[nagdu] Command Warm-ups

[Raven Tolliver via nagdu]

Hi,
I only did daily obedience for a few months after I graduated with my
dog. I used to also do obedience if the Golden Guy was distracted;
this would help him refocus.
In my obedience routine at home, I moved on from the sits, downs,
sit-stays, and down-stays, and practiced finding chairs, garbage cans,
counters, food refusal, overhead avoidance, and my favorite: the
off-leash recall.
You could also include the "leave it" cue in your obedience routine.
What might help your dog when you're standing or getting ready to
leave is some sort of verbal or sound cue. For instance, I use a
single snap of my finger to let my dog know it's time to get up and
go. The cue can be as simple as that or the clap of your hands, or a
verbal "time to go," or "let's go," in a somewhat excited voice.
When I first got the Golden Guy, I had a hard time getting him up and
from under tables as well. And the instructors were pretty useless in
giving me pointers. I know what you're going through. You'll figure
out a cue soon, and over time, you'll forget the problem ever existed.
Just implement the cue when you're getting ready to leave your house,
class, church, whatever. Your dog will generalize, and get the hang of
it very quickly when you start in one place and use it in others. Oh,
and for the first few times, reward him in some way for obeying the
cue whether it's with a treat, scratch on the rump, or a kiss.

On 5/26/14, Kristen via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi everyone--
>
> How often do you do obedience with your guide, practicing and
> reviewing commands? Also, how long do you spend on it, and what
> particular commands do you go over?
>
> When I was in training with Corvette last summer, they had us
> reviewing commands every morning. I've done it sporadically over
> the school year, as I thought he was doing well and had his
> commands down. Now, I began taking him outside every morning for
> the last few days to warm up. I feel there are some commands he
> could be more familiar with (maybe he's forgotten them or just
> being lazy), and this has seemed to let him know that I am in
> control and not to tug in whatever direction he chooses. (For
> example, if I am walking outside and he sees cars, he will
> immediately tug that way, wanting to get in one as fast as he can
> to leave. Another thing with Corvette is trying to get him out
> from under things, such as desks, restaurant tables, and out of
> the car. He's become a little stubborn, wanting to stay put when
> I'm ready to leave.)
>
> If he has forgotten or slacked on a command, any recommendations
> on how to reteach or develop new ones?
>
> Thanks for any suggestions/input! The school I attended, KSDS,
> has lots of documentation; however, none of which is in Braille
> or an accessible format. I would like to have this, as he is my
> first guide, and we're still getting used to everything. I'm
> going to a retreat there this July to hopefully help us fine tune
> a few skills.
> --
> Kristen
>
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-- 
Raven