Teaching "stand"

[J...]

We've just moved up from puppy class to class 2 at obedience, and we did some very very basic stand work in puppy class.

I have to admit, never having seen the application of it I didn't really get what was required. I've now seen it once at class last week.

Problem is Darcy's a wrigglebutt - touch her at all and she wriggles endlessly wanting to play. She really doesn't get the stand command at all. So she sits!

So how do I teach her the stand from step 1.... I've been doing a bit of work at home just brushing her and encouraging her to stand still while being handled and brushed. Where do I go from here?

[shekhina]

Is this stand, or stand for examination? My dogs will do stand, but try stand for examination and they think it's an invitation to lick you to death

When I was teaching stand I used the sweeping command in front of the dog's face but didn't stop there and kept my hand moving down the side of the dog until I get to his hips. If your dog keeps going to sit place your hand under the dogs tummy near their hips. Not sure what you can do if she's a total wiggle bum everytime you touch her tough

[J...]

LOL yes know all about the lick to death thing..... also Darcy seems to think I have fleas as I get flea-d a lot while learning stands....

At this stage it's just a straight stand...

Now the signal's left hand across in front of the face, and then extended down to the flank area as an extension while learning.... have I got that right?

Edited June 16, 2006 by feralpup

[shekhina]

Yep, that's right. That's how I learnt...and if for a bit you have to stick your hand under her tummy just to let her know not to sit she'll get it.

You're after a stand and I'm after an automatic sit. So I've told you how to to stand...how did you get the automatic sit?

Edited June 16, 2006 by shekhina

[Lablover]

Hope I make sense. Friends recently left after happpy hour.

I do my utmost, for example, to perfect one command, say sit. The old chaining sequence, if you will.

They receive rewards - further drive/toy etc. When teaching another command, the second the dog becomes confused, I pause and ask for the already taught command as a confidence builder. Then reintroduce teaching another command.

Naturally with a prey item it is real easy as their focus is on your hand. My dogs LOVE my hands.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Teach the sit with a cue- many people 'stomp' their feet like one-two (left-right) like a march on the spot as they command sit.

Make your stop over exaggerated and slow down your pace beforehand to give the dog some idea that you're coming to a halt- you can speed that up later.

Then once you've practiced it, and proofed it in different environments you can start to fade out your sit command, then slowly fade the 'stomping' to a softer stop.

Mel.

Edited June 16, 2006 by Staff'n'Toller

[shekhina]

Thanks!

[J...]

Thanks for that Shekhina!

Darcy's auto sit has just come as part of her training - cos she was such a little sh*t when I got her (thus the feralpup!) I made her sit for everything so its actually got to the stage that its become an answer for everything.... when in doubt, sit :D I'm now learning there's a flip side....

I also take her for walks on lead a lot and I've made her sit before she crosses the road since she was 8 weeks .... its kind of flowed on to the stage that I don't need to say a word as she knows that when I stop, she needs to sit, whether its crossing the road or not.

Thanks again

Jess

[shekhina]

I also take her for walks on lead a lot and I've made her sit before she crosses the road since she was 8 weeks .... its kind of flowed on to the stage that I don't need to say a word as she knows that when I stop, she needs to sit, whether its crossing the road or not.

Thanks for that. I've only started Daegon in obedience on Sunday, so both he and I are learning...I haven't done any formal training since Kovu was 7 months old...that's 2 1/2 years ago

So from now on when I walk Daegon I'll make sure everytime I stop he has to sit.

Thanks for the tips guys

[Sezy]

lol Carter was trained to go in the show ring so he did a perfect stand when I got him home, now that I have taught him to sit, he won't stand. hehehe I can't win.

Cally on the other hand has picked up most things with ease, the only problem when we have done stand for exam she gets so excited that someone is coming to touch her that she squeak's. An instructor at the club that I used to train at did not go all that often so did not know Cally and gave me the most worried look when she started her squeaking in excitment.

