Does your dog do most commands in most situations? Can you say your command in slightly different ways and your dog still get the jist? Or is your dog very specific about the way you deliver the command?
This is typical border collie, but Leo is very very specific. Not so much in the location of performing a trick or command, but extremely specific in the delivery. For instance, when teaching a hand signal, I have to consciously switch up the hand I am using, otherwise he will only do a command if I use the "right" hand. For a while in the very beginning, he would only go to his crate if I gestured with my left hand, and only lay down if I gestured with my right hand. It took me a while of frustration to figure this out.
Right now when playing disc, I can't think about what I am doing, otherwise I will mess up what he does. If I am standing with feet together, and then widen my legs by stepping out with my right foot, that means go through the leg. If I am standing with feet together and step out with my left foot, that means rebound. I have not intentionally taught this. These are the rules that Leo has decided upon based on how I unintentionally acted while teaching these tricks in the beginning.
He is also very specific about tone of voice.
This just happened:
I got Leo's food ready while eating something. I said his release word "Ok" with my mouth full. Leo didn't budge. I said it again, and he looked very sad but did not budge. I swallowed my food and told him again, and he immediately jumped on his food and started wolfing it down.
He is particular specific for "Ok" and that is mostly my fault because I used to play that game with him, where I would say things like "Octopus" in an excited voice to see if he would go for it. Now I am regretting that because I sometimes I have to try out Ok in different pitches before he will release.
So, how well does your dog generalize or how specific are they?
This is typical border collie, but Leo is very very specific. Not so much in the location of performing a trick or command, but extremely specific in the delivery. For instance, when teaching a hand signal, I have to consciously switch up the hand I am using, otherwise he will only do a command if I use the "right" hand. For a while in the very beginning, he would only go to his crate if I gestured with my left hand, and only lay down if I gestured with my right hand. It took me a while of frustration to figure this out.
Right now when playing disc, I can't think about what I am doing, otherwise I will mess up what he does. If I am standing with feet together, and then widen my legs by stepping out with my right foot, that means go through the leg. If I am standing with feet together and step out with my left foot, that means rebound. I have not intentionally taught this. These are the rules that Leo has decided upon based on how I unintentionally acted while teaching these tricks in the beginning.
He is also very specific about tone of voice.
This just happened:
I got Leo's food ready while eating something. I said his release word "Ok" with my mouth full. Leo didn't budge. I said it again, and he looked very sad but did not budge. I swallowed my food and told him again, and he immediately jumped on his food and started wolfing it down.
He is particular specific for "Ok" and that is mostly my fault because I used to play that game with him, where I would say things like "Octopus" in an excited voice to see if he would go for it. Now I am regretting that because I sometimes I have to try out Ok in different pitches before he will release.
So, how well does your dog generalize or how specific are they?