10 Chapter 10: Basic Cues | The Ultimate Guide to Dog Training

Chapter 10: Basic Cues

Basic cues should be foundation behaviors for any pet dog. Teaching them to your dog will help you live together better. They make for nice manners. A dog that understands Sit can learn not to jump on people upon greeting them. A dog that knows how to Walk Nicely on Leash won’t drag you down the street. A dog that can hold a Down-Stay can lie quietly on his bed while you have guests over.

These basic cues can also keep your dog safe. A dog that understands Come will return to you, instead of running off, when you cue him. One that understands Leave It will leave something alone when you tell him to, which could save his life if it’s something dangerous.

The basic cues are also the foundation for more advanced behaviors. For example, you start with your dog on leash when teaching him to Come and then work up to an off-leash Recall.

Have a Plan

If you don’t have a specific goal in mind, you can’t train it, so have a plan before you start training. Here are some things to consider:

•What are you specifically going to teach? Get a picture in your mind of what you want the behavior to look like.

•What do you want to accomplish during this particular session? Some behaviors can be taught in one session, but many will take several sessions. What are your goals for this particular training session?

•What will you do if you don’t reach your goal? If your dog isn’t keeping up? How will you adjust the training session so it ends on a positive note?

•What will you do if your dog does better than expected? Are you ready for the next step? Always plan ahead at least one step. If your dog has a breakthrough, you want to be able to keep up!

Before you start a training session, have all of your tools and items ready. Starting to train a behavior only to find that you forgot your clicker or treats is just going to confuse and frustrate your dog.

Training sessions should be very short—just a few minutes at a time. It is always better to stop a training session a bit early, while your dog is succeeding, than to push the situation and have your dog get frustrated. Your goal should be to end the training session with your dog wanting more. He will then look forward to the next lesson!

There are a couple ways to remember to keep training sessions short. For example, while you’re watching your favorite TV shows, you can train during commercials. By the time your program comes back on, it’s time to stop training. You can also count out ten to twenty training treats. By the time you finish using them, it’s time to stop.

Try This! Teaching Eye Contact to a Shy Dog

If you have a very shy dog, teaching him to have eye contact with you can be challenging for him. Direct eye contact is a confident behavior, which is going to be harder for a shy dog. It may help if you sit down to make yourself appear smaller and less potentially threatening. Don’t ask for prolonged eye contact until your dog grows more confident with the behavior.

Tracking Your Progress

Ideally, you will keep track of how your dog progresses for each session. Yes, keeping charts and notes can be tedious, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. You can create a nice chart on your computer and complete it each time you train, but jotting down a couple of simple notes will do just fine. Keeping notes can really help you see what you’ve accomplished and remind you of any issues that you noticed. Charting your progress is especially helpful if you are working through some particularly challenging behaviors for your dog, and if you have more than one person who is helping you train your dog.

If you take notes about what you achieve during each training session, you will see where you are making progress and where you aren’t. If you are teaching a behavior that is hard for your dog, or an alternate behavior to one that you don’t like, it can be easy to focus on what he’s doing wrong rather than on any progress you’re actually making.

For example, you are training your dog not to jump up on people. This is very frustrating for your family because they don’t like your dog leaping on them all the time. So you train him to Sit instead when people approach. During your first training session, he jumps up on people six out of ten times. During your second training session, he jumps four out of ten times. The next day, he jumps on your spouse, and he or she complains. But you can see from your notes that your dog is actually making progress in his training. So rather than getting frustrated and upset, you know that you just need to keep up your training to see further success.

If you see that the behavior is getting worse rather than better, it tells you that something needs adjusting. It could be your training—perhaps you are adding distractions too early. Or it could indicate something is up with your dog. For example, you notice that your dog isn’t as enthusiastic during one training session as he was during the last one. He is yawning in stress and tries to walk away from you a few times. You mark this in your notes, and then you notice the same issues during the next training session. This tells you that something is wrong. You could be progressing too fast for him to keep up, and he is getting frustrated. You may need to lower your criteria, go back to an earlier step that was successful, and then work your way back from that point. Or your dog could be ill or injured. Some dogs are very stoic, and it’s only by paying careful attention to changes in his behavior that you can tell when he’s actually sick or hurt. If you keep notes about your training sessions, you can help pinpoint exactly when you noticed a change in his behavior. If your dog is actually sick, this information can help your veterinarian.

Practice Makes Perfect

The more you practice, the better success you will see. Just remember to keep those training sessions short. Good practice in dog training is not thirty minutes of repetitive training. This is just going to bore you and your dog! Practice at least fifteen minutes a day, but not all at once. Break it up into multiple training sessions per day. If you have a very young puppy, the shorter, the better! Adult dogs will have longer attention spans and can usually go for longer periods of time. Of course, if you want to train more than fifteen minutes a day, that’s great! Just add more short training sessions each day. Dogs, just like people, take a certain amount of repetition before they can perform behaviors reliably.

