How Do You Tell Your Dog -

[Karelea Aussies]

I am interested to hear what/how people say/do to let their dogs know its time to work/train and also when its time to stop.

This is something I have not done with Tilly and really should have from the start. Once I start asking her to 'look', she gets it, but I have learnt from my training school that I really should be giving her a defined cue.

Would love to hear examples and/or suggestions on how to start.

Thanks in advance.

[leopuppy04]

Well for me training is happening 24/7 so if I say 'sit' or something like that I would expect them to 'cue' in.

I do a lot of proofing with them, even with the fun stuff, where we'll switch from play to work all the time - so I'll throw the ball (or pretend to) and then call out a position/ trick and they can get the reward (toy) when they respond.

Or I get them to sit before going for a swim in the lake etc

Same with 'heel' - I will cue it and they will or at least should respond in any situation

I do however understand what you mean - so I use a few rules:

*I won't ask for a behaviour unless I know my dog is 'switched in' (so looking at me or I have their attention). This means I may call their name first in some instances

*I play 'the name game' a lot so that the name means all these wonderful things happen. I want them UBER responsive to their name. So say for example if Leo is off mugging people for sausage, if I say "Leo" I want him to flip around as if to say 'oooh what are we going to do" because I may have something better than sausage

When I am doing shaping exercises, where *any* behaviour may get a reward, I will use a cue such as "working" to cue them into 'lets try and find out what I'm looking for'. This is because I want free shaping to only happen at a specific time and I don't want my dogs offering behaviours in the middle of a sit stay

ETA: oops! Very important for me to have a release cue because until they hear that 'word' I would expect them to maintain the last behaviour I asked for (eg: sit). So I use "ok" (contrary to what a lot of people say, it just came naturally to me, more than "free") which tells them you are now 'free' to do as you please, or I will cuethe next behaviour ('fetch', 'down' etc).

Edited August 6, 2009 by leopuppy04

[missmoo]

When Iwork my labrador for obedience, agility or trick training his cue is "ready"...I say it in an excited voice to get his attention and to also rev him up a little bit. With repetition he understood that this means we are going to do some work...he loves it

Training is always ended on a high.....even we have only been training for a minute....he is given his release word which is "party", this is his cue that he is allowed to "break" from his commanded possie

Edited August 6, 2009 by missmoo

[leopuppy04]

"Ready" is a very good one and I do that too to rev them up But it's not a case of 'if you don't say ready' the dog isn't going to work, but usually if I say "ready" I get a bark in response

[huski]

I do ready too. "Are you ready? Ready to work??" and because we do drive training I usually add in an "Are you gunna get it?"

Edited August 6, 2009 by huski

[Tay.]

I say 'working' lol. Or 'lets go!'. Then when we're done I say 'free' and its playtime lol.

[BeagleBoys2]

I like using different equipment for different activities as well as words to switch 'on' and 'off'.

For example, I walk my dogs on a flat collar. I expect them to walk in a civilized manner but they do not need to remain in heel. As they are scent hounds and a gundog they are also allowed to scent on a flat collar during our walks (if they keep moving in my direction).

I only do formal training on a check chain. So before I start class/trial I put the check chain on, get them into the heel position and say 'attention'. Friends I train with use 'working'. Once formal training or the trial is over I put the flat collar back on and use their kennel prefix as a release word. I stopped using okay because I used to have an overly keen Beagle that liked to say 'hi' to everyone and it didn't matter who said 'ok' but if someone said it he released himself from the job at hand.

We also use different collars and leads for showing and field work. Retailers must love us because we have SO many different leads and collars. Plus you show me a pretty show lead and I'm a sucker for it.

Then I also teach 'look' right from day one...plus call their name as a means of getting attention.

[Agility Dogs]

I agree with LP - my dogs are always working - if I ask for something I expect to (and usually do) get it. We don't distinguish between working and not.

I've never really understood why people ask for their dogs to start listening to them. for me it should be a given.

