Basic Training for Dog and Owner

Up until now, your puppy's training has consisted of a series of corrections when he erred. You've been pointing out his mistakes after he's committed them. When he jumps on the furniture, you push him off and tell him "No!" If he misses his newspapers and stains your rug, you reprimand him with a stern "No!" and rush him, belatedly, over to the news­papers. He's lived and grown in a world of "do's" and "don'ts" and it's all been very bewildering for the young pup. But the time has come when the pup needs to be taught simple commands that will permit you to guide his actions. These simple commands are what we will call the pup's formal training.

Basically, the formal training is a command and response program; you issue the commands with the proper voice inflections, gestures and demonstrations, the pup learns to respond and perform the commands. He repeats and repeats the action of the command until he learns to associate the command with the proper action. It is the old "trial-and-error" routine. Eventually, the pup learns the commands well enough to make them part of his regular behavior pattern.

How well he learns his lessons depends a great deal on what and how you teach him. Make no mistake about it, teaching your dog the basic obedience commands calls for plenty of perseverance and patience. But you have a very important factor working in your favor. You are the pup's idol and he'll do everything he can to please you. He wants your approval and upon this factor you will base your formal training program. The pup will not spare himself in his efforts to win your good graces. But you will have to help him by making it clear just what you want him to do. You cannot expect the pup to make good marks in his schooling unless he knows what you want and has the ability to do it.

DOG-AND-TEACHER RELATIONSHIP

The pup will pick up his cue from your behavior. Ap­proach the lessons in a playful manner and the dog will respond in a similar manner. Both you and the dog should enter into the lessons with a serious intention. You are not out to make the lessons a grueling marathon of learning, but neither are you supposed to make a big game of them. The pup is in school to learn some important lessons that will have a bearing on his future in your home and community. Show him that you will not tolerate any fooling and he'll fall into line.

You will find that the pup will definitely respond to your attitude during the training and thereafter. He will be af­fected by your pleasure or displeasure, as shown in your voice. You will recall from the chapter on instincts and behavior, that dogs are very responsive to the human voice. Your voice, then, will be the most valuable training tool. Learn to use it correctly.

There's no need to acquire the harsh or snappy voice of a drill sergeant. You will have to speak loudly and clearly, with enough firmness in your voice to show the pup you mean business. A lackadaisical or indifferent tone will simply not work. If you do use this approach, you'll soon find your pupil gazing off into the distance, his mind far away from the job at hand.

YOUR STUDENT

The young pup is very much like a young child: he would much rather play than to go school. You will have to get and keep his attention. And you will have to win his con­fidence. These are important reasons why there must be no distractions during the training lessons. Furthermore, since the pup has a relatively short attention span, the lessons should be kept to a minimum; fifteen minutes twice a day will be adequate.

The pup needs security. He's going to make mistakes and become confused during the training. He must be made to feel that his failure to execute a command with precision the first few trials will not affect his relationship with you. He'll have to work for your approval, but let him know he's not going to be banished if he fails to get 100% on his first test. Give him boundaries. When he knows that a certain response on his part will evoke a specific action from you, his security will be bolstered. But his response to a command must always yield the same action from you. Switching your praise technique or manner of reprimand will undermine his security, as well as confuse him.

Some dogs learn more readily than others. Very often their ability to learn is affected by behavior. Shyness, aggressive­ness, stubbornness—these traits will be factors in the pup's progress. If your pup falls into one of the following cate­gories, you'll have to adjust your teaching methods:

The aggressive pup

The aggressive or bold puppy is sure of himself. He'll enter the lessons with a "show me" attitude and will be constantly testing you. He needs to be reined in and kept under control, but not cowed. Bold as he is, he'll want to please you. And as long as he does, he can be trained.

The shy pup

The shy pup is more of a problem. He hangs back, cowers and shivers, especially when you reprimand him. He requires careful handling. Keep reassuring him, building up his con­fidence and security. It's best to ease up on the disciplining of the shy pup. Be very patient with him, give your com­mands in a clear voice, and be lavish with the praise. The shy pup needs all the confidence you can give him.