When you hold your training sessions can depend on what behavior you are teaching. If you work away from home and return to find an exuberant dog that’s bouncing to greet you, this is a great time to work on Come, but not a great time to work on Sit-Stay.

Especially at first, when your dog is just learning a new behavior, set your dog up to succeed. Work on stationary behaviors—Sit, Down, Settle—when your dog has had some exercise and is a little tired. If you have a dog that already pulls on the leash when walking, also tire him out a bit before you work on Walking Nicely on Leash.

Teaching the Basic Lessons

Every dog is different. If you have a young, bouncy adolescent dog, it may be more challenging to train him the stationary behaviors, such as Sit-Stay or Down-Stay, than if you have an older dog. On the other hand, it may be easier to teach your young dog a lightning-fast Recall!

Some breeds and breed mixes are more active as well. For example, it may be harder to teach an active Golden Retriever to Down-Stay than it will a Mastiff.

Just know that you need to progress as far as your individual dog can succeed. All dogs can learn, no matter their age or breed. It is never too late to teach an older dog new behaviors. And it’s a complete myth that some breeds can’t learn a thing.

This chapter outlines specific training sessions, all very short in duration. It is completely normal for you to have to repeat a session several times before moving onto the next step. There are indicators to help you recognize when you will be ready for the next step.

Vet Tip: When Is Your Dog’s Behavior Really a Physical Problem?

Sometimes, what you think is a training issue is really caused by a medical problem. Greg Brown, DVM, and Mark Foy, DVM, partners in Sunset Animal Clinic in West Columbia, South Carolina, offer tips on some common physical issues that masquerade as training problems.

“Probably the most common thing we see that people think is a behavior issue is actually due to urinary problems,” Dr. Foy explains. If your dog is eliminating in the house, it may not be a house-training problem. “Get your dog’s urine checked,” Dr. Foy advises. Dr. Brown adds, “There are also diseases that cause a dog to have increased thirst, which can cause him to have accidents, like Cushing’s and diabetes.”

If your dog is having orthopedic issues that cause him pain, he may balk at walks or refuse to go up steps or jump in the car. Hip dysplasia, juvenile bone growth issues, and other bone and joint issues can all contribute to a dog appearing stubborn or non-compliant. “Some breeds, such as Dachshunds, are also prone to back problems,” says Dr. Foy.

“Another thing to consider is cardiac problems,” Dr. Brown explains. “The dog loses his breath, has reluctance to exercise, can no longer walk to the mailbox—all of these things could be related to a cardiac problem.”

Loss of senses can be another source of problems. Dr. Brown says, “Blindness or vision problems can cause dogs to act differently. You associate this with senior dogs, but it’s not always the case.” Dr. Foy adds, “We had a puppy in here the other day because the owner thought something wasn’t right. What he didn’t realize was that his puppy was deaf.” A deaf puppy could bark louder, seem to “refuse” cues, and not pay close attention to people. These can appear to be training problems until you discover the real cause.

If your dog ever experiences a sudden change in behavior, or if your training program isn’t going as expected, please consult your veterinarian. It’s better to rule out physical issues first.

Teach your dog to make eye contact with you when you call his name

Watch Me

This behavior helps you get and keep your dog’s attention. If your dog is looking at you, he won’t be staring at something else that could engage his attention, such as another dog or a squirrel. You can also use this cue to preface another one, such as getting your dog to look at you to help him focus on you before you start walking him on leash.

Goal: Your dog will make eye contact with you when you call his name.

What You’ll Need: Clicker, treats. Optional: leash. If your dog is very busy and easily distracted, despite being in a quiet area, you can put him on leash to limit his room to explore and lose focus.

Preparation: Train this behavior in a quiet room with very few distractions. Put away your dog’s toys so that they don’t distract him.

1.Stand quietly, with your feet planted. Wait for your dog to look you in the eye.

2.The second that he makes eye contact, click and treat. Make sure that he is not looking at your hand or the treats. Wait for him to look you in the eye.

3.Repeat for a total of ten repetitions. End your training session.

4.Repeat Steps 1–3 until your dog is reliably giving you eye contact.

Tip: Be patient! This exercise can be challenging for young puppies because they are easily distracted by many things. Even a spot of dirt on the floor is fascinating to a puppy. Just stand quietly and wait. When the eye contact happens, it will likely be very quick, so be ready!

When your dog is reliably giving you eye contact, it’s time to add the cue.

1.Say your dog’s name, once, in a friendly voice. Wait for him to make eye contact.

