This is probably the most underestimated discipline in dog training. The one thing handlers struggle with the most, and yet it is the basis for all advanced dog training. Period.
Whether it is scent work, bite work, therapy work, search and rescue, it all includes obedience. If your dog is not reliably obedient all other advanced training will be either unreliable and mediocre or simply just impossible.
Obedience is the one discipline in K-9 training that pulls rank with the dog and establishes clear pack hierarchy.
At the same time it is probably the most labor intensive, for the handler and the dog. It is physically demanding for the handler and stressful for the dog. Stressful because the dog is forced to continuously do things it would not do on its own at the time.
This is, if obedience is trained correctly.
A dog cannot be coaxed into being reliably obedient. In other words treats and toys WILL NOT DO THE JOB!
A canine learns by making pleasant and unpleasant experiences. For example - in a pack scenario, when the rank higher individual eats and the lower ranking pack member approaches the eating leader, the leader will let the subordinate pack member know that he/she has to wait to feed. Usually by a clearly audible growl and/or bearing of teeth. If this warning is ignored or challenged by the intruder, a physical confrontation will occur. The lower ranking, and therefor weaker individual, will learn quickly through a rather negative physical experience, that the leader is not willing to share the meal at this particular time. Lesson learned, the lower ranking canine will back up, wait and eat what the leader leaves behind after he/she get their fill.
Correctly trained, RELIABLE obedience is based on the same principle.
This is the ONLY way the dog will learn. We can’t explain
things to dogs. A good trainer who understands that will now create situations
that causes the dog to decide to obey on its own. Let me explain :
Canines, as far as we know, do not think. One who thinks, can reason. Dogs cannot
reason. No mammal can, as far as we know today. A dog operates based on
stimulus and instinctive response. Hence same stimulus = same response plus
learned behavior. This capability is solidly embedded in their DNA.
Let’s take an obedience exercise to explain what that
means.
HEEL AND SIT.
The easiest and most reliable way to teach a dog to heal and
sit is the long line. On the long line the dog learns that the closer it is to
the handler the more pleasurable life becomes.
Use a 15 ft line and
put a well fitting choke collar on the dog. Well fitting means that the collar
fits snug over the dogs head and you cannot make more than 3 fingers fit
between the dogs neck and the collar.
Now just let the dog go and do what it wants. Your job is to
always move it the opposite direction of the dog, thereby letting the dog hit
the end of the leash. You NEVER talk to the dog. If the dog just stands there
you run in any direction away from the dog. Again the dog will feel the hit of
the leash as soon as you run further than the length of the leash.
Pretty soon, within minutes, the dog will start following
wherever you go - ON ITS OWN. Initially from a distance (but closer than the length of the
leash), eventually closer and closer until it comes all the way to you.
At that time you reach down pet the dog and encourage the
behavior in a soft tone of voice. It doesn’t matter what you say, it just has
to be soft and encouraging. Then you walk/run
away again. The dog will follow. If not immediately, keep up the exercise,
success is 100% guaranteed. Remember, patience is everything.
After a very short period of time the dog will pay close
attention to all your movements and follow you without direction or command. Make sure YOU DO NOT FORGET to respond with
praise whenever you stop and the dog comes all the way to you.
90 % of dogs will now sit whenever they are close to you and
you pet them. At that time the basics of heel and sit are beginning to be embedded
in the dog. You also taught the dog to appreciate the “slack in the lead”. I
will address the importance of that in the future.
Next step is to teach the dog on which side of the handler
it needs to heel and associate the proper command with that.