The stubborn pup

This fellow simply refuses to cooperate. He balks, sits down when he's supposed to heel and vice versa. You'll have to be firm with him. Make him work. Find some way to arouse his interest and curiosity, but don't give into his stubbornness.

The backward pup

Don't confuse the backward pup with the stubborn pup. The backward pup doesn't seem to know what he's expected to do. He gets all mixed up and confused. This is the time when the three "P's" of training need to be applied in force; they are patience, perseverance and praise. Use them liber­ally, working all the time to build up the backward pup's confidence. Give him more time to learn his lessons, not by lengthening the daily lessons, but by extending the semester. Where the average pup can learn to execute all the basic commands in three weeks, the backward pup will need four to five weeks. But stay with him, he'll catch on.

THE CLASSROOM

If you are an average city dweller, classroom space is at a premium. Apartments are small, the streets and sidewalks are crowded with people and distractions, and the empty lots have no trespassing and no dogs allowed signs. Then where can you work with the dog if these conditions prevail? There are several places in the average apartment house that can be used as classrooms. One of these is the hallway. While not ideal, it can be used as an emergency measure until the pup has enough grasp o£ the lessons to be taken outdoors. Another area is the basement, providing it does not have too many distractions, such as tenants using community wash­ing machines. An excellent place to school the dog is on the roof. The rooftops of most apartment houses and hotels are the least utilized areas in the buildings. There is plenty of room, usually a wall or parapet, and enough solitude to con­duct lessons without distractions. You should, o£ course, secure the landlord's permission to use the hall, basement or roof for your dog's training.

Once your pup has learned the rudiments of the basic commands, it is imperative that you take him outside the classroom. Otherwise, he'll be a star performer in familiar surroundings and a dunce elsewhere. Since the dog will prob­ably be accompanying you on walks in the city or trips out of town, he should be accustomed to obeying commands under all kinds of conditions. Introduce him to as many as you can and do it early in his training.

The suburban dog owner has less of a problem when it comes to classroom space. Backyards, fields, even patios, will serve as classrooms. Again it must be stressed that the areas selected must be free of distractions. And upon mastering the ABC's of training, the pup should be taken into town, schoolyards, playgrounds and the highway for orientation in these areas.

Out in the open country, classroom space is yours for the taking. But, here again, the pup will have to be taken into unfamiliar areas and put through his lessons. Unless you do take him, the country dog will be like his bucolic master in a big city: he won't know how to behave.

WHO'S TO DO THE TRAINING?

If you are to be the sole trainer of the puppy, the problem is simplified. Set regular daily training periods and follow them faithfully. However, if several members of the family are to help train the pup, there should be a clear understand­ing about what to teach and how to go about it. Above all, there has to be a standard training technique. Every member of the family in on the training must use the same com­mands, voice control and gestures. Sudden changes in the training technique are just as harmful to the pup as sudden changes in his diet. They will only confuse him and set him back in his lessons.

In the average home, it's Mother who ends up with most of the work of raising a dog. She feeds him, paper-trains him and conducts his pre-school training. All of this is usually done while Father is at work and" the children are at school. Most of the time, the pup's pre-school training is done dur­ing and between Mother's household chores. The format lessons require concentration on the part of dog and teacher.

They shouldn't be hurried or skimmed through because the cake is burning in the oven or the clothes have to be hung up. It is better to let Father and the children (if old enough) take over the formal training of the pup. But Mother should conduct some lessons herself.

TRAINING EQUIPMENT

A slipchain collar and a long leather leash are all the equip­ment you will need. The slipchain collar should have links that are smooth and close-forged. It should be a wide collar. A narrow chain will dig into the pup's neck when you exert pressure on the end ring.

The leash should be made of strong, flat leather, about w inches wide. It should have a small, strong, lightweight snap. As for the length, get a leash that is one foot longer than your height.

Slipchain collars come disassembled. To form the collar, take the chain in both hands, the right hand on one ring, the left hand on the other ring. (The chain has two rings, one on either end) Lift the right ring higher than the left, flip the bottom ring (left) over to a horizontal position, then bring your right hand down. As you bring it down, the chain will form a loop which you will pass through the lower ring. You will now have a slip noose.