2.The second that your dog makes eye contact, click and treat.

3.Repeat for a total of ten repetitions. End your training session.

4.Repeat Steps 1–3 until your dog is reliably responding to his name by giving you eye contact in areas with few distractions.

Alternative Methods for Small Dogs

When working on Walking Nicely on Leash with a very small dog, it can be awkward to reach down and give him a treat. There are a couple of things that you can do to make this exercise easier on your back.

Use a squeeze-tube treat. You can find them in most pet-supply stores. You’ll be able to extend the tube with your hand and squeeze out a small amount each time as a reward.

Dip a long rubber spatula in peanut butter and deliver a lick as the reward.

Walking Nicely on Leash

Polite behavior on leash is one of the most frequently requested behaviors from dog-training clients. No one likes to take a dog for a walk if he or she is going to be dragged down the street or pulled off his or her feet. It’s not fun, and it can be dangerous if you fall and hurt yourself. It’s also embarrassing to be seen trying to walk your dog while he wheezes and strains at his collar.

Dogs don’t pull you because they are being dominant or trying to establish themselves as “alpha.” They simply want to go! Dogs can walk and run very fast, and it can be boring for them to walk at a slow pace. Dogs follow their noses and are eager to explore new scents. They want to go faster, usually much faster than is comfortable for you on a walk.

Your dog can also become really good at pulling on leash because you’ve rewarded him for doing so. Every time he pulls you and gets to explore something new, you’ve rewarded him. Every time he drags you so he can smell an enticing spot, you’ve rewarded him. If you drop a treat that rolls away, and he pulls you so he can reach the treat, you’re rewarding him for pulling. If you keep doing this, he’ll keep pulling. Behavior that is reinforced gets stronger. Keep this in mind when you are working with your dog on leash. Are you accidentally paying him for pulling?

If your dog has been dragging you for some time, this behavior will be harder to fix, but it’s not impossible! But you will have a more entrenched habit that you are trying to change. For some dogs, pulling is very rewarding, so you will need to work hard to change their minds.

Goal: While on leash, your dog will walk next to you without pulling. He will stay on one side of you, not cutting in front of you or cutting behind you.

What You’ll Need: Clicker, treats, leash. Optional: front-clip harness or head halter.

Preparation: Decide which side of your body you want your dog to walk on. It will be easier for him to learn if you are consistent. If you would like to enter formal competitions with your dog, choose the left side; otherwise, it’s your preference. Be sure that everyone in your family works on the same side for consistency.

You also need to decide how you want to hold the treats, leash, and clicker. One suggestion is, if your dog is on your left, to let the leash cross your body and hold it in your right hand along with the clicker. In your left hand, you will hold a handful of treats so that you don’t have to dig around for them in your bait bag when you need them. Or, it may be more comfortable for you to hold the leash in the hand nearest your dog and the clicker in your other hand, reaching into your bait bag for treats. Just be sure that you can get to the treats quickly. It may take you a few training sessions to be comfortable and find a way that works best for you, and that’s OK. Experiment with different configurations until you find one that fits you best.

Choose a quiet area for this training with few distractions. Your home is ideal, but you can also use your yard if necessary. You will need a long stretch of space. At this stage of training, your dog is not ready for training in the neighborhood or park, as those places hold too many distractions.

1.Put your dog on leash and stand next to him, with both of you facing the same direction.

2.Take two steps. Just before you stop, click and then treat. Hold your treat next to your side, by your leg on the side you want your dog to be, so that your dog must be at your side in order to eat the treat. At this point, don’t worry about his position. If he’s turned around or if his rear is off to the side, it’s OK.

3.Repeat Step 2 nineteen times. End your training session.

4.Repeat Steps 1–3 until your dog is staying closely by your side for the entire duration.

Tip: This exercise teaches your dog that it is better for him to be by your side rather than lunging in front of you. This is why you only go two steps at a time at first. You need to really reinforce that he must be next to you rather than enjoying the fun of forging ahead.

If you walk your dog for exercise, you will need to continue to do that while you work on this exercise separately. At this stage, it will be too distracting for your dog to try and walk nicely by your side during walks for exercise in environments with many distractions. There may also be times when you don’t mind if your dog wanders at the end of the leash, exploring. It is healthy to let him just be a dog! This doesn’t mean that he should drag you, though. After you’ve worked on this exercise and your dog is under more control, you can have a cue for walking nicely and a separate cue for wandering and exploring.

Walking Nicely on Leash is one of the most important behaviors for pet dog owners.

When your dog is doing well at two paces, it’s time to proceed to the next step.

1.Put your dog on leash and stand next to him, with both of you facing the same direction.

3.Repeat Step 2.

