Obedience Training Not Just For Show Dogs

Obedience Training: Not Just For Show Dogs

The time is now for the public to understand that obedience training is not just for pure bred show dogs or those dogs used for services like police work, public service, and military missions.

If fact, it is surprising that so many owners of mixed-breed dogs feel that their dog isn't “good enough” or “acceptable” for formal obedience training. While it is true that many All-Breed Dog Clubs and Specialty-Breed Dog Clubs do discriminate and refuse to allow enrollment of mixed-breed dogs, dog clubs are simply just one place where dogs can receive formal obedience training.

The yellow pages and online search engines can help you find dog training classes in your area. With the exception of some dog clubs, mixed-breed dogs are welcome. And why not? The mixed-breed dog learns just as fast, and just as well as his pedigreed brothers.

Price of training is another area that has stopped so many people. Without actually inquiring, they assume that the price is prohibitive. Such is not the case.

In examining services from Georgia to California, and Maine to Oregon, we were perplexed to see no mention of price in advertisements for obedience training. The very absence of a price tag keeps many people from investigating any further. They are, of course, denying themselves the pleasure of owning an obedient dog.

The simple truth is that, formal obedience training classes are inexpensive. In some places, such training – sponsored by city governments – is free!

If a person truly loves his family dog, the tuition for formal obedience training must be considered as the soundest investment that could possibly be made. In less than 10 weeks - working with your dog just fifteen minutes a day – your family dog will know and respond to words from your language.

He will come to you when called (instead of ignoring you or running in the opposite direction), he will sit when you tell him (instead of jumping all over your guests), and he will walk at your side like a lady or gentleman (instead of pulling you down the sidewalk like a trailer). He will lie down when you tell him and where you tell him, and he will stay where you tell him.

Many people who own watch-dogs are forced to confine them to back rooms when visitors come, simply because the dogs have not received formal obedience training. They fail to realize that a watch-dog confined to a back room is about as effective as a car without a key.

An obedience-trained dog knows the difference between “no” and “okay.” Not only can this training elevate the status of your family dog, it also instills in him the soundness of character that you never knew possible. And obedience-trained dog is not “just a dog,” but a welcome addition to any household.

BONUS : Off-Leash Training (1)

For those of you with dogs that are trained to heel accordingly, you are ready to make the transition into off-leash training.

What You Will Need

You will need two pieces of rope, five feet in length each. One of the pieces of rope should be strong and preferably made of nylon. The nylon line should be about the same thickness as a regular kite string. The second piece of rope should actually be a five-foot length of ten-pound test salt water fishing line.

The length of nylon line will be referred to as the “B” line, while the fishing line will be called the “A” line. You will begin by using the “B” line, so you may put away the “A” line for later use.

Tie one end of the “B” line to the ring of the snap on the leash. It must be tied through the ring – rather than the snap – to prevent the line from coming loose. Make sure the line is tied securely. Next, tie the other end of the “B” line on the dog’s training collar, making sure that you tie it onto the same ring that the leash snaps onto. Then, snap the leash onto the collar in the normal manner.

You will notice that you are dragging a loop of line on the ground and either you or your dog will be getting your feet all tangle up, so pick up the “B” line slack and – using a clothespin – attach the “B” line excess right to the leash. This will keep it up and out of the way until you are ready to use it.

The first five minutes of your training period should be just as normal as always. Review all obedience commands so that your dog will be in the proper frame of mind for the upcoming lesson. The second five minutes of the training period should consist of nothing but heeling exercises. Do not go more than five feet in any single direction without either stopping, making a right turn, left turn, or about turn.

Do it fast and smartly so that your pet is performing like a real professional. Then stop and give him praise and a pat on the head. While he is preoccupied with the praise, unsnap the leash, in a nonchalant way, wrapping it into your right hand. One end of the “B” line is still attached to the ring of the leash and the other end to the ring of the training collar.

Put away the clothespin and prepare for a few more quick start-stop heeling exercises. Keep slack in the “B” line and do not allow the line to tighten. If your dog suddenly senses this new feeling of freedom and decides to goof off, he will be in for quite a surprise. Nylon does not break easily and a properly timed correction will produce a sudden revelation to your dog. He will discover that just because the leash is absent, the requirement for obedience is still there, and so is the correction for disobedience as well as the praise for a job well done.

Heel your dog back and forth, making right turns, left turns, about turns, and sudden stops while only the “B” line connects you to your dog. Just before your fifteen-minute training period is up, give your dog praise and snap the leash back on. Finish off the session with a bit more on-leash heel work.

For the next two weeks, you should alternate between working your dog on-leash and using the “B” line. Alternate back and forth, so that your dog won’t be aware of which of the two he is attached to, and doesn’t care either. Working with the “B” line can be a bit awkward and you’ll find that it gets in the way once in a while, especially on the recall exercise. But this transition is important so be patient.