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Hi Zahed! It sounds like You’re doing great! Command structure is so important because it makes things so predictable for the dogs. You’re on such a good track it seems so I wanted to jump in and help tighten things up even more. The name is going to be a cue to the dog to pay attention….it lets them know any time you are about to tell them to do something different, you will say their name first. After we say their name we then tell the dog what we want it to do and give them a chance to do it. Assuming a dog has gone through phase 1 training for a particular command and is able to do such command on a variable reward schedule and for a duration….after we say the name and tell the dog what to do we wait and see if the dog does it. If the dog does not do it we will follow up with command and correction, leash pump, at the same time until the dog does it. Once the dog does it we mark with praise. As I said assuming the dog has gone through phase 1 training. After phase 1, you have to teach the dog escape conditioning. How to escape the correction, leash pump, so the dog isn’t confused when it does get one. Since any time we give a correction we say the command..which is to tell the dog why he’s being corrected I would refrain from using the command word with praise. Since ultimately you’re telling him good boy but using a word that is also used when being corrected. Good boy, sing to him, lots of love and affection anything else you want is ok. So it would look like…Kimba..sit you then give him the chance to sit….if he does it you give him lots of praise…if he doesn’t you can help him with leash pumps and repeat the word sit at the same time. When he does it you praise him. Now say you wabt to free him. That is something new. So you say his name and then free and encourage him out of position if need be. This way everythibg is predictable always.
Also when we do a heel we don’t do an automatic sit. If the dog does a perfect heel but then forgets to sit now he’s getting corrected instead of praise for doing a perfect heel. Also where we live it get cold, snow, rain, hot pavement…so if the dogs feel they need to sit every time it can be unfair at times. I don’t wabt to make my dog sit in uncomfortable conditions if he doesn’t want to if we arw going for a leisurely walk. Also sometime we may stop only for a moment at maybe a stop sign or street crossing and it would actually take more time to have the dog sit than I may want. Therefore if we want the dog to sit we will simply just give a sit command….same for the recall. We don’t do an automatic sit. But if we want we can always put the dog into a sit. Sometimes the sit although looks nice…isnt always real world practical. So it’s personal preference but that is how we tend to do it and how we teach it as well.
Make sure he knows whatever commands you are doing with him phase 1 first. If he’s having trouble holding a place or any command…make sure he first knows how to do it for a duration in phase 1. If he doesn’t this will help him when you are doing phase 2 and introducing a type of correction…leash pump. If in doubt, you will never do harm going backwards.
It sounds like you are doing fantastic! Keep up the great work and keep us posted! Also there is a command structure chart you can review as well on the site if you have any questions.
I appologize for any grammar or typographical errors as I am using my phone to respond! Lol
Hope this helps some!