4.Take three steps. Just before you stop, click and then treat.

5.Repeat Step 4.

6.Take four steps. Just before you stop, click and then treat.

7.Repeat Step 6 nineteen times. End your training session.

Tip: Continue to feed your dog at your side. If he still gets ahead of you, he will need to come back to your side to eat the treat. If you feed him in front of you, you are teaching him to walk ahead of you and to cut in front of you.

When your dog is reliably staying by your side during your session, it’s time to add the cue.

1.Just before you start walking, cue “Let’s go” or “Let’s walk” and begin walking.

3.Repeat Steps 1–2 nineteen times, gradually increasing the number of steps you take before you click and treat. End your training session.

When your dog is doing well at this stage, it’s time to make things a bit more challenging.

1.Warm up by cueing “Let’s go” and taking two steps, clicking just before you stop and then treating.

2.Repeat a few times to get your dog in the mind-set that you are working on this behavior.

3.Gradually increase the amount of steps you take before you click and treat.

4.Venture outside the area that you have been working in, which will increase the distractions. For example, if you’ve worked only in your backyard, continue the exercise by walking around your house. Or, if you’ve been working only inside, continue the exercise by walking outdoors into your yard.

5.If your dog is very distracted, click and treat more often while he is still in position. Gradually work up to fewer clicks and treats as he grows accustomed to the new area.

6.Repeat Steps 4–5 nineteen times. End your training session.

Tip: Your goal is to click before your dog pulls. As you start venturing outside your familiar area, it will become more distracting for your dog. Don’t wait for him to pull. Click while he is still in the right position, before he pulls. If you find that you end up in an area that offers too many distractions for your dog, try higher value treats as a better reward.

Sitting for Stopping

If you would like to polish Walking Nicely on Leash by getting your dog to sit every time you stop walking, here’s how. If you want to enter formal competition with your dog, he will need to know this behavior. You’ll need to teach Walking Nicely on Leash and Sit separately before you can combine them.

1. Warm up by cueing “Let’s go” and taking a few steps, clicking just before you stop and then treating.

2. Cue “Let’s go.” Take a few steps. Stop and cue “Sit.” When your dog sits, click and treat.

3. Repeat nineteen times, varying the number of steps you take before you stop. End your training session.

Sit

This is such a simple behavior, but it can solve many problem behaviors. A dog that understands Sit won’t bolt out the door or jump up on you. A dog can’t chase the kids and sit at the same time.

Goal: Your dog will place his rear on the ground so that he is in a sitting position.

What You’ll Need: Clicker, treats.

1.Hold a treat in your hand, just above your dog’s nose. Slowly move it up over his head, toward his shoulders. Your dog’s nose should move to follow the treat. If you lose his attention, start again or try a treat with a higher value. If he jumps up, you are holding the treat too high. Keep it low.

2.As your dog’s nose rises to follow the treat, he should lower his rear. The second that his rear touches the ground and he sits, click. Toss the treat a couple of feet away so he will get up to get it. This will reset him for the next repetition.

3.Repeat Steps 1–2 two more times.

4.Hold your empty hand as if you still had a treat in it. Use the same motion with your hand, starting at your dog’s nose and moving up over his head, toward his shoulders.

5.When your dog sits, click and toss a treat.

6.Repeat Steps 4–5 five times. End your training session.

Tip: You only use treats in your hand for the first three successful repetitions. After that, you follow the same hand motion, but without a treat in your hand. This is called “losing the lure.” If you were to continue holding a treat in your hand for every repetition, your dog could become dependent on treats. And so will you! You don’t want a dog that only works for you when you are holding a treat. By using the treat as a lure for only three successful repetitions, you will avoid this trap.

Your dog knows when there is not a treat in your hand—he can smell that it isn’t there. So you are not tricking your dog, you are actually teaching him a hand signal for Sit. You always give a treat after you click.

When your dog is sitting reliably, it’s time to add the cue.

1.Cue “Sit” one time, in a friendly voice. Give the same hand motion you’ve been using, which is your hand signal.

2.When your dog sits, click and toss a treat.

3.Repeat Steps 1–2 for a total of ten repetitions. End your training session.

Training Down will teach your dog to settle when he needs to.

Down

All dogs lie down to sleep, but if you have a very active dog, you may think that he never does it otherwise! Teaching the Down will teach your dog to settle when you need him to, such as when you have company over.

Goal: Your dog will lie down.

What You’ll Need: Clicker, treats.

Preparation: Teach Sit first.

1.Cue “Sit.”

2.Hold a treat in your hand. Hold it by your dog’s nose and then tuck it under his chin toward his chest. Slowly move the treat downward, straight down, until you reach the floor. Slowly move the treat between his front paws, away from your dog. Your dog’s nose should follow the treat. If your dog raises his rear, just cue him to sit again and start over, this time moving the treat much more slowly.

