Competitive Obedience Training for the Small Dog Read online

  • An English variation is the cloth “place target.” The dog is taught to go out to, then turn and sit on, a piece of cloth such as a towel. When the dog is doing full-length go outs, scissors are taken to the cloth and it is made progressively smaller and smaller as the dog grasps the idea of place as target.

  • The dog can be taught to touch the target, usually the baby gate standard, with his nose. If he stops short, he is taken by the collar and walked out on his back feet to the target for the nose touch.

  • The dog is taught to go through the baby gate. If he is too big to go through one of the holes in the gate itself, the gate is opened just enough at the stanchion so he can squeeze through. The dog’s reward is always on the other side of the gate.

  Do you see a pattern here? Teaching a dog to go out means teaching him to recognize a target, then increasing the distance he must travel to reach the target.

  Don’t delay teaching the go out just because it is part of a rather complicated Utility exercise. Start teaching it to the dog while he is still young and by the time the two of you reach Utility, you will find you have already taught him all the parts of Directed Jumping. All you have left to do is put the parts together!

  “Some athletes rely on mental techniques as a gimmick to fool themselves into thinking they can compete without any stress. Nothing can ever take the place of just plain hard physical practice.”

  Marathoner Alberto Salazar

  Chapter 10

  THE FOUR STANDS

  There are four “stand” exercises in obedience. (Bet you thought there were only three!) They are the stand for measurement upon entering the ring in Open and Utility, the Novice Stand for Examination, and the Utility stands in the Signal Exercise and the Moving Stand and Examination.

  STAND FOR MEASUREMENT

  If you don’t think being measured is a “real” exercise for your dog, think again! He is in the ring, and his leash has been removed. His handler, approached by an intimidating stranger, switches into performance mode. She makes her dog pose so that the stranger can then stand over the dog and dominate him with a lethal-looking stick! And if the measurement doesn’t go well, the first formal exercise, heeling, can be sent home in a handbasket.

  Moral: Teach and practice the measurement process. Give anyone you can recruit a folding ruler and doggy treats. Ask her to play judge by giving the dog a treat, measuring him, and then giving him another treat. When your dog can gracefully accept being measured, incorporate it into your practice by having each person who measures your dog then call the first part of a heeling pattern. Don’t fail to take the stand for measurement seriously. Your dog does!

  NOVICE STAND FOR EXAMINATION

  The easiest time to teach the Stand for Exam is when your dog knows, through practice on the Sit Stay and Down Stay, that “Stay” means “Don’t Move!” If the dog really understands stay, you should be able to leave him in any position and feel confident that he will not move until released.

  There are two acceptable methods of teaching a small dog the stand. With the first method, the dog is physically placed in a stand from a sit.

  Physically placing the dog in a stand

  Put the index finger of your right hand under the dog’s muzzle and through his collar. Command “Stand” and pull forward, parallel to the ground. At the same time, place the back of your left hand under the dog’s stomach. Help him come to a standing position without moving forward by using your hand to raise his rear. Keep your left hand in front of his knees to prevent him from sitting or stepping forward as you remove your right hand from the collar. Give the verbal command and hand signal for “Stay,” and praise quietly before releasing the dog from the standing position. Don’t have him sit to end the exercise or he won’t realize that the praise was for standing.

  As soon as you can, eliminate the finger through the collar. With the dog in heel position, use your right hand for the stand signal. To focus your dog’s attention on your hand, hold a treat against your palm with your thumb as you move your hand in an arc from right to left in front of the dog’s face.

  It won’t be long before the dog begins putting himself into position as soon as he sees the signal and hears the command “Stand,” but you can help the dog with a reminder – your left index finger in front of his right knee – as often and as long as necessary.

  While the first method of teaching the stand does not require a leash, the second method is completely dependent upon it. From a buckle collar, bring a six foot leash from the right side of the dog’s neck around and under his belly. If you hold the leash coming from both sides of the dog’s body, he will be in a “basket.” The leash is controlled with the left hand, leaving the right hand free to signal stand and stay. (For obvious reasons, be careful where you place the leash under a male dog.) Sit the dog; keep the leash loosely arranged around his body, and command “Stand.” Pull up on the leash so that the dog is lifted into a stand without being able to step forward. By adjusting where you hold the leash, equalize the pressure between the dog’s underside and his neck. Command and signal “Stay” and loosen the leash a little, so the dog can be praised for standing on his own.

  When you are ready to leave, drop the leash gently. It will fall to either side of the dog. Do not attempt to unwrap him; you don’t need to hang onto the leash as you move away. It is difficult to use a leash correction for movement on the stand without causing the dog to move more. A tug upward or backward could cause the dog to sit, and a forward tug will encourage the dog to walk forward. If you must make a correction when you have told the dog to stay, you are limited to the verbal “Ahh!”

  After the dog becomes comfortable with being placed in a stand, remember to stand up straight in heel position before giving the “Stay” command and signal. Increase the time and distance on the stand stay in small increments, from steady when you are one foot away to steady at two, then four, and then six feet from the dog.