[huski]

I agree with LP - my dogs are always working - if I ask for something I expect to (and usually do) get it. We don't distinguish between working and not.

I've never really understood why people ask for their dogs to start listening to them. for me it should be a given.

I think it depends on what training you do and what you want out of your dog.

I always expect my dogs to comply with my commands but in my instance - we are learning to train in drive so what I want when we are just 'around the house' is going to be very different to what I expect when we are training. I don't always want my dog to comply with every command I give in drive, but when I give the 'ready to work' command Daisy will start going in to drive just hearing the words.

It's not about telling the dog to listen to you, its about telling them we are about to start training and in my case, its a way to get my dog to start going into drive.

Edited August 6, 2009 by huski

[JulesP]

Depends on the breed too perhaps. I tend to have to tell my borders that work is not required more than I have to ask them for work.

If I want to put Poppy into a heightened state for ring work then I am using a sssssssshhhhhhhh type noise. Finish is I think more my body language and a good patting for Poppy.

[kallistar]

"Ready" is a very good one and I do that too to rev them up But it's not a case of 'if you don't say ready' the dog isn't going to work, but usually if I say "ready" I get a bark in response

Yeah I used to use ask Tux if he was "Ready" to work and he always answered me... and it has also backfired on me as one particular judge that Tux (and I both) liked when he asked are your Ready, Tux would always answer him

And then continue to work for him.... I didn't need to be in the ring at all...

Only now if Tux is a bit flat in the ring do I ask him is he ready... and then watch the sparks fly

[Karelea Aussies]

I agree with LP - my dogs are always working - if I ask for something I expect to (and usually do) get it. We don't distinguish between working and not.

I've never really understood why people ask for their dogs to start listening to them. for me it should be a given.

Well for me training is happening 24/7 so if I say 'sit' or something like that I would expect them to 'cue' in.

This is what I thought, but out of pure ignorance if nothing else. I am going on what I am being told I 'should' be doing as this is the first time I have done any formal training and I am relying on our trainers to put me on the right track. The trainers are all great but I guess different trainers have different ideas.

I think it depends on what training you do and what you want out of your dog.

Obedence at the moment, Herding training soon and Agility when she is a bit older.

Tilly loves to work but can sometimes be a bit unfocussed at the start, she is still a pup (9 months) so I wonder if that could just be a bit of immaturity that will improve with age.

Beagleboys2 We only use a flat collar whether working or not so cant use that as the cue, but I have read of quite a number of people that do that.

Thanks to all that replied, and on reading the responses, I feel better that I am NOT going to completely ruin my girl if I dont have a cue to start or finish, but I might try it anyway to see if it makes a difference.

thanks everyone.

Edited August 6, 2009 by thelinks

[Karelea Aussies]

"Ready" is a very good one and I do that too to rev them up But it's not a case of 'if you don't say ready' the dog isn't going to work, but usually if I say "ready" I get a bark in response

Yeah I used to use ask Tux if he was "Ready" to work and he always answered me... and it has also backfired on me as one particular judge that Tux (and I both) liked when he asked are your Ready,

lol we have been having a discussion in the Aussie thread about the 'talking'.

'ready' seems to be very popular. I guess it is quite a natuaral thing to say at the time. Think I will try that and 'done' to finish. Pretty sure I dont use those words for anything else atm.

[corvus]

I don't differentiate, either. Although if I pick up a clicker it's game on for Kivi, no words necessary. Similarly, if I pick up a toy and start waving it in his face and/or pushing at him he gets into it. I might say "You wanna play??" but it sounds pretty similar to "You wanna go for a walk??" or "You wanna go to the dog park??" or "Wanna go to the river??" or "You want some dinner??" or any other exciting thing we do together. So that works pretty well for switching him on.

Out and about I use his name to get his attention if his mind is wandering. Or I make kissy noises. Or click my fingers. Whatever works.