3.As your dog’s nose follows the treat, he should stretch out into a Down. The second that his belly touches the ground, click. Toss the treat a couple of feet away so he will get up to get it. This will reset him for the next repetition.

4.Repeat Steps 1–3 two more times.

5.Hold your empty hand as if you still had a treat in it. Use the same motion with your hand, starting at your dog’s nose, tucking under his chin, lowering to the floor, and moving outward.

6.When your dog lies down, click and toss a treat.

7.Repeat Steps 5–6 five times. End your training session.

Tip: Just as in teaching the Sit, you only use treats in your hand for the first three successful repetitions.

You always give a treat after you click.

When your dog is lying down reliably, it’s time to add the cue.

1.Cue “Down” one time, in a friendly voice. Give the same hand motion you’ve been using, which is your hand signal.

2.When your dog lies down, click and toss a treat.

3.Repeat Steps 1–2 for a total of ten repetitions. End your training session.

Before teaching Come, warm up with a few Hand Targets.

Come

Coming when called is more than a convenience—it can save your dog’s life. Should your dog ever slip out of his collar and get loose while you are out walking, you want him to come right back to you when you call him.

Coming to you must always be a positive experience for your dog. Don’t ever call your dog to come to you and then punish him. This will teach him to avoid you! Don’t call him to come to you if you ever have to do something that he may find unpleasant, such as forcing him to take a pill or tending an injury. In those situations, it’s better to go to your dog, with treats, and make the experience as positive as you can.

Goal: Your dog will come to you and sit when you cue him.

What You’ll Need: Clicker, treats, leash.

Preparation: Teach Hand Target first.

1.Have your dog on leash. Warm up by cueing a few Hand Targets (cue “Touch”). Click for all correct responses. Toss the treat behind your dog so that he has to turn away from you to get the treat.

2.As your dog eats the treat, cue “Touch” again. Click and toss the treat.

3.Gradually toss the treat farther and farther behind your dog so that he has to travel farther to come back to you for the next repetition.

4.Repeat Steps 2–3 for a total of ten repetitions. End your session.

When your dog is reliably coming to you to target your hand, it’s time to add the Sit.

1.Cue “Touch.” When your dog touches his nose to your hand, click. Toss the treat about 6 feet (1.8 m) behind him.

2.As soon as he eats the treat, cue “Touch.” Just before he gets to you, cue “Sit.” When he sits, click and toss the treat.

3.Repeat for a total of ten repetitions. End your training session.

When your dog is reliably coming to you and sitting, it’s time to replace the “Touch” cue with your final cue.

Preparation: Choose a cue that doesn’t already have a negative association with it. For example, if you have already used “Come” and punished your dog or done something unpleasant to him, don’t use that cue. Or, if your dog thinks “Come” means that you’re supposed to chase him, it’s not a good cue to use, either. You can choose any word you like, such as “Here!” or “C’mere!”—just be consistent. When introducing a new cue, you say it before the previously taught one.

1.Cue “Come!” and then “Touch.” When your dog touches his nose to your hand, click. Toss the treat about 6 feet (1.8 m) behind him.

2.As soon as he eats the treat, cue “Come!” and then “Touch.” At this point, when he sits, click and toss the treat.

3.Repeat eight times.

4.Cue “Come!” Click and treat all correct responses.

5.Repeat five times. End your training session.

Now that you have a complete behavior, it’s time to make the recall a bit faster. You want your dog to run to you when you call him.

1.Start walking with your dog. This is not Walking Nicely on Leash—let him wander ahead of you.

2.When your dog is ahead of you, cue “Come!” and start jogging backwards.

3.After about 10 feet (3 m), stop. Let your dog catch up (if he is not already there) and sit. Once he sits, click and toss the treat ahead of you.

4.Repeat Steps 1–3 for a total of ten repetitions. End your training session.

Tip: Be careful! Don’t trip. If you are not able to run, that’s fine. Just go as fast as you are able. The goal is to move backward quickly. This encourages your dog to chase you.

Coming to you must always be a positive experience for your dog.

Sit-Stay

There may be times when you want your dog to hold a sit position for longer periods of time. If you ever want to enter formal competitions with your dog, you’ll need this behavior. It also comes in handy in your household. For example, it’s hard to take a cute picture of your dog while he’s zooming about! Teaching him a Sit-Stay will help him pose pretty for the camera.

For extended position behaviors, remember that the click ends the behavior. Once you click, you’ve marked the behavior, so it doesn’t matter if the dog changes position at that time; you’ve already captured the instant that he did what you wanted.

