Teaching A Dog To Stack Help!

[Kirislin]

I'm not a show person and I've left it way too long but I'm trying to teach Neko (Italian Greyhound) to stack. She's so wiggly and keen for the bait that she wont keep still. I've put a towel on my dining room table to give her some grip and get her up high. She just wiggles and squirms either away from my body, leaning away, or follows the hand with the bait like a crazy starving ferret. I tried her before and after a meal and her behaviour is the same. I place her front feet for a second but she immediately moves them. I just cannot do it. I'm sure I'm doing a million things wrong but I dont know the right way.

If anyone can give me some pointers I'd be grateful.

[WreckitWhippet]

I use bait when training dogs as the reward for getting it right, not luring them into place.

Put her on the ground and pop a lead on, get the clicker out and wait for the excitement and jumping to settle. When she stands still click and treat.

Then your stretch out them time from the click to the treat.

Next step is to get her front feet square, when she gets that bit click and treat.

Move on to front feet plus her self stacking the back.

They get this very quickly and then you can start to ask them to come forward and step back.

On the table I prefer hands on and no food while you stack. If they want to throw themselves off the front of the table stack them with toe tips on the edge, if they lean back put back feet right on the back of the table. Place the front, control the head and place the back, the reward comes when standing still.

[Kirislin]

thankyou, that sounds good. I dont have a clicker, would a verbal word or sound be as effective if used the same way?

[WreckitWhippet]

I also use the word "yes" . I like the clicker as you can train the dog in silence and it often helps with those who are a bit enthusiastic LOL

[The Spotted Devil]

Agree with above. A verbal marker is fine especially if you find it hard to coordinate everything but the clicker provides incredible clarity. I use both in training.

[indigirl]

Kirislin I've found that you can try bait, squeaky toys etc but in the end they are just being lil snots. I tell my pups to stand in a firm voice and the moment they are still I prise them, even if its just for a second or two. They all squirm like crazy at first but if you are firm they will eventually give in and stand still. Iggies are notorious for being precious about stuff like this. I'm never rough, but I'm firm. Get the breeder to show you how to do it if you can't get her to cooperate.

Try if after she's had a big run and is tired. She will give in more quickly when she's not full of beans. With my pups I,practise stacking em every night. I also practise gaitimg them very day for a few mins.

Eta a towel prolly won't work, try a rubber door mat on the table. The mat won't move when she squirms.

Edited December 22, 2013 by indigirl

[Dogsfevr]

Agree scrap the towel ,you need a rubber mat or something far more "secure"

.Personally at present i wouldn't worry about the stack & spend the time placing her on the table with no food & just getting her to stand calmly for you then place her down.You can do this multi times a day & just use the word stand.

For some pups being on the table is so exciting that you need to go through the stages of allowing them to process what the table is & that above all being calm & safe on the table is very important .

Place her up no fuss ,tell her to stand no fuss & then place straight on the floor

Once you feel she is listening more then you can work on the stack but at present all your teaching is she is a winner & can do what she wants .

Have you taught her the word stand on the floor,when she free stands naturally do you praise her with your key word .

Iggies can be stick leg people that like to play pick a leg & hold a leg & it becomes a routine & this is what you want to avoid.

I like to allow my pups when being trained to do as much as possible on there own & i generally train not in a show like manner but when playing,Free stack training is done during games so its fun & there so keen to learn whilst excited & it isn't boring & they learn to focus whilst excited & fun .

I would also suggest you practice infront of a mirror so you can see what you are doing & what the result is .A mirror or reflective window is your greatest tool ,videoing aswell.

[Kirislin]

thanks everyone for the tips. I'll keep trying.

[Rebanne]

The very best piece of advice I ever received went something like this:

I imagine your dog has a pretty good life with you? Good food, nice beds etc. Then surely your dog can do what you want for a minute or two occasionally?

All my thoughts of, oh he's only a baby, only a youngster, oh I don't like being firm went flying and from then on it was like what indigirl said. I will say stand, you will stand still, you will not break just because I make you do something. The difference in my attitude made the world of difference to my dog, I stopped being wishy washy.

I do not know if it would have worked with my first show dog but it made a big difference with the others.

[Christina]

The dog has to know what you want it to do.

Does she understand the word stand & stay ? If not teach her these first. Then try a table.

A very experience show person once told me with pups, but guess it would work for any age, is to stand the dog at the back of the table, not the front.

To place the back feet on the edge & demonstrate to the dog that if it moves back there is nothing behind it so it will fall. Seems this works better than standing them at the front.

Once they stand & stay stacked you can move them to the front. May help & will stop her falling on her head or jumping forward.

Edited December 22, 2013 by Christina