[Karelea Aussies]

I don't differentiate, either. Although if I pick up a clicker it's game on for Kivi, no words necessary. Similarly, if I pick up a toy and start waving it in his face and/or pushing at him he gets into it. I might say "You wanna play??" but it sounds pretty similar to "You wanna go for a walk??" or "You wanna go to the dog park??" or "Wanna go to the river??" or "You want some dinner??" or any other exciting thing we do together. So that works pretty well for switching him on.

Out and about I use his name to get his attention if his mind is wandering. Or I make kissy noises. Or click my fingers. Whatever works.

Bringing out the clicker means the same for Tilly, absolutely no confusion there lol.

[Staranais]

I differentiate like Huski.

I do expect my dog to listen to my requests and comply at all times. But I give the drive cue when I want her compete intense focus and undivided attention. When I give the drive cue, I want the dog trembling with anticipation to work! That level of excitement and focus is just not possible (or desirable) to maintain 24/7. But I do want it sometimes (competitions, working around distractions, etc), so when I want it, I ask her for it.

So I give casual commands for round the house (which she's expected to comply with but I don't require her to be in a state of complete focus), and a drive cue to tell her that if she's precise and quick she'll get a drive reward (which gets her undivided attention for working or training).

[Seita]

I differentiate like Huski.

I do expect my dog to listen to my requests and comply at all times. But I give the drive cue when I want her compete intense focus and undivided attention. When I give the drive cue, I want the dog trembling with anticipation to work! That level of excitement and focus is just not possible (or desirable) to maintain 24/7. But I do want it sometimes (competitions, working around distractions, etc), so when I want it, I ask her for it.

So I give casual commands for round the house (which she's expected to comply with but I don't require her to be in a state of complete focus), and a drive cue to tell her that if she's precise and quick she'll get a drive reward (which gets her undivided attention for working or training).

I work that same way.

If I ask for something from my dogs I expect them to comply but when I have asked my dog to go into drive work then I expect a super keen, very attentive, trembling with anticipation sort of response.

I don't specifically work with different collars I just use different commands to tell the what we are going to do. So when I am showing I use the command "showing" which they know means they don't have to heel but they can't pull on the lead and I expect them to gait. When I am working in drive I tell my girl (the pup is in training) "Are you ready to work?" and she knows that her drive reward will be presented soon. I use a release command as well to let them know that training is over.

I agree with Starnais here, it is not possible to get the same level of focus and excitability all the time which is why drive work specifically has a command. Firstly it tells the dog what kind of reward it will get (my dogs have a special drive reward which is never used at other times) and it tells them what sort of work I am expecting. I have a completely different set of commands for this as well to really differentiate it from normal everyday basic obedience commands.

[leopuppy04]

I see what you guys are saying

I like my guys to be pretty raring to go when we do trials, but I don't think I have a word for it - to me that's part of the warm up exercises. I guess because I don't HAVE to say the word "Ready" to get the dog into the same state. Nor do I have to follow the same routine. We just might tug before a run, do some hand touches or something like that.

Having said that, I've not had the issue where if I say 'heel' the dog has said 'not today'. The dog has usually bounced into heel position and been bursting at the seams to work

Guess it's just a difference of the way that you train/ how you describe things

[Karelea Aussies]

When I give the drive cue, I want the dog trembling with anticipation to work!

If I ask for something from my dogs I expect them to comply but when I have asked my dog to go into drive work then I expect a super keen, very attentive, trembling with anticipation sort of response.

Thinking on what you have both said here, she will tremble when I bring out the tug....she is alert and raring to go. I dont use the tug in obedience as yet, only in play.

[Karelea Aussies]

Having said that, I've not had the issue where if I say 'heel' the dog has said 'not today'. The dog has usually bounced into heel position and been bursting at the seams to work

See now this is what I was getting on Wed night (at training) which prompted me to think about the whole question of whether I should be cuing her into work mode....she was totally off with the fairys, and after giving a command, I was getting a look and a .......WHAT....you want me to do that NOW....oh ok then if i must???????

It was all very ho hum and the only training session that I have gone home wondering what the hell I did wrong ......I blamed it on the full moon