1.Cue “Sit.”

2.Wait three seconds. Click and toss the treat so that your dog has to get up to eat it, resetting him for the next repetition.

3.Cue “Sit.” Wait five seconds. Click and toss the treat.

4.Cue “Sit.” Wait eight seconds. Click and toss the treat.

5.Cue “Sit.” Wait two seconds. Click and toss the treat.

6.Repeat Steps 1–5 six times, but vary the length of time that you wait. Make some repetitions longer and some very short. Work up to your dog sitting for ten seconds. End your training session.

Tip: By varying the amount of time for which you ask your dog to hold a sit, it’s a bit unpredictable. This will better keep your dog’s interest.

Once your dog is reliably holding his Sit for ten seconds, it’s time to extend the Sit longer.

You will be rewarding your dog a bit differently for this exercise when you start extending the time—the reward won’t come only at the end. You want your dog to remain in position, so you’ll reward him both for staying put and at the end of the exercise.

You build a Sit-Stay with duration and distance. You will extend the amount of time for which your dog remains in a Sit, and you will also increase your distance from him so that you don’t have to stand in front of him all the time. You do not work on duration and distance at the same time, however. You work on them separately because that makes it easier for your dog to learn. You won’t be increasing the criteria too much at one time.

Here is how to increase the duration of the Sit:

1.Cue “Sit.”

2.Wait ten seconds. Give your dog a treat.

3.Wait two seconds. Click and toss a treat.

4.Repeat Steps 1–3 two times.

5.Cue “Sit.” Wait ten seconds. Give your dog a treat.

6.Wait five seconds. Give your dog a treat.

7.Wait two seconds. Click and toss a treat.

8.Cue “Sit.” Wait five seconds. Give your dog a treat.

9.Wait ten seconds. Give your dog a treat.

10.Wait five seconds. Click and toss a treat.

11.Repeat Steps 5–10 five times. End your training session.

In future training sessions, vary the amount of time your dog must wait before receiving a treat and before ending the behavior.

Tips: If your dog gets up when you give him a treat, it means that he has associated the treat, not necessarily the click, with the end of the exercise. Just cue him to “Sit” again and start over, this time using shorter durations.

Take note of how long you are asking your dog to sit because it will help you make things easier or more challenging for him, depending on how he is doing. For example, if he gets fidgety at eight seconds, give him a treat at seven seconds. Or, if he does great at twelve seconds, give him a treat at fourteen seconds. Vary your treat delivery to keep it interesting for your dog and keep him engaged in the session.

If you find that your dog lies down, you could be rewarding him too late. Reward him, or click to end the exercise, before he lies down. If your dog persists in lying down, please consider taking him to a veterinarian. Dogs that have orthopedic issues, such as hip pain, find it very uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time. You never want to cause your dog pain while training.

Use Sit-Stay when you want your dog to hold the Sit for longer periods of time.

Here is how to add distance to the Sit-Stay:

1.Cue “Sit.”

2.Take two steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

3.Take two steps away from your dog. Click and toss a treat.

4.Cue “Sit.” Take three steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

5.Take three steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

6.Take three steps away from your dog. Click and toss a treat.

7.Cue “Sit.” Take four steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

8.Take four steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

9.Take four steps away from your dog. Click and toss a treat.

10.Cue “Sit.” Take two steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

11.Take two steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

12.Take two steps away from your dog. Click and toss a treat.

13.Repeat Steps 4–12. End your training session.

In future training sessions, vary the amount of steps that you take from your dog. Don’t always walk farther away. Vary the distances between near and far to keep it more interesting for your dog.

Tips: At first, it is easier to move away from your dog in a straight line. You can soon vary this so that you are off to one side and then the other. Vary your location, but don’t try to go behind your dog at first because he will be likely to get up to turn and look at you.

If you find your dog getting fidgety at a certain distance, work at a closer distance for a few repetitions before trying to get to the farther distance again.

You build a Sit-Stay with duration and distance.

Down-Stay

Like the Sit-Stay, the Down-Stay is useful if you’d like your dog to hold the Down for a longer period of time.

Goal: Your dog will hold a Down until you indicate that he can get up.

Preparation: Teach Down first.

•Cue “Down.”

•Wait three seconds. Click and toss the treat so your dog has to get up to eat it, resetting him for the next repetition.

•Cue “Down.” Wait five seconds. Click and toss the treat.

•Cue “Down.” Wait eight seconds. Click and toss the treat.

•Cue “Down.” Wait two seconds. Click and toss the treat.

•Repeat Steps 1–5 six times, but vary the length of time that you wait. Make some repetitions longer and some very short. Work up to your dog lying down for ten seconds. End your training session.

