Does your dog really "know" their commands?

CharlieDog

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#1
Sometimes, I think that Enzo is kind of dumb. That's cool, it keeps her out of trouble, but I think that sometimes she's going "okay, she's looking at me, what does she want? Alright, I'll put my butt on the ground... nope, still looking at me, okay, let's go a little lower..."
 

Maura

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#2
Dogs learn default behavior. Generally, sit is one of the first cues that a puppy learns and is rewarded for, so sit is a common default behavior. Also, if when initially training, you always started with a sit, she needs to sit before doing a second behavior. At least she's paying attention, a big plus!
 

Kat09Tails

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#3
Some dogs are more visual than others so I try to create the auditory/visual to start a command with a signal and a voice. Once they have that action down then I move to auditory only then add visual signal only. Then we bring it back together.

Offering up the roulette of tricks isn't a stupid behavior. It's actually very intelligent because she's trying to figure out what exactly you're looking for. A marker/clicker will help you achieve the link your dog is after.
 

CharlieDog

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#4
Ozzys default is down. Enzos is too, actually, but I always make them sit before leaving the house to go potty, or to go somewhere, and before I taught the sit, I just taught WAIT, so I think that's what's confusing her at doorways. She waits to get in and out of the car, we wait at crosswalks, etc. Wait just means don't move forward, so not the same as stay, but I decided id prefer they SIT at the doorway, instead of crowding each other and me even though they weren't moving forward

I just thought about this not ten minutes ago before I let them out. You could see the wheels turning in her head, lol :p
 

Maxy24

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#5
Phoebe knows some much better than others. She knows sit, down, twirl, and come very well. She has trouble with roll over, she tries other things first. If I cared more about that command I'd practice it more and then she'd get it. It's all a matter of practice with her.
 

smeagle

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#6
Sometimes, I think that Enzo is kind of dumb. That's cool, it keeps her out of trouble, but I think that sometimes she's going "okay, she's looking at me, what does she want? Alright, I'll put my butt on the ground... nope, still looking at me, okay, let's go a little lower..."
I don't know if I would call that dumb; it could be that she doesn't really understand what you want (sitting before a down is common in dogs who were taught the command by being lured into a down from a sit) or she's lacking motivation to make it snappier ;)
 

CharlieDog

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#7
Well, she is definitely not the brightest bulb. It takes her about three times as long to learn a new trick, like a completely new trick, not building off of anything, than it does Ozzy. Ozzy is a very fast learner, but that also means he gets into a LOT more trouble than Enzo because he can figure everything out a lot quicker.

She shouldn't be lacking in motivation to sit, because the quicker she sits, the quicker she gets to go outside.

I don't mind that she's slow, I just wanted to know if everyone's dogs were like that.
 

*blackrose

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#8
My girl Rose is like that. It isn't that she isn't smart...it is that she wants to do things her way. She doesn't like having to do things, even uncued things (like sitting to go out a doorway), unless it is her idea to do them. She picks up on things very quick, but then having her perform them on cue can be a bit challenging. Unless you have food. Then she runs through her entire trick repitore, hoping that one of the tasks will result in a crumb being dropped. LOL
 

Xandra

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#9
Heh Roman's like that.

I don't think he actually knows most of his commands. He guesses by the context and my body language. Whatever. It works 95% of the time. I can point him in a direction and say "Go over there" and then say "Get it, bring it here" and he'll start picking up and dropping things in his vicinity, waiting for the yes marker. He doesn't actually know what I want, but he gets that I want something, and that something is probably nearby, and when I say yes, he's got the right thing. Of course I use "get it" and "bring it here" for his actual toys, sticks, balls, etc. So sometimes I'll try and get him to pick up something random and he'll try going for the stick he was just playing with, so I'll tell him "no" and to "go get it." It's kinda like the game hotter, colder.

The guessing is handy for training sometimes. For instance, I wanted to teach him rollover. I told him "side" (lie flat on your side) and he'd do that, then I repeated the command and he started trying new things, rolling onto his back, then he rolled totally over. yesss. good dog. I did something similar to teach him "paw."

He's not so well trained and secure in his commands that I can tell him to "side" 5 times and he'll remain flat. By the second or third time I give a command he's offering other behaviors.
 

Saeleofu

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#10
Gavroche knows his very well. We haven't really done much new lately, so everything he knows is very solid. That doesn't mean he doesn't like to test me...like yesterday when we were doing a practice rally course and apparently everything fell out of his brain :rolleyes:

Logan knows most of his command, though right now we're staring a lot of new things and he doesn't really KNOW them yet. But just because he knows something doesn't mean he'll do it right away. He's a teenage boy, he has to be told multiple times sometimes :rofl1:
 

smeagle

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#11
Well, she is definitely not the brightest bulb. It takes her about three times as long to learn a new trick, like a completely new trick, not building off of anything, than it does Ozzy. Ozzy is a very fast learner, but that also means he gets into a LOT more trouble than Enzo because he can figure everything out a lot quicker.

