Trainer Tips--A "Place" Command

Besides the basics like sit and come, there are many helpful commands you can teach your dog to make both your lives easier.  Today we are going to discuss the "Place" command.

Teaching your dog to go to a specific spot, i.e. his "place," is an easy command to get started.  As with any new cue word, you may choose any word you like for this, as long as once you pick it, you stick with it.

Some Cue Word Suggestions:  Place, Bed, Spot.
I personally use the command "Bed" with my dogs because most of the time the "place" I am telling them to go will be their bed.  

To Begin:

Now to begin training this, you must first have some sort of object you can place on the ground that your dog can comfortable get onto.  Preferably something comfortable for the dog.  This can be a mat, rug, regular dog bed, or raised dog bed.  Anything that can be laid onto the ground with your dog on top.  Most people usually already have a dog bed for their pet at home.  That's a great place to start.  I do not recommend starting with something too large, heavy, or not easily moveable.  You want to be able to move the object (bed) to different locations to practice.

Be sure your dog is comfortable around his "place."  
Start by giving your cue word (whatever you have decided to call it...place, bed, etc), then Food Lure the dog onto the bed.  Once your dog is fully on the mat, rug, or bed, tell them your Reward Marker, "Good!" and reward with a tasty treat.  Repeat.

Food Lure:

This is something we use to teach many new behaviors and commands.  A food lure involves getting the dog to follow your baited hand into a desired position.  It is basically "attaching" your dog's nose to the food and encouraging them to follow it.

Reward Marker / Marker Word:

Use your chosen marker word:  “Good” or “Yes” (or the Clicker).

This is the word (or sound) that says to a dog, “Yes! That is exactly what I wanted you to do!” and is then followed with a reward.  Rewards do not necessarily have to be food.  Rewards are different for each dog but can include:  toys, bones, petting, praise, and even your calm energy.  

Improving the Command:

Once your dog starts to really get the idea, food lure less and less and instead start using the hand signal of pointing to the Place while saying the command word.  Once the dog goes to his place, calmly walk over and mark the behavior with your "GOOD!" and reward lavishly.  If you make the act of the dog going to spot a huge deal and reward him, he will want to do it and it will be easy to get him to him spot anytime you like.

This is also fantastic because you can now use the "Go to your Place" Cue to redirect a dog from bad behaviors such as barking or charging the door when a guest comes.

BML1--Class #6

Dogs from L to R:  Hope, Koa, Boone, Maybe, Devo, & Ogi.

Basic Manners Level One:

Positive Reinforcement Training

Energy Balance

Marker Word

No Reward Marker

Food Lure

Look/ Watch Me, Basic & the T position

Come when Called, 3 Steps & 3 Rules

Loose Leash Walking

Sit & Auto-Sit

Down

Up/ Stand

(Hand Signals)

Stay with Release Cue

Impulse Control

Leave It

Drop It

Class #6 of Basic Manners Level One is a review of all things learned.  We go over each cue and play different games to improve on each command.  At the end of class #6, each participant is given a certificate of completion.  Below are some pictures of the dogs working on "Stay."

Maybe.

Devo.

Boone.

Ogi.

REMEMBER to Keep Training Going:

Proper Exercise:  Every dog should be walked every day!

Good Relationship with the owner:  When you get frustrated, remember why you got your dog, he’s your buddy, he’s your pal.  Don’t take set-back’s personal.

Socialization:  It is very important to have a dog that is comfortable in as many different situations as possible.  Take your dog everywhere you can, but proceed at your dog’s pace.

Consistency:  Everyone in the household should have all the same rules, all the same cue words and commands, ALL THE TIME!

Generalizing:  Dogs do not generalize well.  It is important to practice everything you learn, everywhere you go.

Training Sessions:  Keep them short and sweet.  3-5 minutes a few times a day.

BML1--Class #2

Basic Manners -- Level One, Class #2

Such Good Dogs Basic Manners Class #2

Commands & Cues:

All commands or cue words like Sit and Come should be said ONE TIME and ONE TIME ONLY.  Never repeat your command word.  Instead give your No Reward Marker, move positions, and then try again.

Marker Word:

Use your chosen marker word:  “Good” or “Yes” (or the Clicker).

This is the word (or sound) that says to a dog, “Yes! That is exactly what I wanted you to do!” and is then followed with a reward.

No Reward Marker:

This is what we do when the dog does not do what we are looking for.  Try using an “Uh-oh” or “Eh-eh.”  This will let the dog know that the behavior just performed is not what we wanted, while still encouraging the dog to continue to try.  After using the NRM, physically move places (both you and the dog should move) to help “re-set” the training, then try again.  Never repeat a command more than once.

Food Lure:

This is something we use to teach many new behaviors and commands.  A food lure involves getting the dog to follow your baited hand into a desired position.