Tip: By varying the amount of time you ask your dog to hold the Down, it’s a bit unpredictable. This will better keep your dog’s interest.

Once your dog is reliably holding the Down position for ten seconds, it’s time to extend it longer.

You build a Down-Stay with duration and distance. You will extend the amount of time that your dog remains in a Down, and you will also increase your distance from him so that you don’t have to stand in front of him all the time. Do not work on duration and distance at the same time.

Here is how to increase the duration of the Down:

1.Cue “Down.”

2.Wait ten seconds. Give your dog a treat.

3.Wait two seconds. Click and toss a treat.

4.Repeat Steps 1–3 two times.

5.Cue “Down.” Wait ten seconds. Give your dog a treat.

6.Wait five seconds. Give your dog a treat.

7.Wait two seconds. Click and toss a treat.

8.Cue “Down.” Wait five seconds. Give your dog a treat.

9.Wait ten seconds. Give your dog a treat.

10.Wait five seconds. Click and toss a treat.

11.Repeat Steps 5–10 five times. End your training session.

At future training sessions, vary the amount of that time your dog must wait before receiving a treat and before ending the behavior.

Tips: If your dog gets up when you give him a treat, it means that he has associated the treat, not necessarily the click, with the end of the exercise. Just cue “Down” again and start over, this time using shorter durations.

Always keep in mind how long you are asking your dog to lie down because it will help you make things easier or more challenging for him, depending on how he is doing. For example, if he gets fidgety at eight seconds, give him a treat at seven seconds. Or if he does great at twelve seconds, give him a treat at fourteen seconds. Vary your treat delivery to keep it interesting for your dog and keep him engaged in the session.

Here is how to add distance to the Down-Stay:

1.Cue “Down.”

2.Take two steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

3.Take two steps away from your dog. Click and toss a treat.

4.Cue “Down.” Take three steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

5.Take three steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

6.Take three steps away from your dog. Click and toss the treat.

7.Cue “Down.” Take four steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

8.Take four steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

9.Take four steps away from your dog. Click and toss a treat.

10.Take two steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

11.Take two steps away from your dog. Immediately return to your dog and give him a treat.

12.Take two steps away from your dog. Click and toss a treat.

13.Repeat Steps 4–12. End your training session.

In future training sessions, vary the amount of steps that you take from your dog. Don’t always move farther away. Vary the distances between near and far to keep it more interesting for your dog.

If you find your dog getting fidgety at a certain distance, work at a closer distance for a few repetitions before trying to get to the farther distance again.

Build up to adding distance to the Down-Stay.

Leave It/Take It

This behavior is a popular one, and it could save your dog’s life. If something falls on the floor, your dog likely thinks it’s fair game for him to eat or at least pick up. But what if it’s dangerous? It’s much better to tell your dog to leave something alone so that he never touches it rather than trying to get it away from him later, after it’s already in his mouth or, worse yet, swallowed.

Leave It is used when your dog is headed toward something that you don’t want him to touch. If taught correctly, your dog will not touch the item at all. Do not cue “Leave It” after your dog already has something in his mouth. That is something completely different to a dog. How can he leave something alone when he already has it? Only use “Leave It” before your dog has gotten hold of something.

Training this behavior may feel awkward at first because you will need to hold your clicker and treats in the same hand. Be patient with yourself as you learn how to manage—you can do it! You will not have to do it for very long because you will replace the click with a cue rather quickly.

Take It is used to indicate to your dog that it’s ok for him to pick something up or eat it. Many dogs automatically assume that if something falls on the floor, it’s theirs! This is not a safe practice. Sure, sometimes you drop something and don’t mind him having it, but what if you drop something that could hurt him? How is he supposed to know when it’s ok to take it and when he isn’t? You can train him! By teaching your dog the Take It cue, you will teach him to only take something when you say so. You teach Leave It and Take It at the same time.

Goal: Your dog will leave something alone when you cue him and take something when you cue him.

What You’ll Need: Clicker, treats.

1.Hold a bunch of treats in both hands. In one hand, hold the clicker. This will be your delivery hand—the hand with which you will deliver the reward. Put this hand behind your back.

2.Show your dog the treats you have in your other hand. Quickly make a fist so that he cannot get them. Do not pull your hand away from your dog. It should be right under his muzzle.

3.Wait. Your dog will likely poke or lick your hand to get the treats. He may even chew or paw your hand. Just wait.

4.The second your dog moves his head away from your hand, for any reason, click. From your opposite hand, toss a treat in the opposite direction. If you are using your right hand to tempt your dog, you will toss a treat with your left hand, toward the left. If you are using your left hand to tempt your dog, you will toss the treat with your right hand, toward the right.