When you are ready to put the slipchain collar on the dog, face him and drop the chain over his head. If you do this correctly, the free end of the chain (with a ring) will be hanging to your right and the dog's left side. This is very important; the dog will be walking and heeling on your left side, and the chain has to exert the proper leverage to control him. After you have the slipchain on the dog, snap on the leash and you are ready.

GIVING COMMANDS

Limit your commands to the fewest words possible. Make them clear, loud and to the point. Long sentences intended to cajole the pup into doing what you want are meaningless to him. He responds to your voice tone and inflections, not your grammar and syntax. If you want the pup to sit, for example, give the command "Sit!" Refrain from the implor­ing-type command: "Come on, nice doggie, sit down." In making him come to you, simply order him to "Come!" Or you can substitute his name for the word "come." That is, you can if his name doesn't have too many syllables. Short, one-syllable names, such as Jack, Duke or Buck, are more practical. This is one reason why purebred dogs with long-winded pedigree names are given short kennel or "call" names.

PRAISE AND REPRIMAND

Your most effective training persuaders are praise and reprimands. Don't be stingy with the praise; when your dog performs correctly, let him know it. Your praise signifies to him that he has your approval. Furthermore, praise should not be forthcoming only when the pup gets a lesson down pat. It should also follow a reprimand. By reprimanding the pup when he errs and then following with some praise, you will be getting across two important points: 1) if the pup doesn't do what you command, you will be displeased and 2) even though you've reprimanded him, you are still his friend. You need have no fear that praise after a reprimand will lessen the impact of the reprimand. It will not. It has the effect of impressing him and at the same time wiping the slate clean. You can look at it this way: the pup makes a mistake and you correct him. Now he knows that he has done wrong. He'll try to do better next time. Then you praise him and he knows that everything is all right. Now, he'll do his darndest to get it right next time!

You will have to be judicial in your reprimands. Make the "punishment fit the crime." And to make an honest judg­ment, you should not only consider the fault but also the pup's age, aptitude, and the difficulty of the assignment.

The form of the reprimand, whether it is to be a scolding or a physical demonstration, depends on the circumstances. For example, if the pup doesn't get the idea of sitting down, you should show him how by pushing his haunches down. This is, in effect, a reprimand, and your voice and attitude during the demonstration should convey your displeasure. On the other hand, if the pup balks at a lesson, you repri­mand him with your voice. But regardless of the form, the reprimand should be administered immediately after the error or omission. It must be an on-the-spot correction. Call­ing the pup aside fifteen minutes later and telling him he made a mistake is a sheer waste of time.

APPLYING EMERGENCY MUZZLE

Make a loop large enough to fit over dog's muzzle.

(Right) Quickly slip noose or loop over dog's nose and tie on top.

(Below, left) Bring ends down under dog's lower jaw and tie.
(Below, right) Tie both ends around behind the dog's ears with a bow-knot.

RESTRAINING DOG FOR EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT

Just keep a firm grip—don't wrestle with him.

TAKING DOG'S TEMPERATURE

Dip bulb end of rectal thermometer in vaseline or baby oil. Insert and keep in for at least three minutes.

ADMINISTERING PILLS, TABLETS, AND CAPSULES

Place well back in dog's mouth.

GIVING LIQUID MEDICINES

Make a pouch in the side of the dog's mouth and pour in liquid medicines from a small bottle or syringe.

SERIOUS BLEEDING

Control serious bleeding by direct pressure with a clean compress, towel, handkerchief, etc.

SNAKE BITE

Constriction, incision, and suction! A bottle from which the air has been drawn can be used as emergency suction apparatus (see text on snake bite).

ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION

Press hands down on dog's rib cage—release—wait—then press down again. Keep at it!

GROOMING

Grooming makes your dog look and feel good. Brush with and against the lie of the hair.

WALKING WITH DOG

An obedient dog in the city is a pleasure-a disobedient dog is a nuisance and a pest. Keep your dog under control when taking him for a walk

SITTING AT CURB

Teach him to stop and sit while waiting for the traffic light.

LEFT TURN

Use your right knee to urge the dog into a left turn.