  Arranging the leash to form a basket for the stand

  When you first begin “going over” your dog, pet him under his chin, not on top of his head, and scratch his chest, not his back. When the dog has learned to hold up his head and stand his ground, you can switch to the regulation top-of-the-dog exam. Make haste slowly. (Do you keep hearing that idea over and over again? Good!)

  If the dog moves at any time during this exercise, he doesn’t understand “Stay.” If he sits, he doesn’t understand “Stand.” Reteach accordingly. If the dog sits as you return to heel, he has made an understandable mistake; in practice, quietly remind him to “Stay” as you return until he is confident that he is doing the right thing.

  Sometimes a problem can be created for short dogs on the Stand for Examination by the judge. A judge who will approach a big dog in a perfectly rational manner can change altogether when confronted with a dog in miniature. It happens often enough that you need to train for judges who sneak up to your little guy on tiptoe, who squat down in front for the exam, or who tentatively touch him as if he might break. A judge’s attempt to not be scary can scare a small dog to death!

  If your dog is really nervous about a stranger’s approach, teach him to accept a sit for exam before teaching him the Stand for Exam. Standing the dog on a table, as is done in conformation, can also help make a stranger seem a little less intimidating.

  It may take some time, but you can teach your dog to enjoy the examination. Begin by enlisting the help of your family and friends, each of whom can play judge over the course of many practice sessions. Go through the formal format of the exercise each time. It will contribute to the dog’s poise to be able to recognize a pattern: Stand the dog, command and signal “Stay,” walk six feet away, turn to face the dog, smile confidently, and bring on the judge.

  In a relaxed and happy manner, judge #1 can scratch the dog under the chin (head up!), give the dog a treat, tell him what a precious cutey he is (tail wag!), and then back away. When you return to heel, praise with “What a good st
ay!” and release.

  If during this – or any – exam, your dog seems frightened or worried, say nothing. Don’t “reassure,” because the tone of reassurance sounds like praise to the dog, reinforcing the very behavior you want to discourage. Only bravery and fortitude warrant praise.

  At your next practice, judge #2 should be a little different from judge #1. He could circle the dog after the examination, for example, rather than backing away, but he should strive for the same upbeat, spirited approach and response. When the dog wags his tail, makes eye contact with the judge, holds up his head, or does anything to indicate confidence and enjoyment, praise.

  Continue this process, going through the formal exercise each time, until the dog is looking forward to the entire routine. You can then begin to introduce the what is this judge doing? aberrations. Don’t give the dog more than he can handle at any one time; reinforce the behavior that you want, and ignore any behavior that you don’t want.

  The list of things to proof for can be endless: the necklace or necktie that bumps the dog on the head, the judge’s skirt that completely envelopes the dog, the judge whose hands smell like cigarettes or cigars, the judge who approaches too quickly or too slowly, or the judge who approaches swinging a clipboard. Teach the dog to accept anything that might happen on a stand, and try to keep his sense of humor intact. He will need it.

  THE UTILITY SIGNAL STAND

  The quickest way to teach the Utility stand is to use the Novice doggy-in-a-basket method. With the leash arranged under and around the dog, command “Heel.” Move out a few steps and command “Stand,” pulling up and back on the leash to keep the dog from sitting. As you stop moving, bend at the waist to give the stand signal, a sweep of your right palm in front of the dog’s face. Praise for the stand, and loosen the tension on the leash so the dog is standing on his own. Quietly command “Stay” as you give the stay signal. Praise the dog and release.

  When the dog is stopping in a stand without any tension on the leash basket, you can take the leash off and begin substituting a thin dowel in front of the dog’s left knee. Phase out the verbal command, and soon the dog will require only an occasional reminder to stand.

  The stand signal

  Even if the dog knows the stand signal, you will probably have to reinforce the implied stay which is in effect while you stand up straight and before you give the signal to stay. Give the dog the stay signal, then pivot in front of the dog and keep him standing for a few seconds before you pivot back to heel and release.

  When a small dog stops and stands crooked or out of heel position, it is possible the handler stepped into him or the stand signal looked threatening. If your dog is avoiding the swing of your arm, tone down the signal.

  If the dog stops in a forged position on the stand signal, don’t try to compensate by stepping into heel position after the dog has stopped. Work on your timing and footwork with the dog instead:

  • Move out a few steps with the dog in heel position in the leash basket.

  • As your right foot comes forward, give your stand signal, bringing your right hand and arm across your body. (Start your signal at your right thigh. Don’t swing your arm to the right and then left across your body, because your dog will pick up on the initial movement and stop too soon.)

  • Pull up and back on the leash basket, stopping the dog as your right hand completes its swing and your left foot stops beside your right foot.

  One of my students with a Dachshund was having trouble with her dog “squatting” on the stand. Her husband made her a dowel with a padded “L” which she could slide under the dog as she signaled him to stand. She could then correct the dog for squatting without bending over. We have since used this device to combat the dreaded “Doxiesquat” on both Miniature and Standard Dachshunds in Utility class.