[shekhina]

Sezy...how did you train stand for examination??? I cannot get Daegon to stay still

[Rom]

Are you finishing on your left foot when you stop? I find that dogs read body language and since we have been taught in obedience to finish on our left foot as an additional signal to the dog for an automatic sit, then this may confuse the dog when teaching the stand. So some at our club reverse the foot work and finish on the right foot when giving the stand command or some like me, delay bringing up the left foot until the stand command/hand signal is completed. (Remember to only do this in the beginning stages of learning the stand though cuz later on if you go in the ring, it may be considered that you have double commanded your dog and you lose points.)

Also some dogs react to having their tummy touched to prevent them from sitting. Maybe because they have recently been desexed or they relate a tummy touch to play time when they roll over and we rub their tummy. So if we get a reaction to tummy touch when teaching the stand, instead we do the same hand signal but rest our hand on their stifle in an effort to make them think twice about flexing the stifle to sit.

Another method I've seen used, but rarely rely on myself is to have a soft strip of fabric like a tie or the sash out of a terry towel robe and make a loop to put around the dogs bellly. When they go to sit after the stand command, the tie around the belly is used to support the weight to prevent the sit....don't jerk on it or anything like that, just prevent them from sitting.

[PAX]

I would teach it on a step. Have the dog sit at the top step in the heel position so he is less likely to move forward. Gently hold the collar with your right hand and put your left hand under his tummy. As he stands say the word 'stand', try to make the word sound different to your other verbal commands. Once he gets the hang of the exercise use your hand to give the signal as you say stand. When he stands say 'good stand' repeating the word 'stand' while is on a stand so he learns what the word means.

[MrsD]

Sezy...how did you train stand for examination??? I cannot get Daegon to stay still

Im not sezy but my suggestions are to start with the dog standing next to you in the heel position & get people (lots of people, as many as you can - line them up at your obedience club if need be!) to walk past him & quickly run a hand down his back. While they are doing it, tell him "watch me" or whatever command you want to use to get him to look at you & bait him with some food if you have to. Might take a while, but the more you do it, the quicker he will become immune to it. Once he is OK with you beside him, do a stand stay & stand in front but stand so his nose is touching your knee & do the same, lots & lots of people just walking up, touching him on the back & walking off again. Once he's immune to that, start getting them to run their hands over him a bit more, use your hands to hold his head if need be & use the "watch me" command to try to get him to ignore them.

Eventually he will become so used to it that you will be able to move a little bit further in front & they will be able to spend a bit more time touching him, I think most friendly dogs have a similar reaction to a stand for exam (ie ooooh look, someones come to see me, I'll get a pat, yay! ;) ).

Anyway thats how I taught mine to do it. One suggestion though is not to do 2 things that I saw a woman at training the other night doing, which is a. standing way too far in front of the dog when it's not reliable cos then if it breaks postition you cant do anything about it & b. if it does break position she went back to heel & moved him forward & gave him the "stand" & "stay" commands again. To me, that was just a "what the ....?" .

May take a while, but if you persist you will eventually get a dog that is rock solid on it's stand for exams :D .

[shekhina]

Thank you very much for that MrsD, much appreciated

[rastus_froggy]

Great way of getting a dog ready for stand for examination MrsD Will be taking that one 2 dog school with me 2moro!!

Thanks!

[Ashka]

After two years of general obedience training & auto sits my dog's breeder asks if she can put him in the show ring. Yikes

The belly strap worked a treat and I also stopped him sitting everytime I stopped at road kerbs etc too. With a little dog some options aren't available :-)

At nearly four years old the auto sits are a thing of the past as he is still being shown. Bit sad in a way but it was easier than teaching his breeder hand signals just for one dog lol.

[Sparty]

My kira is a wriggle bum, and a hand near her bum will have her sit asap and im too slow to get around intime to support her knee to keep her in the stand so a belly strap worked wonders for her, blackdog agility collar with a handy handle LOL

Bodie i just lured with food slightly forward and level with his nose and let him lick the treat out of my hand while saying stand.

[DogueLover]

Odin hated (loved) me going anywhere near his tummy, thought it was play time!!!!

Being a large breed though I found it easier to rech over and support his knee to prevent the sit. and then BIG rewards.

Worked really well.

GOOD LUCK

[Sparty]

Bodie used to have a beautiful auto sit but flyball as pretty much ruined that LOL more time on flyball than obedience (wonder which is more fun??) but he is gettinjg back on track