CURB YOUR DOG!

Don't be an irresponsible dog owner. If you live in the city, curb your dog!

All photographs: Claire von Buchwald MacNeilïs Chesapeake
Bay Retriever; Grainger Studio.

Ignoring his friendly overtures when he bolts a lesson or keeps making errors is another form of reprimand. Instead of getting a pat on the head or a playful tussle, he gets the "deep freeze" treatment. But when you do ignore him, don't walk away in a huff. Bring him back into line and start the lesson over again.

The leash can also be used to reprimand the dog. In heel­ing, for instance, the pup may try to rush ahead or lag behind. A sharp yank on the leash followed by the command "Heel!" will let him know he's done wrong. When he does get back at your heels, praise him.

Threatening or striking a dog during training is a con­troversial subject. Some trainers use physical force, resorting to threatening gestures or striking the dog when he balks or errs. Others scorn the use of physical force and stoutly main­tain it is not necessary. Doubtless there will come a time when the pup really gets you irked and you feel like giving him a good swat. When the pup is stubborn or incorrigibly lax, a slap with the end of the leash may help put his mind to the task.

There will be those who will object to this statement, say­ing that it is cruelty to animals to strike a dog. When admin­istered as an instructive rebuff, the slap or swat is not cruelty. It is a natural punishment. Let us see how domestic and wild animals teach their offspring. When a bear cub doesn't head for a tree when his mother gives the danger signal, or if he stops to sniff at a rattlesnake, the mother bear gives him a cuff on the head. The cub gets the point and scampers up a tree.
If a pup misbehaves or tries to eat his mother's food, she nips him. This helps him to learn not to misbehave or steal his mother's food. A mother cat will whack her wayward kitten with her paw, letting the kitten know he has erred. These examples go on and on, in the animal as well as the bird kingdom. These physical reminders to obey are abso­lutely necessary. Nine times out of ten, the bird or animal may find that his life depends on instant obedience. He must learn the lesson well, even if it has to be cuffed into him. And none of the bird or animal youngsters ever seems any the worse for the experience.

But you will have to learn the difference between slapping to teach and striking out of anger. The animal or bird parents do not cuff, bite or peck out of anger. Likewise, your slap or cuff should not be used as an outlet for rage or frustration. Whipping the dog while in a fury, beyond the point of rea­son, is cruelty. When you get to that stage, stop the lesson and cool off. Or, better still, dismiss the class and wait for next time.

YOUR CLASSROOM DEPORTMENT

Each lesson should be approached with a businesslike atti­tude. Both you and the dog are there for work. You have a definite schedule and objective. Conduct the lessons in a professional manner, using slow, deliberate movements. Avoid fast, jerky motions; the chances are the pup will mis­interpret them.

How you use your body and arms during the lessons will have an important bearing on your ability to communicate with the dog. He's going to watch your body and your hand movements, as well as listen for your voice. Avoid miscues. Always synchronize hand signals with the proper voice com­mand. Do this by giving the voice command and then follow­ing it with the hand signal.

THE BASIC COMMANDS

Sit!

Teach the pup to sit as his first lesson. There are several good reasons why you should start with this command. First, sitting comes naturally to dogs since they often sit to rest. Two, teaching the pup to sit is relatively easy, a lesson that he will learn very quickly. Three, you will find the sit position an excellent base or jump-off spot from which to launch the other commands. When the pup is sitting, he is quiet and under control. The sit position is akin to the five basic foot positions of the ballet dancer. From the five positions, the ballet dancer can execute any number of steps or combina­tions, from an entre chat to a capriole.

The sit position has practical applications, it is not just a trick. When walking the pup, you will find the sit useful at intersections, when meeting a friend, and in various other situations where you want the dog to be quiet and under control.

Start the lesson with the pup on the leash. You can place him on your left side; later he'll be walking or heeling from that position. Hold the leash in your right hand, give the command "Sit!" and lift up on the leash. This will raise the pup's head. With your left hand, push down on his rear end. Repeat these movements until the pup sits down without your having to lean on him. Then unsnap the leash and give the command. If he balks or sits down only halfway, put him back on the leash and start over. He'll soon learn that when he doesn't obey, he'll be restrained with the leash. Praise him well when he gets the lesson right.

