When embarking on the journey of dog training, particularly for obedience, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that a vast repertoire of commands is necessary for success. However, experienced trainers often advocate for a streamlined approach, focusing on a core set of commands that can be applied across various situations. This philosophy simplifies learning for both the dog and the handler, leading to clearer communication and a stronger bond.
One common pitfall in dog training is the creation of an unnecessarily long list of commands. Some organizations boast of teaching dogs upwards of 90 commands, but upon closer inspection, many of these are redundant or lack practical significance. For instance, using separate commands for opening and closing a door overlooks the dog’s perspective – the action is the same: to pull a string. Similarly, a single command like “Kennel” can effectively cover entering a crate, a kennel run, or even a specific area in the house. The key is to associate a command with a consistent action or position, allowing the dog to generalize its understanding.
Essential Commands for Your Obedience Dog
A well-structured training program focuses on commands that clearly communicate desired positions and actions. For novice obedience, these foundational commands are crucial:
- Sit: The dog assumes a seated position.
- Down: The dog lies down.
- Stand: The dog stands.
- Front: The dog moves to a position in front of the handler and sits.
- Heel: The dog moves to the handler’s side and sits. This command can also indicate a “swing finish” to the heel position.
- OK: A release command signifying the end of an exercise or period of waiting.
In addition to positional commands, action-oriented commands are vital:
- Come: The dog stops its current activity and returns to the handler.
- Let’s Go: A casual command encouraging the dog to walk near the handler, not necessarily in a formal heel position.
- Heel: The dog walks attentively beside the handler’s left side.
- Back up: A useful command for teaching and refining heel position.
- Around: A command for the dog to circle to the right, often used for a specific type of finish.
Commands like “Stay” and “Wait” are often considered unnecessary by proponents of this simplified approach. Once a dog is given a command to assume a position (e.g., “Sit”), it should maintain that position until given a new command. The “stay” command is often a habit rather than a necessity.
The word “Heel” itself can serve dual purposes: indicating the desired position next to the handler and the action of maintaining that position while walking. Dogs are adept at understanding context; they can differentiate between “heel” as a static position and “heel” as an active movement based on the handler’s stance and motion. This avoids the need for numerous “get” commands and simplifies the handler’s vocabulary.
Utilizing Cues to Enhance Communication
Cues are distinct from commands in that they signal what is about to happen rather than issue a direct instruction. Helpful cues can include:
- Hurry: Encourages the dog to increase its pace.
- Easy: Prompts the dog to slow down.
A cue like “Ready” can be used to signal the imminent start of an exercise. However, relying solely on this cue can be problematic if the dog isn’t attentive. A more robust approach might involve a firm “Sit” command to gain the dog’s attention before indicating readiness to the judge. This ensures the dog is focused and prepared.
Streamlining Advanced Commands
Even in more advanced training, the principle of minimal commands holds true.
Open Commands
- Drop on Recall: The dog already understands “Come” and “Down.” The context of being in front of the handler cues the dog to perform a “sphinx” drop, distinct from the side-lying drop taught with the “Down” command.
- Retrieve on Flat: Requires only two commands: “Fetch” (to pick up the object) and “Drop” (to release it into the handler’s hand). The “Hold” command is generally unnecessary, as “Fetch” implies holding the object.
- Retrieve over High Jump: The primary command is “Jump,” initiating a sequence that includes fetching and returning. While individual commands might be used during initial teaching, the “Jump” command serves as the entry point for the entire action chain.
- Broad Jump: The “Jump” command is sufficient for this exercise as well.
Utility Commands
Utility training introduces new challenges but requires minimal new verbal commands.
- Signals: Dogs can learn to respond to non-verbal cues for actions they already perform with verbal commands, without extending the verbal command list.
- Scent Articles: While some trainers use a separate command like “Search” or “Find it” for scent articles to encourage deliberate scenting, the “Fetch” command can be effective if the dog understands the situational difference between retrieving a single object promptly and searching a pile.
- Gloves: A directional signal combined with the “Fetch” command is usually sufficient to indicate which glove to retrieve.
- Moving Stand: The dog already knows verbal and non-verbal commands to stand. Commands like “Heel” or “Around” can then be used to direct the dog’s movement after standing.
- Directed Jumping: The “Go-out” command directs the dog away from the handler, and subsequent “Sit” and “Jump” commands complete the exercise.
Open & Utility Cues
Cues can be integrated into advanced training to enhance the dog’s understanding and engagement.
- Mark: Used before the article exercise, this cue signals the dog to pay attention to the area where articles will be placed.
- Look: Employed before directed jumping, this cue prompts the dog to scan and identify the target location for the “Go-out” command.
- Motivational Cues: Fun cues like “Ready to fetch?” or “Want to jump?” can be used to build enthusiasm and motivation during training sessions.
Key Takeaways for Simplified Training
Two important principles emerge from this streamlined approach:
- Problem-Solving: When encountering training difficulties, resist the urge to change commands. Performance issues are rarely due to the command itself but rather the handler’s training methodology.
- Consistency Across Venues: When exploring different dog sports (e.g., agility, fieldwork), maintain consistency in commands. If “Come” is used in obedience, use “Come” in other venues rather than adopting different words for the same action, such as “here” in retriever training.
Adopting a concise list of commands offers significant benefits. It makes it easier for handlers to remember and execute commands accurately under pressure. More importantly, it facilitates clearer and more efficient learning for the dog, who can generalize a smaller set of commands across a wider range of situations. By simplifying your training vocabulary, you can foster a stronger communication channel with your dog, leading to a more enjoyable and successful training experience.