She shouldn't be lacking in motivation to sit, because the quicker she sits, the quicker she gets to go outside.

I don't mind that she's slow, I just wanted to know if everyone's dogs were like that.
Just out of interest - if you asked her to sit when you had a treat/toy in your hand would it happen any quicker?

I agree some dogs can be a bit slower than others... I have met dogs who are totally chilled out almost all the time! Just naturally low drive I guess :)
 

Fran101

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#12
lol Romeo is like that
I doubt he actually knows the words, its totally hand signals/body language

for example, he knows the first thing I ask him is sit and I have a hand motion for it

My voice gets all squeaky when I tell him to "Sit pretty" plus a hand signal

I could say "potatoe salad" and make the hand signal for spin in a circle and he would spin
 

corgipower

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#13
Well, she is definitely not the brightest bulb. It takes her about three times as long to learn a new trick, like a completely new trick, not building off of anything, than it does Ozzy. Ozzy is a very fast learner, but that also means he gets into a LOT more trouble than Enzo because he can figure everything out a lot quicker.

She shouldn't be lacking in motivation to sit, because the quicker she sits, the quicker she gets to go outside.

I don't mind that she's slow, I just wanted to know if everyone's dogs were like that.
Slowness generally indicates either uncertainty or that they think slowness is correct. Unless there's physical discomfort.

Knowing commands and performing commands are two different things sometimes. ;) Also, knowing commands doesn't mean they know them in all contexts. A sit for dinner isn't the same as a sit at the door.

To build speed, reward speed. Don't reward slow.

I do also find some dogs perform faster than others - Ares had a hard time learning a "stand" command because he won't wait for the second letter to be out of my mouth ~ he'd hear the "S" and his butt was on the floor. I had to teach him to wait for the second letter...:D I got out of GSDs because they weren't as fast to respond as I like.
 

DanL

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#14
I think Gunnar actually comprehends sentences. Recently we were all outside and he was playing ball. Daisy got the ball and ran away with it. He started barking at my wife and I. She says something along the lines of "Don't whine about it, go in the house and get another ball". He did just that, ran in the house and brought another ball to play with. One day our exchange student was sleeping in- school was done, and he was enjoying his late morning. I told Gunnar "go wake up Franco". He ran upstairs, pushed the bedroom door open, and jumped on Franco's bed and woke him up.
 

corgipower

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#15
I think Gunnar actually comprehends sentences. Recently we were all outside and he was playing ball. Daisy got the ball and ran away with it. He started barking at my wife and I. She says something along the lines of "Don't whine about it, go in the house and get another ball". He did just that, ran in the house and brought another ball to play with.
:thumbup:

He's not the first dog I've known who can comprehend sentences like that. It certainly leaves me thinking our dogs are very much underestimated and there's a lot we don't know about them.
 

CharlieDog

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#16
I wasn't really wanting to discuss Enzos motivation to sit at the door or just stand there and look at me :p

I just wondered if other peoples dogs sometimes acted as thick as molassess
 

Saeleofu

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#17
:thumbup:

He's not the first dog I've known who can comprehend sentences like that. It certainly leaves me thinking our dogs are very much underestimated and there's a lot we don't know about them.
Both my parents' GSD will do things like that.
 

Laurelin

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#18
I think Gunnar actually comprehends sentences. Recently we were all outside and he was playing ball. Daisy got the ball and ran away with it. He started barking at my wife and I. She says something along the lines of "Don't whine about it, go in the house and get another ball". He did just that, ran in the house and brought another ball to play with. One day our exchange student was sleeping in- school was done, and he was enjoying his late morning. I told Gunnar "go wake up Franco". He ran upstairs, pushed the bedroom door open, and jumped on Franco's bed and woke him up.
The papillons in general are like that. They pick up words/sentences faster than any other dogs I've ever had or known. Beau and Mia especially. I think it is partially because I speak to them all the time in full sentences and they DO pick up words and pieces of sentences. They're also just very in tune to their people.

I actually have told Beau to go wake someone up and he went and did it. When Mia was young I told her to go get on the bed having never told her before and she just hopped right up.

Summer is sometimes kind of thick but she gets commands very fast. Her default for when she knows you want something but doesn't know what it is is to play dead. So that is kind of hilarious because when she's frustrated she just starts falling over a lot. :rofl1:
 

PlottMom

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#19
I think it is partially because I speak to them all the time in full sentences and they DO pick up words and pieces of sentences.

THIS. From the second I get a dog I'm always talking to them in full sentences as if they understand me... eventually, they start to pick up on a lot more than people give them credit for... they really are fascinating creatures.
 

colliewog

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#20
I wasn't really wanting to discuss Enzos motivation to sit at the door or just stand there and look at me :p

I just wondered if other peoples dogs sometimes acted as thick as molassess
Fortunately, mine all respond right away to verbal cues. But then again, I know I'm spoiled. :p You've got great patience!! lol
 

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