Competitive Obedience Training for the Small Dog Read online

  Return to heel position by walking around behind the dog; extend your left arm to hold the leash out to the dog’s right so the leash doesn’t smack him in the face and his collar doesn’t move as you return behind him.

  Don’t let the dog con you into ending a stay exercise if he breaks, even if you were going to end it at that moment anyway. Replace the dog who has gone into business for himself, and repeat the exercise. When you are ready to end the stay, end it, even if you have to cut time and distance in half for the dog to be successful on your terms.

  Leash correction for the sit stay

  Increase the distance by one step and the time by 10 seconds at each practice, until the dog is capable of a sit stay at the end of a six foot leash for three minutes. You can then continue increasing distance as you progress through:

  -Leaving the dog with the leash attached and stretched out on the ground between you,

  -Dropping the attached leash by the dog’s side,

  -Dropping the attached leash behind the dog,

  -Unhooking the leash and placing it behind the dog, as would be done in the ring.

  It will also be helpful to occasionally walk back to your dog, praise him, and then leave again. The dog should not think that every time you come back to him on a stay it is to correct or release. Sometimes you return just to tell him how wonderful he is!

  THE DOWN AND DOWN STAY

  Just as in the sit, the dog can be taught to down by physically placing him in position or by using a treat to lure him down.

  Approach laying the dog down in a calm manner, both mentally and physically. This need not be a wrestling match! Sit on the floor beside the dog. Place him in a sit by your left side. Put your left arm around the dog’s shoulders and pick up his left front leg by grasping the back of the leg in the palm of your left hand. Pick up his right front leg in the same way with your right hand and command “Down.” Lift the dog’s front end up slightly, then lay it straight down – don’t pull it forward – by putting the pressure of your left arm across the dog’s left side, your elbow pointing toward his tail. With your left arm, roll the dog’s rear onto one hip as you are downing him; he will be less likely to get up from this position than if he downs in a crouch. Praise the dog quietly, using the command word, “What a good down,” before you release.

  When the dog is starting to lie down on command before you have a chance to lay him down, progress to a command and a simple signal. Stand beside the dog in heel position, command “Down,” and point quickly and emphatically to the floor with your left hand along the right side of the dog’s head. You can hold a food treat between the thumb and index finger of your left hand. The dog gets to eat the treat when he is down. Be sure your hand is where you want the dog’s head to be; don’t draw him out of position with your signal.

  If the dog decides in mid-down that he is not going to drop completely, a push with your fingers just behind his withers is justified. The dog must always down on the spot where he finds himself when he hears the command and/or sees the signal.

  Placing the dog in a clown

  For the down stay, increase time and distance in small increments as you did on the sit stay. Increase the level of difficulty only when the dog is consistently successful at the current level.

  Throughout training, the correction for breaking the down is most effectively made before the dog gets all the way up, and that is not easy with a small dog! Verbally intercept any break with an “Ahh!” and step in to push down and back on the dog’s shoulders. Better still, grasp the snap on the leash and use it to gently push down and back. Don’t dive bomb the dog to make a correction or he will panic. Move deliberately, but don’t threaten. If the dog gets all the way up before you can correct, start the exercise over again, decreasing time and distance so that the practice session can end with success.

  When the dog understands the down and stay at your side, you can teach the inducive down from in front; the “windmill” signal for this down will be used for the Drop on Recall in Open and the Signal Exercise in Utility. Begin on your knees with the dog standing in front of you. With a food treat in your right hand, command “Down” and make an abbreviated windmill signal, quickly and dramatically bringing the food past the dog’s nose and to the floor right in front of him. The dog’s head and body should follow the treat. When the dog is down, he gets the treat.

  Remember, when the dog is learning and you are still close to him, all signals are miniaturized. An average-sized dog would probably not have any trouble with an arm swinging toward his body; a small dog probably would. As the dog learns the meaning of the signals and you are increasing your distance from him, the magnitude of the signals can increase as well.

  When you are teaching the inducive down, your dog might adopt a play posture of front down, rear up. If that happens, gently push his rear down with your left hand.

  If the dog doesn’t drop any part of his body, intensify the game by teasing him, and at the end of the signal pat the floor with the hand holding the treat. If you still have to give the dog a gentle push down, hold him there for a few seconds with your left hand behind his shoulders while you tell him “Good down.”

  As you progress from kneeling to standing, phase out the treats; turn the down in front into a great game as you increase your distance from the dog after he is down. Tease the dog with a “Wait…Wait…Wait”; add suspense to your voice and posture, then release the dog to come to you for exuberant praise and treats. The “Wait” portion of the exercise shouldn’t last more than a few seconds. The dog’s attitude should be expectant, as in “This is a great game! I can’t wait to see what happens next!”

  Teaching the windmill down signal

  When downed facing the handler, the dog should drop into a sphinx-like position, anticipating an almost immediate release or second command. When downed in heel position, the dog needs to get comfortable, preferably by rolling onto a hip, because he is going to be staying down for awhile. The dog can learn the difference between the two down postures relative to where the command and/or signal is given, from in front or at heel.

