REVIEW AND PRACTICE:
During lesson two, you were taught how to teach the dog to "stand" on command. With a week of daily practicing, your dog should be able to come up to a stand on command and remain standing fairly steady for a moment or so with you standing by its side.
You will continue with the stand-stay, working toward getting out to the end of the six-foot leash, turning to face your dog, waiting a moment, then returning to your dog. Waiting another moment after returning to the heel position, then bring your dog forward into a sit and give praise. All the while, your dog is to remain standing without moving!
First, you begin by teaching your dog to remain still as you circle around its body one time. Do not continue the stand-stay until you have accomplished circling your dog, while your dog remains still, once.
Give the "stay" signal and command, as per the sit-stay and the down-stay, after you have brought your dog into a stand position by your side. Leave your dog, stepping forward on your right foot, and circle your dog one or two times repeating the stand-stay commands as many times as needed. Watch your dog, be prepared to grab it and reposition it into the stand, if it moves to sit or follow you around. Wait a brief moment after returning to the heel position beside your dog, preventing your dog from moving or sitting until you give the command for exercise finish. If your dog has remained standing still, go ahead and bring it forward and into a sit, then give praise. If your dog moved or sat, while you attempted to circle it, correct your dog by repositioning it into the stand-stay and try again. If your dog sits too soon as you come up to it's side after circling it, correct it by repositioning into a stand-stay and return again. Be patient and be consistent. Keep it simple so you don't confuse your dog.
After several repeats of the stand-stay with your dog remaining firmly in a quiet stand as you circle it two or three times, you may attempt actually leaving your dog.
Stand your dog, leave after giving the stay signal and command...step away on your right foot...go out to the end of the six-foot leash. You may need to repeat your stand-stay commands while practicing. After a moment or so, return to your dog as per the sit-stay and down-stay. Go around your dog to your right, come up to the dog's right shoulder and front legs. Stand still a moment, then do an exercise finish. Do not allow your dog to move or sit before you give it a command to do so!! Repeat the stand-stay with you leaving your dog several times for practice.
Always step away from the "stay" with your right foot.
Do not attempt the more advanced steps of the stand-stay until you and your dog are totally successful with the beginning steps. Remain very patient, but persistent, work smoothly, with reassurance, encouragement and praise. Keep corrections down to voice corrections and repositioning of your dog. You do not want to "turn the dog off" the stand-stay by heavy corrections, impatience, and making your dog look upon this exercise as some form of punishment. The stand-stay is not natural for dogs, so do not get discouraged if your dog doesn't get it right away.
THE RECALL (PART ONE): This is the dog coming to the owner on command and sitting in front of the owner to await the next command.
Position your dog into the sit-stay; leave your dog giving the "stay" signal and command and step away on your right foot. Go to the end of the leash and turn to face your dog, as per the sit-stay. Wait a moment or two to prevent your dog from beginning a bad habit of coming to you before it is called.
In your class have someone call out "call your dog". At that time, say your dog's name to get his/her attention, followed by the command, "come." As you say "come," jerk firmly, but smoothly, towards you with the leash and collar. Give vocal praise and encouragement as your dog gets up and moves towards you. You can even bend forward, or squat with open arms using encouraging voice tones to help quickly and happily bring your dog to you. Bring your dog to you with continued jerks toward you with the leash and collar. When your dog is close in front of you, quickly reach over and position your dog into a sit as you give the command, "sit." After your dog sits, give it praise. Regain control of your dog and reposition it in the sit, if it has moved, and leave it again in the sit-stay. Repeat the recall several times.
The first part of the recall exercise is to teach your dog to come to you on command. Ideally, the dog will immediately move toward you after hearing the command "come". Your dog must come in quickly and directly with no lagging, sniffing or wandering about. Your dog must sit in front of the owner immediately.
Do not allow your dog to move forward as you call its name. Calling of the name is to gain attention, only. Your dog must learn to wait for the command!! Space a few seconds between your dog's name and the command to come. Always wait a few seconds after you have left your dog and you have turned to face it at the end of the leash before you call your dog for the next recall. At home use "come" to call your dog for food, play or exercise. Refrain from calling the dog to you by name only!
Continue to enforce your come commands with jerks on the leash and lot of praise and encouragement, until your dog repeatedly moves toward you eagerly every time. Use any and all praise and encouragement needed to get the dog to come to you quickly and happily. Running backwards a few steps; clapping your hands; patting your legs; food tidbits, etc., can do a lot to make coming to you a very happy experience for your dog. Continue to enforce the sit in front, as your dog comes up to you, until the dog understands and begins to position itself into a sit.
Training tip: Never, never, never use the recall to call your dog to you for punishment of an error in behavior, no matter how serious the error nor how mad you might be!!!!!!!!!! Once punished after coming to you on command, your dog will think of the recall and punishment as being related... then you will have trouble getting the dog to come to you. If you must punish the dog, go to the dog; do not call it to you!!! Ever!!!
Refer to the Heeling Patterns for your third "class." Be sure to do numerous recalls. Plus sit-stays, down-stays, and stand-stays.
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