Wednesday, December 15, 2010



Hi and welcome everyone!

This is Sharda with another obedience training for dogs newsletter!

Teaching obedience training for dogs as well as learning commands can be an excellent way for your dog to behave better and have a more enjoyable interaction with you and your family.

But there are dog owners who confuse these 2 commands; down and off.

So, today let's continue obedience training for dogs and learn to teach our dogs these commands as well as understand their differences.

Also, learning to use these commands appropriately can make a big difference in how well your dog responds in certain situations.

So, are you ready?

Here we go…


OBEDIENCE TRAINING FOR DOGS: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DOWN AND OFF COMMANDS

THE DOWN COMMAND

Now that your dog knows the “sit” command, the down command will be a snap!

Start by luring your dog into the “sit” position. Hold some dog treats in your right hand between your thumb and index finger, with your palm facing down towards the floor.

Your hand, along with the dog treats, will be in front of your dog’s nose.

Lower your hand slowly to the floor behind your dog’s right paw and then back towards his buttocks. When you lower the dog treats on at an angle to the floor, keep it close to your dog’s body.

Your dog will follow the lure and he will lie down on his hip. (This is called a “relaxed down” which is a safe and stable position for the dog’s body.)

Once he is lowered all the way to the floor, give him some dog treats. Repeat this several times until you are confident that he will go down every time.

Once he does, start adding his name and the command, such as “Rover down.”

Once he is lying down, reward him with the dog treats and give him words of praise such as “Yes, Rover, good boy!”

Repeat this dog training exercise several times at different locations throughout the house and in the backyard.

Make sure there are plenty of distractions around so you can work on his concentration too.

Once he has mastered the “down” command, put him on the leash and practice it while walking for the best benefits.


THE “OFF” COMMAND

The “off” command differs from the “down” command in the way that you use “off” when you want your dog to get off of a person or piece of furniture.

Be sure to keep this in mind when you are trying to determine which command is best in certain situations.

This dog training command is especially useful for when you or visitors walk through the front door. Your dog may get so excited that he stands on his two hind legs, with his two front legs up on you or the visitor.

To practice this dog training command, have some dog treats in your right hand and hold it up high and close to your body.

Your dog will try to reach up for it, so move your right arm with the treat to the right and down. When your dog has all four legs on the ground, verbally praise him and give him the treat.

Once you are confident that he will get down every time, start saying “Rover, off” right before he is down. Then praise him and give him some dog treats to encourage correct behavior.

Repeat this dog training exercise several times at different locations throughout the house, especially at all of the doors, where this behavior will most likely happen.

Keep in mind that using the down and off commands appropriately and in the right circumstances can make a big difference in how your dog responds.

If you still need help with applying the down and off commands, I really suggest good quality dog training resources can make the process much easier.

So, there you go.

I hope you learned a lot from this obedience training for dogs newsletter and that you continue to be patient with your dog.

Thanks for listening!

All the best and take care

Warmly,