Dog training: Stand

Add a comment to this page

Teaching your dog the 'stand' command

Let your sitting pup sniff another lure, say "Rover Stand" and then move the treat forwards and away from the pup, keeping the treat at nose level and moving it parallel to the ground. Your pup will stand. As soon as it does so, lower the treat a mite to get the pup to look down, otherwise it might sit again. However, do not lower the treat too far, otherwise your puppy will lie down. Give your pup the treat once it stands steadily.

Teaching your dog to go from 'down' to standing

Say "Rover Stand," take another treat and move it diagonally upwards and forwards away from the pup's nose, and the dog will stand. You may have to waggle the treat to energize the pup and entice it to stand. Once your pup stands, lure it to look down a tad so that it does not sit, and then give it the treat once it stands steadily.

Training games: Sit-down-stand sequences

Vary the order of the sit, down, and stand commands at random, or by using the following, easy-to-remember test sequences:
1. sit-down-sit-stand-down-stand
2. sit-stand-sit-down-stand-down
3. down-sit-down-stand-sit-stand

Varying at least three different body positions increases the speed with which the pup learns verbal commands. If we alternated just two body positions, e.g., sit and down - 'doggy push-ups', the pup would quickly become bored with endless repetition, and it would anticipate each command rather than listen to the owner's instructions. For example, the pup quickly learns, if it is sitting, the next command must be "Down." Varying the order of instructions increases your puppy's attentiveness and concentration.

For the first sequence only, reward your pup following each change of body position. On the second sequence, reward after every other change, then after three changes and so on until the pup performs an entire sequence of six responses for just one reward. After only a few trials, a single food reward is more than sufficient for your pup to perform several complete sequences in succession. Do no more than five repetitions at any one time, and reserve food rewards for those special responses performed with particular pizzazz and panache.

Repeat the above sequences at least 50 times a day, until you and the pup are picture-perfect. Do NOT do all repetitions at once, or else you will bore your  [Continued]

Your name:

Your email:

Recipient's email: OK to enter multiple addresses
separated by commas

Message: Check out what I found on DogTime.com!

And, for spam prevention...

Incorrect please try again

Enter the words above: Enter the numbers you hear:

Try another one | Try audio instead Try text instead | Help

Sending....please wait.