Raising the Perfect Dog; The Secrets of Law Enforcement K9 Trainers (6 page)

7. Once the dog has mastered staying in the sit position until the marker is given, have him sit, back a few feet away, then give the marker/treat. Again, as he gets better at it, get further away. This teaches the dog the “extended sit.” If he gets up before you give the marker, step into him to block him and put him back into the sit position. Then repeat the drill.

Teaching the “Down” Command

1. First, find a high-valued treat—something that your dog really loves. To give you a good hint, most dogs love hot dogs. I always use the chicken or turkey hot dogs just because they are healthier.

2. Create a distraction-free environment for your dog (no TV, no kids running around, no other pets around, etc.). Start charging your marker as described earlier. Say your dog’s name. When he looks at you, give the verbal marker “yes” and immediately give a treat. This will help get your dog in training mode.

3. Put a treat close to your dog’s nose.

4. Move the treat down to the ground in between his paws. Once your dog goes down, move the treat away from him—pulling it back toward you, but keeping it on the ground.

5. Often, the dog’s chest will lower to the ground, but he will keep his hindquarters up in the air. If this happens, push the lure back into your dog until he lies down completely. Then, immediately mark it with “yes” and the treat.

6. To teach your dog to stay in the down position until released, put him into the down position, wait a few seconds, and then mark it with a “yes” and give the treat. Then, wait 10 seconds before you give the marker and treat. Then 30 seconds, one minute, and so on. If he gets up before you give the marker, immediately put him back into the down position and try again. If you notice he is constantly getting up, you may be trying to progress too fast for him. Shorten the time you make him down before you give the marker, then build the time back up again.

7. Once your dog has mastered staying in the down position until the marker is given, you can have him down, back a few feet away, then give the marker and treat. Again, as he gets better at it, get further away. This teaches “extended down.” If he gets up before you give the marker, step into him to block him and put him back into the down position. Then repeat the drill.

Alternative Method for Teaching the “Down”

If your dog’s hindquarters stay up in the air, or he isn’t getting the concept of down, try using your leg to help lure him into the down position. Sit on the floor next to your dog and place the leg that is closest to him flat on the floor. It should be positioned so that your leg is making an arch position or an upside down V beside your dog. Once you have this position, hold the treat under your leg and when your dog goes down to get it, repeat the down command and pull the treat away. He should lower into the down position in order to go under your leg to get the treat. As soon as this happens, mark the behavior with “yes” and reward with treat, then repeat the process.

Teaching the “Stand” Command

1. First, find a high-valued treat—something that your dog really loves. To give you a good hint, most dogs love hot dogs. I always use the chicken or turkey hot dogs just because they are healthier.

2. Create a distraction-free environment for your dog (no TV, no kids running around, no other pets around, etc.). Start charging your marker as described earlier. Say your dog’s name. When he looks at you, give the verbal marker “yes” and immediately give a treat. This will help get your dog in training mode.

3. Put your dog into the sit position.

4. With the dog in the sit position, stand facing your dog and put a treat in front of your dog’s nose. Slowly pull the treat back toward your chest, luring your dog with the treat to stand up out of the sit position.

5. As you lure your dog toward you, repeat the command “stand.” As soon as he gets up out of the sit position and stands up, immediately mark the behavior with “yes” and a reward.

6. To teach your dog to stay in the stand position until released, put him into the stand position, wait a few seconds, then mark it with the “yes” and give the treat. Then, wait 10 seconds before giving the marker and treat. Then 30 seconds, one minute, and so on. If he moves before you give the marker, immediately put him back into the stand position and try again. If you notice he is constantly moving, you may be trying to progress too fast for him. Shorten the time you make him stand before you give the marker, then build the time back up again.

7. Once he has mastered staying in the stand position until the marker is given, you can have him stand, back a few feet away, and give him the marker and treat. Again, as he gets better at it, get further away. This teaches the “extended stand.” If he moves before you give the marker, step into him to block him and put him back into the stand position. Then repeat the drill.

Teaching the “Heel” Command

1. First, find a high-valued treat—something that your dog really loves. To give you a good hint, most dogs love hot dogs. I always use the chicken or turkey hot dogs just because they are healthier.

2. Create a distraction-free environment for your dog. I always recommend starting the heel command in a very quiet neighborhood on pavement. The reason we practice on pavement is because there are minimal scent distractions compared to on grass.

3. Have your dog start by sitting on your left side with a leash on.

4. Have a treat in your left hand, step off, and say “heel.”

5. Try to keep your dog focused on the treat in your hand, aiming to get him to remain beside you with the treat. Walk approximately 10 feet, stop, have the dog sit, and give the treat. Repeat. As he gets better at it, walk further distances before the treat is given.

Troubleshooting

• If your dog immediately pulls ahead of you, do a 180° turn, putting him back on your left side and try to refocus him on the treat.

• If he gets out of position, have him sit, put him next to your left leg, and start the drill again.