Does your dog really know sit?
Every dog knows sit! Right? You’d be surprised the astounding amount of dogs that in fact do not!
In short, if you tell your dog sit with solely a verbal command & they do not respond then they do not know sit. Most dogs respond off that treat in your hand or the hand motion you subconsciously make each time.
My challenge for you this week: evaluate if your dog actually knows sit, or down, or whatever command that they’re blowing off that you thought they knew. Work on removing that hand motion & strengthening their response to a verbal command. In turn, you will eventually get those snappy transitions Ziej is able to accomplish.
Dog Day Evansville 9/11/21
At Dog Day Downtown in Evansville, IN last weekend we used the day as an excellent training opportunity. With dogs everywhere, loud noises, & some insane distractions it was perfect to work on some engagement!
Dog Day provided a small little agility course. Ziej has never been exposed to any agility before. We did a couple of runs & practiced a bit going over & he got the hang of it after a while! Once I felt comfortable I decided to practice some stays & going over the jump, which he executed perfectly in this clip!
A high distraction sit stay can be a lot for a dog, asking them to stay in their place while something is more interesting across the street. Then I proceed to recall him OVER a tall a-frame? You can see in the video I did a little with the toy before to get his attention. Then proceeded to reward him when he completed what I asked.
Agility is a wonderful confidence booster for your dog & creates a great bond as you work together. And of course it’s fun for both dog & handler! Next time you see an opportunity similar to this, use it as a learning experience with your dog! Both of you will benefit! I must say I was proud to see him complete an advanced stay & call over the a-frame in front of all those people watching!
Impulse control
Little bit of impulse control on a high value item.
You can practice this with many commands, we personally use wait. Leave it is also good or even a simple stay that’s been properly proofed.
