Installation Guide

A FOLLOW-UP TO “SIT”: STAY
When you give your dog the sit command, you’ve told it to sit and remain seated
until it receives another command. Many obedience programs no longer use the
“Stay” command, believing it is redundant and not necessary. However, it would
be good for you to know how to condition for this command if your dog struggles
with remaining sitting. To reinforce sitting, apply a light amount of upward leash
pressure to its collar and command “Stay” as you start to move away and toward
the end of the leash. Your dog will likely get up and try to move with you. If this
occurs, stop it with “No,” reseat the dog with “Sit” and repeat “Stay” with another
upward tug on the leash. It should not take too many corrections before your
dog figures this puzzle out. Should it continually refuse to stay, add increasing
amounts of leash pressure and stronger “No” commands until it obeys. You may
need to be more patient here than any other place. You have already conditioned
your dog to move with you at heel as you move away and many dogs think this is
what you want now instead of remaining seated. Correction for mistakes, rewards
for positive responses, and repetition will quickly condition your dog to this
command.
A DIRECTIONAL COMMAND: KENNEL
You'll often require your dog to enter different areas and objects: airline crates,
vehicles, buildings, boats, duck blinds, and fenced areas are just a few examples.
Use the command “Kennel” to tell your dog to enter what is in front of it. Always
use the command “Sit” before you ask a dog to enter. If you give your dog a chance
to sit and look into the area it’s being asked to enter, it will be far more likely to
perform this skill without a fight. By looking into this area, your dog can see that
the boogie man is not waiting inside.
What should you do if your dog decides it does not
want to enter? You know it will give to the pressure of
a leash, so lead it into the proper area and command
“Kennel.” Once in the correct place, stroke pup on the
shoulder until you see acceptance via the swallow
response. Repeat this routine until you start to
develop a conditioned response to your command.
Some dogs fight this entry with a great deal of vigor.
If your dog chooses this option, be sure to maintain
leash pressure until you get the desired response.
Once it understands that there is no danger in these
areas, it will be glad to enter upon command.
Think about your individual training situation and
see if you can create opportunities to work on the
“Kennel” command. This can be accomplished by
having an airline crate with you while doing your dog’s
obedience routine or working in an area close to the
entrance of your home where the doorway becomes
the area in which your dog is commanded to enter.
Or, you could use your vehicle, and this will be very
handy when you take your dog to other training areas.
TRAINING YOUR DOG
13/14
A TRAINING
TIP FROM TOM
DOKKEN: THE
IMPORTANCE
OF "BALANCED”
OBEDIENCE
TRAINING
I am willing to bet that
most people use an
e-collar to reinforce
the recall or “Here”
command more than
any other obedience
command. As a result,
they often work on that
command more than
the others. But keep in
mind that if you spend
a lot of time on a single
command, and then
you try to command
something else, your
dog may respond with
the action it’s most
comfortable with.
An example of this
would be an upland
hunting dog that will not
get out and hunt in front
of its owner because
it has been drilled so
much on “Here” that its
owner’s side has become
the safe place to be.
You need a balanced,
well-rounded obedience
program. Even a
dog that knows its
commands may become
confused if you spend
too much time drilling
on one action.