Originally Posted by
mogrann
I have been following Caesar...
Susan
Hi again,
I didn't want to make the other message too long and confusing. Here are two more message explaining some ways that I've used to train my dogs to come when they are called.
Teaching to come on the walk
By the way, one of the things that many people don't understand about the walk is that when you walk your dog, you're really on mission. That's how the dog feels. You're going somewhere to do something. Its his job. If you take it seriously, he will love it.
Lets begin. You'll need a six foot lead. A bag of treats.
Plan to include a 15 minute training period in your walk and follow the Caesar method.
Begin your walk and go to the place where you are going to train. Stop and say, Owen sit! And show him your fist. If he doesn't sit, push his rump down gently until he does. Wait a short while, count to ten if you want. Then step forward and say, "Owen stay" while showing him the palm of your hand. Take two or three deliberate steps releasing the lead as you go. Turn around and face him. Count to three. If he begins to come to you without being called, say, "stop!" roughly! Start your count over.
When you are ready, say Owen come! Tug gently on the lead and release until he is on your side then turn around, wave your hand in the direction of the walk, Say, "Owen heel!" and begin to walk again.
If he did everything to your satisfaction, slip him a treat. Keep going about a minute. Then repeat the procedure.
Give him a treat when he does it right. Never when he does it wrong.
But don't give him a treat every time he does it right. The more he does it right, the less treats you begin to give.
After you've done it for about 15 minutes, go home following Caesar's procedure. No more commands.
EXPLANATIONS
Why plan a 15 minute training period? I don't know. I was always told not to tire a dog out with training and 15 minutes was the time I was told to a lot. So, that's what I'm passing on.
Why a six foot lead? Its just a convenient and easy length to find. Some trainers use a 10 foot lead. Some 15. I guess so they can get progressively farther from the dog when they train the stay command.
Why a bag of treats? You could put them in your pockets I guess. But some treats could get pretty messy that way.
Why call his name before every command? Owen sit! Owen stay! Owen heel! Because you want him to identify himself with his name.
Why show a fist when commanding Owen sit? Because eventually you will have the option of using sign language to direct your dog. Sometimes they pick that up quicker.
Why wait a short while, count to ten if I want before I start the stay command? Just a good round number. Use any that you prefer.
Why count to three for the stay? You want to build success. You don't want to make it too long where he'll be likely to fail. You can even make a one count if necessary. But you will make it progressively longer on your next training sessions.
Why tug gently and release until he is on my side?
1. Because you want to give him a hint of what you want him to do.
2. Because you don't want him to stop halfway, you want him to come all the way to you.
Why then turn around, wave my hand in the direction of the walk, Say, "Owen heel!" and begin to walk again?
1. Because the heel command is really the finish of your come command. When you call him you begin to walk away and he will follow. He isn't done until he is walking by your side. That is why you will not give him a treat until he has done everything right.
Why walk about a minute between procedures? Just so you have time to evaluate how you did. You can make it any amount of time you want but don't make it where you get confused. Try for between 5 and 10 repetitions.
Why give him a treat when he does it right? Its called positive association.
Why not when he does it wrong? You don't want him to associate a bad behaviour with a treat. It will take that much longer to extinguish that behaviour.
Why not every time he does it right? You can, if you want. According to science however, if you give him a treat sporadically when he does the behaviour you want, it will be harder for him to lose or extinguish that behaviour.
I hope that helps.
Cont'd