Next, introduce him to the appropriate hand signal. Move a pace or two in front of the dog, give the command "Sit!" and hold up your forefinger in an admonishing gesture. Let him see it. Keep repeating the lesson, using both the com­mand and the hand signal. While the hand signal has its best use when working at a distance, such as in the field, there are many situations in which you will find it useful. One of these is when there is too much noise for your dog to hear your voice.

Stay!

Teaching the pup to stay after he's learned to sit at your command is a natural step. The combination of sit-stay is one that will help keep your dog out of trouble or possibly save his life. See that he learns it.
Even though the pup can now sit without being restrained on the leash, snap on the leash while you are teaching him to stay. This will be a more difficult lesson, for the pup will want to move or race after you. Hold the leash short in your left hand, give him the command or signal to sit, then follow with the command "Stay!" Show him the hand signal: palm of the right hand raised toward him. Keep repeating the command "Stay!" and at the same time emphasize the com­mand by pushing your palm at the dog.

After the pup is staying (even though you are still very close to him), you can advance the lesson. Back away a few steps, give the command and hand signal, and hold him in position with the leash. Remember, the further away you move, the more eager the pup will be to go to you. Hold him in place with the leash, repeating the command and hand signal. Give him some praise.

Once you have him staying a few feet from you, the next move is to increase the distance between you and the pup. Move backward to the end of the leash. Give him the com­mand to stay and reinforce it with the hand signal. If he breaks out of the sitting position and dashes over to you, reprimand him, give him a pat on the head, and take him back and start over again.

Gradually increase the distance between you and the dog. In a few weeks, you will be able to leave him and go out of sight. This will be the supreme test; if he sits and stays when you are out of his sight, he rates plenty of praise!

Come!

Most of the time the pup will come when you call him. Notice we said most of the time. That is not enough. You want him to come every time you call him, not when he feels like it or expects something. You cannot consider your dog properly trained unless he instantly obeys your command to come. There must be no hesitation on his part; come means come.

In addition to wanting to please you, the pup also wants to come to you. In fact, it's all he can do to restrain himself from dashing over to you. Fine. This makes a good place to start. Later, you will want him to come from any position and place.

Before starting the "Come" lesson, give the pup a warm-up. Run him through the sit-stay a few times to get him into the spirit of the lessons. Next, give him the command or hand signal to sit, follow it with stay, then move off about twenty feet. Now, give the sharp, clear command "Come!" (or use his name), at the same time slapping your knees as you bend over.

If the pup dawdles or bolts away for a romp, go to him, issue a reprimand and give him the sit-stay commands. Move back from him and repeat the command "Come!" If he still insists on giving you the "you-chase-me" treatment, go to him, chastize him, and make him sit-stay again. This time fasten a twenty-foot rope to his collar. Walk to the end of the rope, turn around and give the command "Come!" As you give the command, tug on the rope. If he digs in, haul him toward you and keep repeating the command. He'll come to you when you pull him, albeit very unwillingly. But when he gets hauled over to you three or four times, he'll prefer to come without the rope. Try him. If he goes astray, put him back on the rope.

Some trainers use a hand signal for "Come!" This hand signal has its uses, mostly in the field. But even in the field it is limited, especially when you are out of sight of the dog. For general use, the voice command is best or you can use a "silent" whistle.

Heel!

There is nothing more exasperating to watch (or get in the way of) than an untrained dog on a leash moving along a crowded sidewalk. He crisscrosses in front of the dog-walker, trips people, and lunges his way through traffic. He's a pest and a peril.

Once you've taught your pup to heel, walking with him will be a pleasure. When he's mastered the lesson, the pup will walk close to your left side, his head on a line from your left foot. And whenever you stop, the pup should automat­ically drop into a sitting position without a command.

Heeling is taught on the leash. Start from the sit-stay posi­tion, but first give the pup a warm-up by running him through the three commands he's already learned.

When the pup is warmed up and ready to go, put him into the sit-stay position on your left side. Hold the leash in your right hand, letting the leash loop toward the ground. Your left hand should grasp the leash halfway between the dog and your right hand, giving you a corrective hold when needed. You are now ready to start.

