In a recent article about training the dog in different locations, there seems to be some confusion about what was meant by the term “distractions”. There are some dog owners who have asked what a good distraction is. So, for the sake of clarity, the following will elaborate on what distractions are.

To start, let’s specify what is expected of the dog or the puppy. The example used in the different locations article was having the dog respond to a “sit” command. What should happen is that the owner says “sit” and the dog’s backside immediately goes to the floor. The dog sits there until the owner releases the dog. By releasing the dog, the owner says “the magic word” and finishes the command. If the dog should break the sit before the magic word is said, then the dog has made an error. The dog does not decide when to finish the command. That is the job of the owner. It is the responsibility of pack leadership. The owner will determine when the sit has finished.

Distractions are created by the owner. Distractions are temptations. The owner has to be creative and know what his/her dog really likes. These distractions are used to see if the dog will break the sit prematurely to explore. Sometimes the dog will break the sit out of fear. Sometimes it is because of anxiety. If the dog does break the sit, it has made an error. The reason does not matter. Do not make excuses for the dog. Expect the dog to be bold and smart. Expect it and the dog soon will be bold and smart.

Since each dog is different, the following are examples of distractions. This should serve as a guideline for the owner to determine what might be powerful distractions for the dog:

• With the dog at a sit, walk a few paces away. Jump up and down. Clap your hands over your head. Is the dog still sitting?
• For some dogs, a tennis ball is the greatest possible toy. It bounces and makes a sound when it hits the floor. With the dog at a sit, pull out a tennis ball from your pocket. Bounce it. Toss it away. Is the dog still sitting?
• Your dog must have a favorite treat. Perhaps it is a dog cookie, a piece of cheese or something like that. It is something that excites your dog. With the dog at a sit, take a treat from your pocket. Toss it a few paces from your dog. Leave it there for a minute. Is the dog still sitting?
• Enlist some help. Have a neighbour’s child come and visit. With the dog at a sit, give the child a treat. It could be a cookie, an ice cream, a sandwich or something of that nature. Ask the child to go and walk around the dog and come back. At any point when the child is near, does the dog break the sit? Does the dog decide that this sitting is silly when there is a child with food near?

These are just examples. Be creative. You know your own dog. You know what are the irresistible temptations. Use that knowledge. - When the dog is sitting, it has to remain at a sit. That means the backside is touching the ground until you say the magic word and finish the command. The moment that the dog decides, on its own, to lift its backside off the floor or ground it has made an error. Say “no”. Sit the dog again. You decide when the command is finished. The dog does not decide.

Does this seem too authoritarian? - Well, it is meant to be authoritarian. There is only one pack leader and that is the owner. This ‘chain of command’ actually is a security for the dog. It relieves the dog from the responsibility of making decisions. You have told the dog, through actions and consistency, that you will decide what is best. The dog can relax. You are taking the responsibility.

The example used was sit. However, each and every command can be proofed. That is, each command can be tested and assessed to see how reliable it is. What you want is a dog to be reliable so that, when you say “sit”, the dog sits and the dog remains sitting. You want to be able to trust the dog. There will be moments when the dog’s safety will depend on how well that dog listens to you and on how well you have communicated your pack leadership.

The simple “sit” from you not only is a command. It is a reminder to the dog that you are exercising your pack leadership. And, no matter what is happening and no matter how tempting the distractions, you want the sit to be there until you decide that the sitting can be finished.

And finally, here is a reminder. Praise. You are creating situations for the dog to be tested and to fail. As long as it does not make an error, praise. Be sincere. The dog hungers for your kind words. The dog wants to please you. And with more praise when the dog is right, your saying “no” becomes more meaningful.

Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
FlyingHamster:  http://flyinghamster.com/

[tag]dogs, training, pack leadership, magic word, praise, distractions, responsibilities, decisions, security[/tag]