Raise your arm in the down signal and tell him, “Down!”
2. If he lies down immediately, praise him quietly – don’t get him excited – and caution him to stay put. “Good. Stay.” Wait ten seconds to allow him to settle, then return to his side as though completing a regular Sit-Stay exercise. Release him with “Okay!” and praise him vociferously!
What if he didn’t immediately lie down when you told him to? Take a large fast step toward him, grasp the leash just below the snap, and firmly tug him down. Step back to the end of the leash, wait ten seconds, then return to his side and release him.
3. Play with your dog for a few minutes, then place him in another Sit-Stay. But this time, CALL HIM. “Jake, come!” He should do this part flawlessly!
4. Play with your dog for another few minutes, then place him in one more Sit-Stay. This time, return to his side without either downing him or calling him.
You’re teaching your dog to pay close attention to your words! By varying what you say and do, he must listen carefully, rather than trying to anticipate.
Also vary your time and distance. One time, wait 30 seconds before you down him or call him or return to his side. The next time, wait 60 seconds. Then a short 15-second wait. Practice on a regular leash and a 20-foot leash.
Step #4 in teaching the Emergency Down
1. With your dog’s leash attached, take him outside in your yard and drop your end of the leash. Maneuver yourself so that he is about ten feet away from you. Watch for him to look up and make eye contact with you. At that moment, raise your right arm high in the air and call in a commanding voice, “Down!”
2. If he goes down immediately, caution him, “Stay!” Walk toward him, repeating your caution to “Stay. Good. Stay.”
When you reach him, crouch down and pet him and praise him softly. Make sure he stays down as you do so. Then release him with, “Okay!” and really, really praise him!
3. If he doesn’t go down immediately – if he just stands there looking at you – repeat, “Down!” in a firm voice. Your arm should still be in the air giving the down signal. If he responds to your stronger tone, follow through as described above, as though he had gone down properly the first time.
You’re giving him some leeway while he’s still learning!
4. But if he doesn’t go down on the second try, it’s time for a correctoin. Walk purposefully out to get him.
He will probably realize that you’re coming to correct him and he may try to evade you. Remember, don’t speak to him or chase him – just track him down until you can get hold of the leash.
Lead him all the way back to the spot where he was
originally standing when you told him to lie down. Use the leash to put him down there, and tell him, “Stay.”
Then walk back to where YOU were originally standing when you first told him to lie down. Wait ten seconds for him to settle, and return to him. Crouch down and pet him and praise him softly. Make sure he stays down. Then release him with, “Okay!”
Practice this exercise every day until your dog is rock-solid.
Then replace the dragging leash with a shorter hand-hold (discussed in Chapter 1). A hand-hold gives you something to latch onto if you still need to catch and correct him.
“OFF” (the furniture)
WORD #35: “OFF”
Some owners don’t want their dogs on the furniture, especially if the dog is huge, or sheds a lot, or slobbers and drools.
But certain breeds, especially toy dogs and sighthounds, love being on the furniture. Toy dogs like to be up high where they can see better and feel
protected. Greyhound type dogs, with their smooth hair and thin sensitive skin, are most comfortable when snuggled into soft cushions.
In my opinion, if you choose one of these breeds, it’s unkind to keep him off all the furniture.
Some owners find a middle ground. They don’t mind their dog on some furniture, but they have one or two special pieces on which they would prefer their dog not sleep. If you’re in this camp, I suggest that you simply use “No” whenever you catch your dog on the forbidden piece of furniture.
I’ll tell you why. There are some things you want your dog never to do. That’s what “No” is for. If you never want your dog on a specific piece of furniture, tell him “No”
whenever he gets up there and chase him off.
BUT...
If your dog is usually allowed on the furniture, but you want him to stay off it temporarily, you should use a different word.
For example, suppose a guest who isn’t comfortable with your dog is sitting on the couch. Or perhaps you’re sitting on the couch with a plate of food on your lap. Or perhaps you’re lying on the couch because you’re sick. Or maybe you have important papers strewn across the couch.
These are all examples of when you might not want your dog on the couch. Since he is usually allowed up there, he would be confused if you suddenly told him “No.”
That’s why you need a different word – one that means “Sorry, big guy, but the couch is off limits for the moment.”
That word is “Off.” Combine it with a natural waving motion of your hand and make sure he does get off, even if you have to guide him by the collar.
As an example, my dog Buffy lies on the couch with us when we’re watching TV. But when food appears, she is not allowed to remain on the couch. We’ve been so consistent in telling her
“Off” whenever food appears that she jumps off as soon as she sees the dinner plates in our hands.
If you teach this simple word and routine to your dog, your guests will be impressed – and appreciative!
“Shoo” (Be somewhere else!)
WORD #36: “SHOO”
Some people prefer “Shoo” while others prefer “Git” or “Go on” or “Move.” It’s hard for me to describe exactly where this word should be used, but you will use it, I promise you.
When it fits the situation, it comes quickly to mind as the perfect word.
For example, I don’t allow Buffy in the Bird Room where I raise canaries. She is a gentle dog who wouldn’t hurt the birds, but they don’t know that, and her presence makes them
nervous.
So she accompanies me to the Bird Room door, where I remind her, “Wait.” She stops obediently, waiting in the hall –
sometimes peeking into the room, sometimes lying down just outside the door, sometimes wandering away for a drink of water, always coming back to check on my whereabouts.
But occasionally she sneaks into the Bird Room, just a few steps. She stands there, watching. When I spot her, I wave my hand at her in a rapid shooing motion. “Buffy, git!” I say.
“G’won!” And she scampers out.
Pronounce the word crisply, combine it with a natural shooing motion of your hand, and make sure your dog moves away from whatever you want him to move away from, even if you have to guide him by the collar.
! Dog standing in the garden. Crushing flowers! “Shoo!”
! Dog wandering into the garage. Antifreeze in there!
“Shoo!”
! Dog begging at the table. “Shoo!”
! Dog poking his head into the bedroom. You and your spouse are engaged in...um... “Shoo!”
I told you that when it fits the situation, “Git!”
or “Shoo!” comes quickly to mind as the perfect word!
“Go lie down” (when you’re busy)
WORD #37: “GO LIE DOWN”
This phrase is a combination of “Shoo” and “Down” – you want your dog to move a distance away from you and lie down.
Unlike plain old “Shoo,” where your dog simply needs to take himself elsewhere, “Go lie down” requires him to assume a specific position.
“Go lie down” gives you more control over your dog, which can be useful when, say, you have guests over.
Once your dog has learned both “Shoo” and “Down,” it’s an easy matter to combine the two.
1. Point or wave your hand toward a corner of the room and tell him, “Go lie down.”
2. Lead him by the collar (Gently! You’re teaching him a phrase he doesn’t yet know!).
3. Tell him “Down” when you reach the corner, and see that he does so.
One problem with “Go lie down”
There is one aspect of “Go lie down” that does present a problem. You might remember, when we were teaching your dog the Long Down, that you were cautioned NEVER to put your dog in a Long Down and then let yourself get distracted.
Do you remember why?
That’s right. If you get distracted, he will break the Long Down and wander away on his own, without waiting for you to release him with “Okay!”
Well, that’s what can happen with “Go lie down”, as well. If you send your dog across the room to lie down, and then forget he’s there, he will soon stand up and walk away.
Not good for your Leader—Follower relationship!
So...I suggest using “Go lie down” only when you’re sure you will remember to keep an eye on your dog and will release him yourself within 30 minutes.