teaching down - and then having fun with it! - dog training

[azmauigirl]

Thanks for your response. It's good to know that I can have them go away to a variety of objects. I had thought that I would have to teach/name each object. We're using your down on the mat with morning kibble. Great idea. I appreciate your sharing your techniques, as even the simplest ideas, such as feeding on the mat for the longer down, are so helpful. Things that seem obvious once you point them out so nicely!

[nancyspore]

@azmauigirl morning! you can most certainly put 'specific' names to objects if you want, but if you just want a 'go away from me' using a 'go away' word and/or words seems to work too. For example in agility if there is a 4-5 obstacle run out, I just need to say 'go on' and my dogs will keep going and perform the obstacle in front of them until they hear otherwise, instead of me calling out each obstacle name, does that make sense?

When are you getting your camera! hahaha

[tab289]

So good to see them all working together & waiting for their turn! Great video!

[Tsssriddle]

I also love it when you work all three of them! It really is amazing how they each know when you are asking them to do something rather than one of the others!

[nancyspore]

@Tsssriddle Hi Sarah, I start when they are puppies using a toy they chose and playing with them in the opposite direction as the other dogs, then combine the same direction as they get older. The waiting for their turn is capturing settle like you are doing on the mat. If they offer a nice polite behavior while they are waiting then their toy gets thrown, over time they learn to wait because they have learned that calm gets them everything, pushy gets them nothing...

[equinegamer]

I have started working with Duchess and a mat. She will stay on the mat and I can walk around the whole house and she stays!! Yay!

I love it when you work all the dogs at the same time! They each know they will get a turn and everyone has their favorite toy. :-)

[nancyspore]

@equinegamer mat work is fun for 'location training' and it for sure helps to take the guess work out of things!

[azmauigirl]

Good ideas! Are you telling them to go "touch" the pot when you are working the 3 dogs? 

[nancyspore]

@azmauigirl touch, go, away, get out... it varies... any of those indicate look for something away from me...