  I think it is counterproductive to raise your voice with a little bitty dog, so when my dog is in heel position most of my commands are spoken very softly. Imagine Tootsie’s surprise at her first fun match when the woman with the Doberman to our left screamed “STAY!” at her dog as she left him for the Sit Stay. When we turned across the ring to face our dogs, I saw Tootsie look at the Dobe in disgust. Then, because there was no dog to her right, Toots got up and moved over, putting three more feet between herself and the rudeness to her left. Miss Manners was again offended when the woman screamed “STAY!” on the Down.

  I learned my lesson. After that match we started training in places, and even occasionally with people, a little less genteel!

  Barbara

  When practicing stays with an inexperienced dog in new locations, use a long line. You don’t need to hold the end – you can drop it and stand on it – but do keep a handle on your dog for safety’s sake. If you are practicing in any weather short of ideal, don’t fail to check the temperature of the ground surface. Is it too hot or too cold? Rest your palm on the ground for several seconds before asking your dog to put his body on it for several minutes. Stays should not be exercises in bearing hardship!

  Even if your dog can perform the stay exercises perfectly when he is alone, there is no guarantee he will be able to perform them in a line with other dogs and (here is the traumatic part for the little guys) other people’s feet! Before you are ready to show, you will have to practice with other folks and their trustworthy dogs often enough for your dog to realize he has nothing to fear in a stay line.

  There is no reason to stop training the formal stays, whether you are ready to show or not, once your dog has reached the Novice level of training. Keep right on adding time and increasing distance. To introduce Open stays, walk out of sight and immediately return. Build on the length of time you are out of s
ight – returning randomly to reinforce by giving another command, “Stay. Good Stay!” then leaving again – until your dog is capable of a four-minute sit and an eight-minute down without reinforcement. Imagine the poise you will have during Novice stays, knowing what your dog is really capable of doing!

  PROBLEMS AND POLISH

  If you encounter a problem in the stay exercises, it will probably be one of the following: your dog will lie down on the sit even though he “knows better,” or he will bark or whine during the stays. Pray that it won’t be both! Experienced trainers hate stay problems; they know how hard such problems can be to remedy.

  The first thing you must do for the dog who inexplicably begins to lie down on a sit stay is to eliminate any physical cause for the problem. Many small dogs have unsound knees; trying to sit perfectly still for any length of time can be a painful experience. There might also be a problem with the hips, lower back, or even the anal glands. You should always first assume that there may be a physical reason for a behavioral change. Only after the physical has been explored can you start to delve into the psyche.

  The three most common “behavioral” excuses for dogs who lie down on the sit are confusion, indifference and insecurity.

  1) The dog who is confused doesn’t know he has done anything wrong. To this dog, the important part of the exercise is the “Stay.” He does not understand why you are so upset with him. He didn’t go anywhere; he stayed on the very spot where he was told to “Stay.” He just made himself a little more comfortable in the interim.

  2) The indifferent dog doesn’t care. It has not been made clear that it is important to you – and ultimately to him – that he remain in a sit.

  3) The dog who is insecure wants you to return to him and has found a way to make you do so. This dog is not being defiant. He is even willing to endure a correction if you will just come back.

  A quick fix for the confused dog is a legal reminder. When the judge in the ring says “Sit your dogs,” you say “Sit.” When the judge says “Leave your dogs,” say “Sit” again and give the hand signal for a stay. It is amazing how effective this simple change can be.

  You can also employ a technique used to help the indifferent dog, which is changing the stay from a passive or static exercise to a dynamic one. Stays are static exercises in which the dog is essentially asked to do nothing; exercises in which the dog is an active participant are called dynamic exercises. With some dogs it is helpful to change the Sit Stay from static to dynamic by requiring the dog to concentrate on holding his position. This is most easily done by telling the dog to “Sit” and “Stay” then going out to the end of a six-foot leash and slowly, gently trying to pull the dog off the sit. The dog who truly understands the meaning of “Sit” and “Stay” will exert equal pressure to pull back and hold his position. When you try this, do not stand directly in front of your dog, do not jerk the leash, and do not pull harder than your dog can pull back. The collar must be on the dead ring. If the dog moves, replace him and issue another “Stay” command. If he does not move, praise him with “Good sit.”

  For the indifferent dog, the most effective correction might well be one administered by someone else. In the Novice stays, the ring is full of people – the judge, the stewards, and the other exhibitors in your stay group. During Open stays, the judge and at least one steward remain in the ring with the dogs. Use this fact to your advantage. Practice stays with other people and dogs, mimicking a real ring when possible; if your dog lies down on the sit, have someone else make the correction. If you have to make the correction yourself, do it without emotion, and without talking to, staring at, or touching the dog. Use the collar to correct; do not reposition the dog by putting your hands on his body. Your dog must learn that the only way to get what he wants (your reassuring presence) is to do what you want (stay put)!