Give the command to "Heel!"—followed by the dog's name; e.g., "Heel, Buck!" As you give the command, step briskly forward with your left foot. You can expect one of several maneuvers from the pup: he will dash forward, re­main sitting or lag behind. Each one of these requires in­stantaneous correction. If he dashes forward, feed out the leash and, when he gets to the end of it, stop him with a hard yank.

Walk up to him, make him sit-stay, pat him on the head and start over again. If he remains sitting, step back­ward to him and repeat the command to heel, urging him forward with the leash. If he lags behind, don't drag him; wait for him to come up to you, then make him sit-stay and start again. Praise him each time after the reprimand, whether it's a voice or leash correction.

After the pup is heeling well on the leash, you can teach him to come to a sitting position when you stop. The pup already knows how to sit on your command. When he is heeling, walk him a short distance, then stop and give the command or signal to sit. Keep repeating this walk-and-sit routine and eliminate the voice command. Repeat the walk-and-sit, using the hand signal, until the pup has it down pat. Then do away with the hand signal. In a short time, the pup will automatically sit down when you stop.

TURNING

You'll have to teach the pup to turn right or left while heeling. Otherwise, he'll be walking straight when you want to turn and you will trip over him.

Right and left turns

You can easily teach the pup to make forty-five- or ninety-degree turns to the right or left. Teach him while he is on the leash. To make a ninety-degree turn to the right, first alert the dog by shortening your steps. When you think he is alerted, and when your left foot is forward, pivot on your right foot and proceed in the new direction.

If the dog fails to turn right, stop and start again. This time, hold the leash in your right hand, using up about half of the length. As you turn right, pull the leash and dog around with you in a semicircle and step off in the new direction. Ease up on the leash pressure when you're on the new course, give the command "Heel!" and give the dog some praise.

The left turn is made in a similar manner, except that you have an extra persuader. Alert the dog for the turn by short­ening your steps. Then, while your right foot is forward, pivot on your left foot. As you turn, bring your right knee up and across your left leg and bump the dog's right shoulder, pushing him around to the left. If you have a small dog, you can't use your knee to nudge him to the left. Use the side of your right foot. When the pup gets the nudge, he'll turn out of your way. The right and left turns have the same steps as the right- or left-flank movement in military drill.

The forty-five-degree turn right or left is made in a similar fashion as the ninety-degree turns. Simply shorten your steps, pivot on the right or left foot (depending on which way you want to turn) and make half-turns. Keep practicing all turns until the pup automatically swings right or left when he sees you shorten your steps.

HEELING WITHOUT THE LEASH

Make no attempt to heel the dog off the leash until he is letter-perfect on the leash. If he still makes errors walking on the leash, whether heeling or turning, eliminate them before proceeding to off-the-leash training.

The first step in the off-leash training is to suggest to the dog that he is not being restrained, except when he makes a mistake. You do this by exerting no hold or strain on the leash (although you should be ready to make a quick correc­tion). Give the dog a warm-up of the lessons he knows, then order him into the sit-stay position. Attach the leash to the slipchain and stick the end of the leash into your pocket or drape it over your shoulder. This will take the pressure off the leash. In a sense, this is similar to the dual controls of a trainer airplane. The novice holds onto one control stick, the instructor has the other. But the instructor has a light grasp on the controls, allowing the novice to fly the plane. He's ready to take over at the first error or sign of danger. So it is with you and the pup; he's really walking unre­strained, but you are ready to take over when necessary.

With the leash dangling from your pocket or shoulder, give the command to heel and step out briskly. At the first sign of hesitation or mistake, immediately correct the dog. Either give him a jerk with the leash or reach down, hook your finger into the ring of his slipchain and yank it. Praise him and start over.

When the dog is responding well to this dual-control lesson, you are ready to put him on his own. Make him sit-stay and unsnap the leash. Give the command to heel and step forward. Put him through his paces: walking, running, turning and stopping in the correct position. Correct any error or omission, either by hooking your finger in the slip-chain ring or stopping him and giving him a voice reprimand. If he runs ahead of you (now that he's discovered he's off the leash), call him back and begin over again. If you want to reprimand him, go to him, tell him "No!" and repeat the lesson. Be lavish with the praise.