  Gerianne

  The judge’s command to “Stand Your Dog” is always given after a right, left or about turn. If you have a tendency to veer into your dog’s path, it will show up here. Some remedial heeling work might also be necessary to assure that neither of you are rounding off your corners or going wide as you come out of a turn. Don’t lean over the dog as you give the signal; keep your body pointed straight ahead.

  MOVING STAND AND EXAMINATION

  The one exercise in obedience that discriminates the most against the small dog is the Moving Stand and Examination. The phrase from Chapter 5, Section 12 of the AKC OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS describes scoring of the Moving Stand: “Minor or substantial penalties, depending on extent, shall be made for the handler that changes the manner of walking or hesitates or pauses while giving the command and/or signal to stand….” This contradicts Chapter 2, Section 20, “…a handler may bend the body and knees as far as necessary to bring his hand on a level with the dog’s eyes in giving a signal to a dog in the Heel position….”

  Can you bend over in mid-stride and, without pausing or changing your manner of walking, give your dog a signal to stand? According to “Moving Stand and Examination, Scoring,” you had better be able to do just that!

  The dog already knows the essentials of this exercise; the only things you will need to add are the stay without an extra command as you heel on without the dog, and the dog’s return to heel without fronting first.

  The Moving Stand and Exam is the last exercise I teach my dog. He doesn’t even know it exists until about three months before going into the Utility ring for the first time. I want my dog solid on the stand signal in the Signal Exercise first. Plus, I don’t want to take the chance of messing up my fronts by teaching the dog to go directly to heel even one day sooner than I have to!

  Gerianne

  To teach the moving stand, heel 10 to 12 steps with the dog in the leash basket. Pull up and back on the leash as you give the dog the signal to stand. At the same time, give the verbal command to stay. Drop the leash and walk on by yourself for another five to six feet. Turn to face the dog, praise him for standing and staying, return and release. At first you might have to pause while you stand the dog, or you might have to repeat the stay command as you walk on. As soon as possible, give the signal and verbal command without slowing down.

  Calling the dog directly to heel presents little problem since the AKC OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS allow both a command and a signal. Use whichever finish, left or around, you feel your dog will best perform in this exercise.

  To teach the finish, separate it from the rest of the exercise. Stand the dog, step directly in front, and command and signal to finish. With success gradually add distance, up to the 10 to 12 feet from the dog as required in the AKC OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS. In practice, you can put the dog on the Flexi, leave him standing, and use the Flexi to guide him away from the front by emphasizing direction as part of your finish signal. A 12-inch dowel can be laid on the floor to your left to help the dog line up for the sit.

  Emphasize direction in signaling the dog to go directly to heel.

  When the dog is steady on the stand and stay and the recall to heel, add the examination. Play judge yourself as long as necessary to build the dog’s confidence.

  When you call the dog after the exam, don’t have him sometimes go directly to heel and sometimes to front, under the guise of “teaching him to listen.” The dog is never to front when he finds himself in the context of the Moving Stand and Examination. This exercise is easily pattern (that is not a dirty word!) trained. The same precept that applies to the Utility Signal Exercise applies here: Don’t make it harder than it already is.

  Confine proofing to what the judge might do on the examination. (That should keep you busy!) Recruit friends to play judge and steward. The examination in this exercise can be rigorous, and your dog should be prepared to have everything from the depth of his chest to the set of his tail examined. Anything is fair except the dog’s mouth and testicles. Some judges squat in front of the dog to begin the exam; some bend over and envelope the dog in their skirt or jacket. Many judges also begin this exercise by handing the stew
ard their clipboard, so the dog is dwarfed by the judge on one side, the steward on the other, and the handler in front. What an intimidating situation!

  The price you pay for having a really small dog: When the elderly judge bent over to examine Reina on the Moving Stand, he couldn’t get back up. When he tried a second time to straighten himself, he lost his balance and fell forward, catching himself on my dog and squashing her into the mat. Luckily Reina wasn’t hurt, but she immediately realized that a dog could die during the Moving Stand. It took three months of confidence-building before Reina was willing to attempt this exercise in the ring again.

  Barbara

  You will also need to include some verbal commands of “Stand Your Dog” from your “judge” while you heel on; the dog is corrected with an instructive reprimand of “Heel!” if he listens to the wrong person. In its finished form, the Moving Stand is not an exercise you can perfect by yourself. If practice makes perfect, it is going to have to include at least a couple of friends.

  One word of warning: If you practice the moving stand finish from distances greater than 12 feet from the dog, it is likely to cause confusion on recall exercises that end with a front, particularly the Drop on Recall. The AKC OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS require a distance of six feet from the dog for the Novice Stand for Exam; you return to heel to end the exercise. You and your dog are 10 to 12 feet apart for the Moving Stand; to end the exercise the dog goes directly to heel. You are about 35 feet apart when you signal the dog to come in the Signal Exercise and the Drop on Recall; the dog does a front. Don’t get creative with the distances as you polish these exercises prior to showing in Novice, Open, or Utility.