RELEASE COMMAND

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Conventional training may not give you this idea, but the importance of a release command is almost right up there with the basics. While some owners opt never to train one because they imply it in some of the basic commands (such as ‘sit’ or ‘down’) other areas of life yield this a much more important part of training. Such as having a dog to ‘stay’ or ‘come’.

Now you might be wondering what is a release command? This is a term used to tell your dog when they are done with a certain behavior. With ‘stay’ for example, this is a behavior that most obviously benefits the most. You need to decide when the behavior is finished and then let the dog know. Otherwise the dog will decide.

When training a dog to come when called, this is one of the biggest mistakes made. Not having a release command will ruin the foundation of the command. For when is it that the dog is done being with you? If your dog only decides, then that leaves too many chances for them to run off again, come only within 5 feet of you, run right past you, take the treat and walk away, etc. If you use a collar grab(see previous post) and then a release command this will make your recall much more reliable and clear to the dog what you want.

So what is a good word to use? ‘Okay’ is the most common. I prefer to use something that is more specific to interaction with your dog, as ‘okay’ is such a generally used term even in conversation that you might end up releasing your dog without even meaning to! Choosing a different word also helps YOU to remember when you’re through with a behavior. Something such as: ‘free’, ‘break’, ‘done’, ‘finished ‘or ‘at ease’.

THE COLLAR GRAB

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dog-731979_1920This is a practice that many should look into but especially goes with the recall (come when called) and every owner should practice it if they expect to spend any time with their dogs outside off leash.

So why work with your dog to be comfortable with you grabbing their collar? First off, there are countless times when safety necessitates it. Secondly, it can be invaluable in every day commands. For example, if you call your dog to you and she comes but ducks away when you try to reach for her collar then how are you suppose to put her leash back on? If you need to remove your dog from the front door (who is still too exuberant to greet visitors politely) but he won’t let you take him by the collar as he knows the fun will end, then you are busy chasing him around your visitors which teaches him nothing and only frustrates you more. How about the dog who considers reaching for their neck a game and tries to mouth you instead? Having a dog who is comfortable with and associates a collar grab with something calming and positive is a priceless part of communication and trust.

You can introduce your dog to this in a number of ways but start out in the home environment when there is nothing else going on. Just gently hold their collar for a mere second and then praise and treat. The next time do it a second longer, then praise and treat. Make sure you are in front of them and they can see you reaching. Then move to practicing doing it over their head, under the neck, etc. The next session make sure to vary your positions: sitting, standing, grabbing while walking next to your dog and so forth.

As you can tell your dog is associating this reaching and grabbing interaction with something positive and harmless, you will have an easier time corralling them when it comes to needing to settle them down or leash them. Which is priceless for a dog who loves to ‘come’ but then wants to be chased instead!

Any questions? Leave a comment below!

OFF vs DOWN

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One of the most frequent mistakes I see people making is giving a ‘down’ command, when what they really mean is something else. I’m sure you’ve seen it too…  during check out at veterinary clinics, counter surfing at home, unwelcome jumping up on people, or furniture, etc. And the owner tells the dog “down”, “get down”, “no, down” or some similar variation of this.

Sure, to humans, it may seem all the same. The intention in their mind was “please get your feet off of my guest”, “not on the sofa”, “don’t put your paws on the counter” etc. Basically it is a ‘don’t do that’ reaction. But in the dog’s mind it likely holds an entirely different meaning. Most dogs who know, or know to an extent, what a ‘down’ command refers to think of it as a behavior that requires laying  with all four legs on the ground. So, every time the owner asked the dog not to engage in a behavior similar to those mentioned above, they actually asked them to do something which is entirely different from what the owner had in their mind. (And in almost all instances, the dog never actually proceeds to lay down.)

Always remember what the dog perceives. If the behavior is ‘you and/or your paws off’ of this that or the other, then you need to use a separate word, such as ‘off’. In addition, it is simply more effective then “no” as the dog is often already achieving the behavior to some extent. Thus, it is better to guide the dog to what you do want from them rather then just a general correction.

Less confusion for the dog, less frustration for the owner, and the ‘down’ command will remain more clear.