep the person calling her in front of her as her goal, thus avoiding "roadrunner" scenarios in which she merrily races past you. Though Una (and for that matter, any dog) is much faster than you are, you can anticipate her running past you to initiate the game. As she starts to veer away and run by, quickly reverse your direction, giving her a leash pop and a "nah," and continue trotting backward, changing directions and encouraging her as she follows. You will find yourself moving backward in a variety of patterns to keep Una focused on you. This is fine. Once Una catches on and is following you in a controlled way, bring her into a sit in front of you and offer her plenty of praise.

  Now you are ready for phase three. Attach the clip at the end of your fifty-foot clothesline to the loop on your leash. Put a weight on the other end of the rope, so you can toss it out away from you or to another person more easily. Put Una on a sit-stay and toss the rope. Slowly walk backward ten feet, holding your hand out in front of you to reinforce her stay. As you face her, go down on one knee (eye level

  Phase two of teaching the recall. Begin the moving come on leash, trotting backward, with the dog following after you.

  Use your long line to practice distance recalls. Coil the rope in your right hand and hold the dog by the collar with your left hand.

  Give the stay command as you continue to hold the dog by the collar and throw the coiled rope out in front.

  Walk to the end of the long line while the dog is on the sit-stay. Crouch down and give the come command as you throw out your arms in welcome.

  with the dog) and open your arms wide, creating a funnel effect, inviting her. As you open your arms, call her in a pleasant, enthusiastic voice. Use both Una's name and the word come. Clap your hands if you wish. As Una nears you, rise slightly but stay near the ground. Immediately after you say, "Come," smile broadly and try to make eye contact with her. Invite Una into your arms and give her a warm welcome as you guide her into a sit in front of you. If Una does not respond when you call her, simply give a light tug on the rope to get her moving and talk enthusiastically, being very encouraging.

  Vary the length of time you wait until you call the dog to break the sit-stay and come in. Don't tolerate breaks before you call. If Una anticipates your calling her before you actually have, go get her and take her back to her original starting position. Next time you call, "Come!" chances are that your crouched position will encourage her to waddle into a sit as she nears you. If your dog is so ecstatic that she jumps up on you, allow it at first, in order not to dampen the dog's enthusiasm. Later, gently ease her down into a sit. The main point is to get your dog to respond willingly to the word come. Every time she does, the dog wins a big victory. Problems like jumping up, urinating from excitement, or happy rolling around on the grass can all be solved later. You are headed toward the goal of having your dog come in happily and sit in front of you, as is required in the obedience ring and is useful in home situations. But at first, it's acceptable to allow Una's imprecision when coming in. Again, the moment she enters the confines of your arms is very important. Let her enjoy it.

  As you progress in recall work, lengthen the distance of your recalls, gradually going to the end of the fifty-foot rope. Also, don't call her immediately. Pace sideways, back and forth, so that she has to wait for your call. If she constantly breaks her stay, go back to shorter recalls and then work up to longer ones. Whenever you call her, give the rope a quick tug if Una shows the slightest hesitation. Praise her exuberantly when she reaches you.

  When you are confident that Una fully understands the word come, begin to add distractions. Get an assistant to put a number of objects in her path, such as a bone, a ball, or another pet. Correct her interest in these diversions with a quick tug on the long rope. Don't be afraid to repeat the command "come" more than once (i.e., after the tug) and to use other orienting sounds, such as hand clapping, pounding the ground, or jingling a set of keys. Any supports that help are fine. But if Una's mind is wandering, don't waste any time popping the rope to bring her in.

  Having your dog come and sit in front of you depends both on how well you have made eye contact with the dog when she heard you call and on your reaction to the dog when she is in front of your crouched body. From a distance, using a treat is the quickest way to induce a straight sit on the recall. As she approaches, simply raise the treat above her head and she will flow right into a sit. If you are not using treats, you'll likely need to be more patient. In the beginning, you can allow some playfulness, but begin to encourage Una to sit in front of you as you stroke her head and shoulders. Give the sit command if necessary, but try to ease her into a sit by upward pressure on the training collar and by petting the head area. We do not want Una to be forever dependent on the command "sit" when she comes in. We want her to glide into one on her own initiative.

  When she is sitting in front of yo
u consistently, continue to "funnel" her into you with your open arms, but as she nears you, rise to your full height slowly. When Una nears you and sits, give the stay command and hold the pose for a moment. This is excellent preparation if you intend to teach your dog the "finish," in which the dog returns to your left side by walking around your body or by side-hopping back to the left. This exercise is included in books that specialize in obedience ring exercises. The average dog owner might consider the finish ornamental, but it is a nifty exercise that can be very beautiful if performed correctly. Several of the books in the Select Reading List describe reliable ways of teaching it.

  People often ask us, "How do I know my dog has a reliable off-leash recall?" There are several things to consider. First, for most every dog we have met, even those who have been titled and superbly trained, there is always some distraction that will be the one to cause them to err. No dog is perfect, so it is always wise to think preventatively. If you are going to be in an area with all sorts of enticing distractions, don't presume that Una will automatically come when you call, even when her recall seems flawless in most situations. Use common sense. Always have a backup plan in case Una decides not to come. Obviously, an electric collar can be used as good insurance once Una is well trained, but they are expensive and need to be used wisely.

  For most owners, setting up tests in locations that simulate bona fide off-leash situations is the best way to determine how reliable the recall would be without a leash or rope — say, on a walk in the country. Make use of soccer or football fields at the local high school once you feel Una has achieved good consistency in the long recall. These are large areas that give the dog the feel of being off lead but are often enclosed by some sort of fence. Thus, there is little chance of Una getting distracted and inadvertently running out in front of a car, for example. Let her run around and have fun. Then, wait for a moment when she seems to be preoccupied with something else. If you call and she responds immediately, consistently, you'll have a good sense of her trustworthiness in most situations. If she starts to play games, go back to working on the long-distance recall with the rope. Always, always remember: don't let your dog off leash prematurely, until you are confident of her ability to come in 95 percent of the situations. If there is one mistake novice owners make it is this, and the consequences can be serious.