Look / Watch Me:

We want a dog who looks to us for direction and permission.  Having a dog that is well focused on the owner will give you control over many situations.  This is the exercise you will practice when your dog becomes distracted during training.  This is meant to help focus (or re-focus) the dog back to the owner.

To do this, we place the treat directly in the dog’s nose then raise it straight up next to our eye, while standing back up.  As you raise your hand give your command word, “Look.”  Eventually we want the dog to look directly in our eyes, but to begin with, it they look anywhere in the general area of your head, say your “Good” and give the treat.

If your dog remains in position but is not looking at you, do NOT repeat your arm movements or verbal command.  Instead, hold the treat in position next to your eye while looking at the dog and WAIT.  You will wait 30 seconds to a minute.  If the dog still has not looked, give your No Reward Marker or “Uh-oh,” move positions, take a breath, and then try again.

Watch a VIDEO teaching the "Look/ Watch Me" Cue in Basic Manners dog training class.

Come when Called:

The Rules:

1.  Always have a leash (or fenced-in area).

2.  When you say come, you have to see it happen.

3.  NEVER punish a dog for coming to you.

The Steps:

1. Say the dog’s name, and Come.  ONE TIME ONLY.
2. Have a party.
3. Lure the dog back to you.

When first teaching a dog Come when called, we start with step 1 & 3.  Standing directly in front of the dog (No distance), put the treat in the dog’s nose, say the dog’s name and Come (one time), then quickly back up a few steps.  When the dog follows, stop, say “Good!” and give the treat.  (Explained & Demonstrated in training.)

Loose Leash Walking:

Loose leash walking (LLW) means that a dog walks nicely, not pulling on the leash, and not completely all over the place.  LLW is not the same thing as Heel.  To teach a proper Heel, you must first teach LLW.

Consistency is very important when teaching LLW.  Doing this technique is actually very easy, but does require a LOT of patience.  Remember to stay calm.  If you are calm and consistent, your dog will be walking nicely on a leash in about a week.

To begin, go out for a walk with your regular 4-6 foot leash and buckle collar properly fitted to your dog’s neck (so they can’t slip out).  As soon as there is tension on the leash, you have two options:

When the dog pulls:  1)  Stop and wait for the DOG to move in a way that releases the tension.  When s/he does, continue walking.

2)  Say “Let’s Go!” and walk off in the opposite direction.

It is best to try and do option #1 as much as possible.  Be sure that when you stop and wait, you do not move in a way that is releasing the tension on the leash…the dog must do it.

REMEMBER:  Patience!  Patience!  Patience!

Meeting new friends.

Boone, Koa, & Maybe...these three are excited to play!

Basic Manners Review

SGDs has two new dog training classes coming up soon.  First is our Basic Manners Level One dog training class.  Below is a review of this class for anyone thinking about attending.  This review is also a check list of the things your dog should be familiar with before taking SGDs Level Two class.  This is a list for review.  If you are unfamiliar with these Basic Commands, please look in our blog for previous, detailed explanations.

Basic Manners Review

3 Things on your body that are Rewarding to Dogs:

1. Voice
2. Eye Contact
3. Touch

Anytime you engage your dog in one of these things, you are basically rewarding whatever behavior they are doing at that time.  This is important to keep in mind so we do not unintentionally reward bad behaviors.
You must catch a bad behavior within 2 seconds to change the behavior.

Marker Word:  “Good” or “Yes” or the clicker
This is what we say to mark the behavior we wanted.  Saying this is telling the dog, “that was exactly what I was looking for!”  The more you mark good behavior in a positive way, the more your dog will want to engage in good behavior.  

No Reward Marker:  “uh-oh” or “eh-eh”
This is to let the dog know that this is not what I was looking for you to do now.  We want to mark the behavior as not what we wanted, but we want to do so in a way that will still encourage the dog to want to learn.  When using an “uh-oh” while training, remember to take a step away from the dog to help “re-set” the brain, then try again.  Remember to only say cues ONE TIME, then wait 30 seconds to a minute before giving your “uh-oh” (give the dog a chance to make the right decision).

Basic Manners Training Review:

Look/ Watch Me:
We practice this command because we want a dog who looks to us for permission and direction.  Practice this cue both the simple way (directly from the dog’s nose up to your eye), and with the T position (start the same, then when the treat comes to your eye, move both arms out into a T position).

Come When Called:
The Rules:

1. Safety first.  Always have a leash or be in an enclosed area.
2. When you say come, you have to see it happen.
3. NEVER punish a dog for coming to you.

The Steps:

1. Say the dog’s name and Come, one time only.
2. Have a party.
3. Lure (or gently lead) the dog back to you.

Loose Leash Walking:
When your dog pulls on the leash, you have two options…
1.  Stop and wait for the dog to move in a way that releases the tension of the leash.
2.  Say “let’s go” and go off promptly in the opposite direction.

