Week 4

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Sit -- When your dog is sitting reliably for 30 seconds (on-command), up the criteria again: add distance to the equation. With your dog in sit position (in the house, with no distractions), take one step backward. Count five seconds, and c/t. If your dog can’t hold the position for that long, you may need to start with an immediate c/t when your back foot touches the floor (as in a partial step backward), and build from there.

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Down -- When your dog is downing reliably for 30 seconds (on-command), up the criteria again: add distance to the equation. With your dog in the down position (in the house, with no distractions), take one step backward. Count five seconds, and c/t. If your dog can’t hold the position for that long, you may need to start with an immediate c/t when your back foot touches the floor, and build from there.

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Continue with generalizing “Let’s Go” and “Heel” (if you've chosen to teach it)

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Stand -- When you would bet your next paycheck that the dog is going to offer a stand, then start “pairing” the behavior with the cue… when he’s about to change position to the stand, say “stand”, then c/t as he does it. Again, do this over and over, in many locations, with and without distractions, for several days.

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Now, up the criteria again: click when the dog has remained in a stand for a full second. After 4-5 stands are offered where the dog will remain in position for the full second, make it 2 seconds… then 3 seconds, then 4. You must use your own judgement on upping the criteria – if your dog can’t remain in position for 6 seconds reliably, then back off to 5 seconds, and do that until he’s reliable. Then, progress.

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The purpose of the 'stand' is to allow handling, as in vetting, grooming.  So, make this kind of touching part of the process as he learns.

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Brenda Rushman, CCBC