TEACHING THE PUPPY ETIQUETTE

Now that your pup has learned the basic commands, h¢ will be a better citizen. He is not, by any means, a trick dog, nor is he browbeaten. He's a dog under control.

You may, if you wish, go on with the dog to more advanced training that will lead to competitive obedience trials or proper etiquette in the show ring. Among these are advanced maneuvers such as figure-eights and circles while heeling; tracking, fetching and other advanced work. What he knows now, though, makes him an obedient dog.

However, by way of finishing school, you can teach him some simple etiquette. He can be taught to stand and not to jump on people or chase cars.

Standing

Teaching the dog to stand is usually done for the purpose of examination in the show ring. But you may find it useful when you and the dog meet someone on the street. You also have the option of commanding the dog to sit.

Start from the sit position, heel the dog and, as you are walking, switch the leash to your left hand. Next, give the command to "Stand!" Immediately follow the command with a hand signal: put your right hand, palm down, close to the dog's nose. Repeat the command "Stand!" If he moves, tap him on the nose with your hand. He'll soon learn to stop and stand.

Jumping up on people

Correcting the pup when he jumps up on people requires a reverse technique from the one you have been using in the basic commands. You now have to teach him not to do some­thing.

There are several methods for convincing the pup he shouldn't jump up. One is to take the psychological approach. The reason the dog jumps up is simply that he wants to reach your face. So, remove the attraction—bend down to him every time he comes to you. When your face is down near his level, he has no reason to jump up. But you will have to get the other members of the family to cooperate on this one. If they encourage the dog to jump up and you discourage it, there's going to be a confused pup. While some dog owners don't mind the dog jumping up, strangers (particularly those in clean or white clothes) will not take too kindly to such an effusive greeting by your dog.

The dog may try to jump up when you least expect it. If you are quick enough, you can stall him by grasping his front paws, waltzing him back and away from you, then pushing him down. Another method that can be used on a large dog is to plant your knee on his chest as he leaps up. The impact will usually throw him back. When he drops down, imme­diately tell him "No!"—then give him the command to sit. Praise him when he sits.

Car chasing

This is a habit that has to be stopped before it becomes chronic. Car chasers are difficult to rehabilitate. Prevention is worth a pound of cure in this case. If you are out with the dog and he suddenly gets the urge to chase a car or bicycle, make him come to you and give him the command to sit-stay. Release him and have a friendly tussle with him to get his mind off the car or bicycle. If he tries to dash after another car, give him a severe reprimanding and make him sit-stay. A full discussion on this bad habit is given in

TRAINING HINTS

Set regular sessions, ten to fifteen minutes twice a day. Keep the lessons short and don't run overtime.

Don't feed the pup before his lessons, he'll work better on an empty stomach. Avoid giving him a tidbit every time he performs to your satisfaction. You want the dog to learn that when he performs his lessons correctly, you will be pleased. When he errs, you will be displeased. You don't want him to perform like a trained seal; for every trick, a tidbit. He's anxious to please you, tidbit or no tidbit.

Always give the dog a warm-up before going on to the next lesson. This will get both you and the dog in the mood.

Keep your temper and the pup's interest. Build his confi­dence, don't tear it down. Don't blow your top when the dog makes a mistake. This will serve only to ruin the lesson. If you find yourself getting angry or edgy, stop the lesson. You can resume when you've cooled off.

Be liberal with your praise when the dog does his job. Mete out the reprimands with good judgment. When he errs or omits a movement, reprimand him right away. Follow up the reprimand with a pat on the head or a word of praise, letting him know that you and he are still good friends but that you do expect performance.

Stay away from distractions. The pup will be hard pressed to concentrate on his lessons without having to cope with other dogs, cats or people. Clear the classroom and keep vis­itors away.

Finally, resist the temptation to show off your dog. The basic commands are not meant to be circus or vaudeville tricks. Each of them has a definite purpose and should be used only when the need arises.

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