Leave-It:
This should mean to a dog, turn away from that, don’t pay attention to that, leave that thing alone.  Remember that whatever you are asking your dog to Leave It, he should NOT get that item at the time you are practicing the Leave-It.  Never practice Leave-It/ Take-It (this can teach a dog to leave something alone for a second, then take it anyway).  We want our dogs to know that when I say to leave something alone, you don’t touch it ever.
     Making Leave-It harder:  1. Treat in closed hand, 2. Treat in partially open hand, 
3. Treat in open hand, 4. Treat in open hand on the ground, 5. Treat on the ground.

Stay:
Means to your dog, stay in this position until I come back to release you.  This is not the same thing as Wait.  
There are 3 parts to the Stay Cue:
     1.  Duration (Time)
     2.  Distance
     3.  Distractions

Drop It/ Give:
When teaching this cue, we must be aware of possible Resource Guarding.  Remember to NEVER steal things from your dog’s mouth.  To teach Drop It/ Give:

Have the dog have a toy in his mouth that is not of super high value.  Once the dog has the toy and is engaged with it, present a treat or reward of higher value than the toy, as the dog drops the toy, say “Drop.”  It is very important to give the reward to the dog AT THE SAME TIME as you pick up the dropped toy.  Do not let your dog get into the habit of snatching the reward then snatching the toy back up.


Sit, Down, & Stand:
All these positions should already be well practiced.  Dogs should know the verbal and hand signals for each command.

(For more Help, also see Common Training Terms.)

If you are interested in signing up for one of our group classes (or any other service), 

please contact us at:  Suchgooddogs@gmail.com

Or give us a call at:  808-463-4684

Reward Marker

To begin dog training, you must first pick a Marker Word (Reward Marker) for when a dog does something you like.  

The Reward Marker (or marker word) is the thing that tells the dog, "YES! that is exactly what I wanted you to do!"  It is then immediately followed with a reward (treat, toy, petting, praise).

Most people either use "Good" or "Yes" for their marker word.  It does not matter what word you choose, as long as you always use that same word (this is true of every cue).  Remember to keep a happy and upbeat voice when saying "Good," and remain calm and confident.  Do not use any anger or frustration.  If you feel angry, frustrated, anxious or upset, you should put training on hold until you can calm down.

Henry receiving his "Good!"

To begin, we must first "charge up" the marker word.  To do this, say your Marker word, then give a treat.  Very simple.  Say "good," give a treat, repeat.  Do this 5-10 times to charge up your Marker Word.  By doing this, you are pairing the Marker Word with something the dog likes, therefore teaching the dog that this word means good things.  This is important.  The more you reward a dog for engaging in behaviors you like, the more the dog will want to engage in good behaviors.

Once your Marker Word is charged up, be sure to consistently use it EVERY time your dog performs as you request.  This is important.  Mark that good behavior EVERY time and your dog will be engaging in good behaviors on a regular basis in no time.  Remember to be consistent!


Along with your Reward Marker, you must also have a No Reward Marker.  
This is the opposite of your marker word.  

The No Reward Marker tells a dog, "No, that is not what I was looking for you to do."  The important part is that the No Reward Marker tells the dog this while still encouraging him to try something else.  A No Reward Marker should not be the word "No."  The reason I say this, is that it is very easy to get any anger or frustration you may be feeling to come out with a "NO!"  Instead we recommend the use of, "Uh-oh" or "Eh-eh."  This still lets the dog know that's not what we wanted, but does not discourage them from continuing to try.  It is very difficult to sound angry when saying "Uh-oh."

Types of Reinforcement

There are two types of reinforcement:
1)  Unconditioned reinforcement
2) Conditioned reinforcement

An unconditioned reinforcer, or primary reinforcer, is something that is necessary for the dog's survival, or something the dog very much likes, and therefore, the dog does not need to learn that this thing is rewarding.  Not each unconditioned reinforcer will have the same value for each dog.  Some examples of unconditioned reinforcement include:  food, air, water, shelter, toys, praise, and petting.  The dog (NOT the owner or trainer) determines what their unconditioned reinforcers are.

A conditioned reinforcer, or secondary reinforcer, is something that does not inherently mean anything to the dog.  The dog learns to associate the conditioned reinforcer as a good thing.  Some examples of conditioned reinforcers include:  walks, food bag noise, toys, "good" or "yes," the sound of a clicker, and the doorbell.  The best example of teaching a dog a conditioned reinforcer is using the "good" or "yes" cue to mark behavior.  Using this cue at the instant your dog performs a desired behavior increases the communication between human and dog.  The dog learns to make a positive association between your marker word (good or yes) and a food reward.