COMMANDS Commands are kept fairly consistent from year to year, so most of our dogs will have picked up the sense of many words. Examples are:
– back – stay behind the “line”, don’t push at gates (puppies do forget tho!)
– come – precisely what it means, and often a meal appears too!
– stand – used sparingly as each owner likes to exhibit in a different fashion and I favour free standing
– through you go – is the release from back or encouragement to go through a darker passage, etc
– toilet – relieve yourself, particularly the bowels
– spend a penny – empty the bladder
– leave – abandon a search or investigation, etc
LEAD WORK
Puppies leaving at 4 to 5 months old have had basic lead work, they are not polished show ring professionals. Showing techniques are personal and you will have different body language to me, but the acceptance of a lead around the neck and the fact that one “leads” and one will get to see new and interesting sights is established.
Puppies at this age HAVE NOT been taught to tie up. The collar supplied is generally worn for the first time when the puppy leaves us, and is offered as a catching point in case the dog panics and tries to run off when you open the crate.
Dogs we sell have learned the basics, like
* coming when called by name
* casual heeling without tugging or leaning (by the dog or the owner)
* accepting grooming
* being respectful at open gates, no guarantee of not ‘breaking’ though
* travelling in a crate in a car
Clumbers are observant learners (they learn by watching others) and they will ‘turn off’
if drilled in regimental fashion, and you will only break their spirit if you use physical
corrections … Clumbers are BEST TRAINED using food based positive reinforcement,
not familiar? Then learn how to do it.
DO NOT, ANYONE (ANYONE!), try any other method
A great ‘primer’ is Jan’s book The Dog Ate My Homework available online.
see also our article on environmental enrichment