5.Repeat Steps 1–4 for a total of ten repetitions. End your training session.

Tips: Do not ask your dog to sit, lie down, or do anything for this exercise. Solely concentrate on the Leave It behavior. Click at the second that your dog’s head moves away from your hand. It doesn’t matter why he does it because the goal behavior is movement away from the temptation. He may look down at the floor to see if you dropped the treats—you would click this. If he hears a noise and turns away to look, click this. Click for the first movement away from the hand. He will soon learn that moving away from the item is what earns the reward.

When you toss the treat in the opposite direction, it builds a nice automatic head turn into the behavior. This could be especially handy if your dog is headed for something dangerous. When you cue “Leave It” and he automatically turns away, it will break his focus and give you extra time to get his attention away from the item if necessary.

Keep the hand with the treats and the clicker behind your back so that you don’t accidentally distract your dog with it. You want him to leave the other hand alone on his own, not be distracted by the treats you have in another hand. That’s a bribe, not a paycheck! If you drop something in your home that you don’t want your dog to have, you are unlikely to have treats handy to lure him away. So wait to toss a treat until after you click.

When your dog is reliably and quickly moving away from one hand, it’s time to proceed to the next step.

1.Repeat the previous steps, except reverse hands. If you were holding the clicker in your left hand, now hold it in your right. If you were holding the clicker in your right hand, now hold it in your left hand.

2.Do ten repetitions and end your training session.

When your dog is reliably leaving the treats alone, no matter which hand you tempt him with, it’s time to proceed to the next step.

1.Repeat the previous steps, varying the hand that your dog must leave alone. For example, do three repetitions in one hand then switch hands for two repetitions, and then switch back.

2.Do a total of ten repetitions and end your training session.

Tip: Practice in different locations, especially in the kitchen and bathroom, where you are likely to drop things that you don’t want your dog to have.

The closer the treat, the more challenging it is for your dog to Leave It.

When your dog is reliably and quickly leaving both hands alone in different locations, it’s time to add some cues.

1.Have treats in both hands, with one hand also holding the clicker, just as before. Cue “Leave It” one time, in a friendly voice. Don’t threaten! Show your dog the treats you have in your other hand.

2.The second your dog leaves the hand alone, click and treat with the opposite hand.

3.Cue “Leave It.” Show your dog the treats you have in your other hand.

4.Repeat this training session at least two times.

5.Cue “Leave It.” Present your treats-only hand.

6.The second your dog leaves the hand alone, cue “Take It!” Then, click and treat with the opposite hand.

7.Repeat Steps 5–6 for a total of ten repetitions. End your training session.

8.After this time, you no longer need to use the clicker. You have replaced the clicker with the cue “Take It!”

When your dog is reliably responding to the cues “Leave It” and “Take It” with treats in your hand, it’s time to make the behavior more challenging.

1.Have treats in both hands. Place one hand behind your back.

2.Cue “Leave It.” With your other hand, place one treat on the floor, about 12 inches (30.4 cm) from your dog. (He will likely move toward it, and that’s OK.) Keep your hand very close to the treat because you will likely need to cover it. If he goes to take the treat, simply cover it with your hand and be still.

3.Wait for your dog to leave the covered treat alone. The second he moves away from the treat, cue “Take It” and toss a treat in the opposite direction from your opposite hand.

4.Repeat Steps 1–3 for a total of ten repetitions. End your training session.

In future training sessions, gradually work to where you no longer have to cover the treat with your hand to get your dog to leave it alone. You can also vary how far you place the treat from your dog, keeping in mind that the closer it is, the more challenging it will be.

Tip: Placing treats on the floor is often more challenging for a dog than having the treats in your hands. That’s why we start easy, with treats in hand, first. Your dog may already have a history of grabbing things from the floor, so he may have the assumption that if something lands on the floor, it’s his! It’s also harder for him because items on the floor are closer to him.

When your dog leaves the treat you place on the floor alone, it’s time to proceed to the next step.

1.Have treats in both hands. Put one hand behind your back.

2.Cue “Leave It.” Drop a treat from your hand from about an inch from the ground. Get ready to cover it with your hand if necessary.

3.When your dog leaves the treat alone, cue “Take It” and toss a treat in the opposite direction from your opposite hand.

4.Repeat Steps 1–3 for a total of ten repetitions, varying the height from which you drop the treat. Always keep your hand close to the treat so that you can cover it if necessary. End your training session.

As your dog continues to progress during future training sessions, start dropping the treat from greater and greater heights.

Tip: At some point, you will not be able to reach the treat with your hand to cover it. Your dog may realize this, too. Simply cover it with your foot, taking care not to kick your dog if he lunges for it.

Your dog may already assume that anything that lands on the floor is his!