  The dog who whines or barks on the stay must be corrected away from the exercise so he knows what he is being corrected for; you have to isolate the verbalizing before attempting to correct it. To do this, give your dog on leash to someone else. Leave without a command to stay then provoke your dog into a whine or bark – easily done by playing with another dog. As soon as the first sound comes out of your dog’s throat, the person holding him should silence him with a gentle scruff shake and stern “Hush!” You can then return and praise the dog for being quiet. If you are practicing by yourself, you can secure the dog on leash to a table leg or other sturdy object and then proceed as above, returning to the dog to make the “Hush” correction yourself. When the dog understands the “Hush” command, you can use it as a reminder in place of the verbal “Stay” when leaving him on the Stay exercises.

  Since whining and barking are usually anxiety-related, corrections which increase the dog’s anxiety – such as spraying lemon juice into his mouth or squeezing his muzzle closed – only heighten anxiety and complicate the problem. The startle effect might work for awhile, but then it will be back to square one, with an even louder dog.

  Stays are confidence-building exercises, and for the dog to build confidence he needs to be successful. Challenges – too many, too soon, or too unrealistic – will overwhelm a dog and cause him to panic or collapse in submissiveness. And you simply cannot, through intimidation, force a dog to stay put. He will always find a means of escape. If you are going to proof train, your proofing must be reasonable. Asking your dog to stay while strangers step back and forth across him, while a basketball is bounced around him, while jumps are dropped behind him, or while someone pelts him with food treats – common “proofing” techniques in many training classes – is abusive! If your dog is the only small dog in a class, he can be traumatized repeatedly in the name of “practice.” Don’t hesitate to remove your dog from any situation you feel is unrealistic, threatening, or intimidating. You are your dog’s only advocate.

  Once your dog understands the Sit Stay and Down Stay, and can perform both exercises perfectly in unfamiliar locations with naturally occurring distractions, then you can proof if you proof intelligently. What might happen during the stays at a trial? Someone in the audience might use a flash camera to take a picture of your dog. He looks so cute sitting between those two Rottweilers! Or a dog might break a stay and run past him. In the ring right behind your group sit, a whole line of people might command “Down!” to their dogs.

  At a show, your dog is also likely to hear sudden bursts of applause and cheering. There could be a squeak toy or, if your ring is next to the vendors, dozens of squeak toys right outside the ring. Someone could be throwing a dumbbell in the ring next to yours. And more than likely there will be people with food, eating noisily and enjoyably, just a few feet away from where your dog is attempting to perform a stay.

  Yes, by all means “proof,” and if your dog breaks, put him back into position and repeat the command to stay. Lower the level of the proof to a point at which you feel certain the dog can succeed. But before you try it again, ask yourself, Is this proof realistic? Could this situation possibly occur at a dog show? Don’t subject your dog to stupidity and create problems for yourself. You have to train smarter than that!

  “Your personal level of commitment is something you must work out for yourself. No one can tell you how important something is in your life; that is your decision. But it is clear that people who excel are extremely committed people.”

  Terry Orlick, PhD

  IN PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE

  Chapter 8

  RECALL, FRONT AND FINISH

  Which exercise most clearly shows how your dog feels about working with you? The Recall. What is an essential part of 11 different obedience exercises? The Recall. Which exercise must be rock solid, yet trained with a very light hand? The Recall.

  Every Recall must also end with a straight front and a fast, straight finish. Placing in the competitive “B” classes depends upon it. The concept of straight, however, is tough to convey to a dog. If your dog is both short in stature and long of back, such as a Do
xie, Basset or Corgi, straight might also be the impossible dream. It is also true that the smaller and less hairy the dog, the more difficult it is to achieve a perfect front and finish. Judging can be more critical because “smaller” occupies less floor space, and no hair means no benefit of the doubt. (Every perfect front and finish performed by a Miniature Pinscher deserves a standing ovation!)

  THE RECALL

  There are two inviolate rules for the Recall:

  1. The dog is never punished for coming to you even if you didn’t call him. He is not punished even if he broke a sit stay to come. (Invest more time and effort on the “Stay.”) He is not punished even if he has just brought you the canary. (He could have hid it behind the sofa.) If you need the dog for some unpleasant purpose, don’t call him – go get him! There is no exception to this rule.

  2. On one command the dog must come. This means you don’t keep repeating “Come!” while the dog ignores you. Related rule: Never give a command you cannot enforce. The dog must come even if, as in rule number one, you have to go get him.

  Big dog one inch off center

  Small dog one inch off center

  Recall training starts with “puppy recalls” regardless of the age of the dog. Puppy recalls are fun; there is no quicker, peppier way to develop the right attitude toward coming when called.

  In puppy recalls, the dog is called back and forth between two people. (An older dog will usually go back and forth only if he likes the two people equally well. If there aren’t two people equally favored by your dog, anyone can be the holder, but you will be the only caller.) Begin by having the holder restrain your dog while you keep the dog’s attention and tease him with a treat: “See what I’ve got? Oh, yummy, yum!” Still teasing, quickly back away. When you see that the dog’s attention is riveted on you, squat down, open your arms, and call him enthusiastically. When the holder hears “Zipper, Come!” he will let go of the dog. Emphasize “Come” so that it stands out from the other words you are using to entice the dog. Say “Come” only once and only when you are positive that the dog will respond.