As mentioned in our last post, today we will concentrate on the sit-stay…not easy with such an energetic, lively young Lab.
The Dingfelders are all under the weather today with colds, so we devised a little plan to pick up Jackson with minimal exposure to the trainer of any cold’s virus. It was all based on the assumption that dogs don’t transmit or transport human viruses. If that’s not accurate, so be it. The plan was to let Barbara know when I pulled up in front of the house and when I opened the rear, curbside door, she was to open her front door. I would then call Jackson and he would bound across the lawn and into the car. Guess what? It went exactly according to plan, except I didn’t have to call him. Jackson was in the back of the car in a flash and ready to go!
Jackson actually sits very well upon command –especially if he knows you are holding a treat. Getting him to stay is another thing. Picture this: with a treat in my left hand, I face Jackson, point at his butt and say “Jackson. Sit!” Jackson sits. Then I place my open, right hand -palm in front of his nose and say (now this is all according to the book), “Jackson. Stay.” Jackson goes straight up into the air –off all fours- and turns inside out. Jackson returns to earth and seems to say, “OK…where’s my treat?” Sorry, Jax, but no treat for that little showing of exuberance.
So, I repeat the above until Jackson actually stays for an extended period of time, say, 10 milliseconds or more, then he is rewarded with a little treat. This is where patience comes in. I’m sure he’ll get the message in time.
Today we gave him a lot of playtime mixed in between the sit, stay, and heel exercises. This was new to Jackson and he really seemed to appreciate it. Again, we are in an area where he would have to run for ¼ mile before we’d be in trouble. I completely released him from any tether and said “Go play, Jackson!” and pointed away. He was a little confused at first and then ran and jumped through the fields. I believe the furthest away he ever got was, maybe, 100 feet. Most times he would stop, look around, and then make a B-line back to me with no coaxing. After doing this for a few minutes, and with him several feet away, I called, “Jackson. Come!” He put a big smile on my face when he ran up to me and stopped. He looked at me as if to say, “OK…what’s next?”
We finished up by heeling a couple hundred yards and then returned to the car. I am not quite ready to do this in a neighborhood yet, but I felt very safe and confident to let him off-leash near the car and then just let him jump in.
We reversed the procedure at home. Barbara was waiting and opened the door as soon as we drove up. I opened the rear, curbside door. There was a yellow flash and Jackson was in the house. Home –safe and happy.
Good Boy, Jackson! ‘see ya soon!
The Dingfelders are all under the weather today with colds, so we devised a little plan to pick up Jackson with minimal exposure to the trainer of any cold’s virus. It was all based on the assumption that dogs don’t transmit or transport human viruses. If that’s not accurate, so be it. The plan was to let Barbara know when I pulled up in front of the house and when I opened the rear, curbside door, she was to open her front door. I would then call Jackson and he would bound across the lawn and into the car. Guess what? It went exactly according to plan, except I didn’t have to call him. Jackson was in the back of the car in a flash and ready to go!
Jackson actually sits very well upon command –especially if he knows you are holding a treat. Getting him to stay is another thing. Picture this: with a treat in my left hand, I face Jackson, point at his butt and say “Jackson. Sit!” Jackson sits. Then I place my open, right hand -palm in front of his nose and say (now this is all according to the book), “Jackson. Stay.” Jackson goes straight up into the air –off all fours- and turns inside out. Jackson returns to earth and seems to say, “OK…where’s my treat?” Sorry, Jax, but no treat for that little showing of exuberance.
So, I repeat the above until Jackson actually stays for an extended period of time, say, 10 milliseconds or more, then he is rewarded with a little treat. This is where patience comes in. I’m sure he’ll get the message in time.
Today we gave him a lot of playtime mixed in between the sit, stay, and heel exercises. This was new to Jackson and he really seemed to appreciate it. Again, we are in an area where he would have to run for ¼ mile before we’d be in trouble. I completely released him from any tether and said “Go play, Jackson!” and pointed away. He was a little confused at first and then ran and jumped through the fields. I believe the furthest away he ever got was, maybe, 100 feet. Most times he would stop, look around, and then make a B-line back to me with no coaxing. After doing this for a few minutes, and with him several feet away, I called, “Jackson. Come!” He put a big smile on my face when he ran up to me and stopped. He looked at me as if to say, “OK…what’s next?”
We finished up by heeling a couple hundred yards and then returned to the car. I am not quite ready to do this in a neighborhood yet, but I felt very safe and confident to let him off-leash near the car and then just let him jump in.
We reversed the procedure at home. Barbara was waiting and opened the door as soon as we drove up. I opened the rear, curbside door. There was a yellow flash and Jackson was in the house. Home –safe and happy.
Good Boy, Jackson! ‘see ya soon!
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