One training thing

Selina27

Selina27

Location
Herefordshire, UK
I taught Black Cassie "Hand touch" a good few years ago, and it's always been a strong g behaviour for her. She loves it, and it's possible to make it quick and high energy.
It comes in handy :)giggl:) on so many occasions - it definitely helped with retrieving to hand, sometimes doubles as a recall and leave it as well.
Since our daily walks have changed recently I have started to use it to stop unwanted interaction with other dogs - you all know the sort, I am sure I don't have to explain!
Yesterday I upped the reinforcement with hot sausages, always a winner for Cass, and I was very pleased today that after using hand touch for the first dog we saw on seeing the second she Immediately
made eye contact with me and put herself in heel position. I was so very pleased with her, that dog was at quite a distance though so we need to work I closer proximity.
It got me wondering if any one else a "game changer" behaviour that they have trained. If there was just one thing you'd do again, what would it be?
 
Natalie

Natalie

Something we did with Monty was the Ready... Steady... Go cue - each word ramping up with excitement, until on 'Go' we would start to run and he would inevitably run after us. Monty 90% bimbled and sniffed on walks - which was mostly fine, but if you did just need to make some progress occasionally this was a trick to distract and get him to move along a bit faster. Somehow it never got over-used and he absolutely loved the game too, would love the attention and definitely laughed along with us.
 
kateincornwall

kateincornwall

Location
Cornwall , UK
I wish that I had started gundog training earlier with Reuben . Sam always loved it but this lad of mine is passionate about it . Prior to starting , he was a horror , totally unreliable apart from on the beach when he was an angel but get him in the woods and oh dear , it all went to :poo: , Once I got him hooked on retrieving , it all changed for the better thank goodness , he is no angel but I no longer have a sinking feeling when I take his lead off . I dont want a robot , just for us to enjoy our walks together and now we can ( most of the time ) xxxx
 
HAH

HAH

Moderator
Location
Devon, UK
I taught Kipper to stop with a quick tongue click so I could put on his lead - sort of inadvertently, when he was a baby I’d always treat him after clipping on or unclipping his lead to encourage closeness and avoid him rocketing off, and this turned into a tongue click, then treat; over the years the treat has faded, unless he asks, but the tongue click and stop until he’s attached is actually really useful. I’m doing the same with Stilton and he’s taken to it quickly.
 
Atemas

Atemas

UK Tour Guide
Location
North Cambridgeshire
Teaching ‘middle’ as a pup has been invaluable. Not only is it one of my recall words but also it’s Red’s safe space. Anything she is unsure of, she do a middle. If I am chatting to someone, she’ll do that and sit down.

Thank you for reminding me of ‘touch’. I haven’t used that for ages. Sometimes Red can be quite slow on walks - she loves to sniff - instead of me nagging her (well just a bit), I’ll use that more
 
edzbird

edzbird

Location
Isle of Man
This one's a bit controversial. Paw. We taught Belle to give her paw, and she became such a nuisance with it, begging. Well we all know now that it's not the best "trick" to teach. However, all dogs who come from the MSPCA seemed to be taught it while they are staying there. Coco and Meg both know it really well and we have never taught it. With Meg though, it has really helped with her being able to bond with her lovely new vet, James. I'm glad she knows 'paw'. I still wouldn't teach it to a new pup though.
 
MellowYellow

MellowYellow

I have three invaluable cues. First is a really solid 'stop' to the whistle. I especially find this one useful in the woods at the weekends, when there are lots of mountain bikes whizzing around. Recalling can be dangerous if a bike is coming up behind you, whereas 'stop' means the dog sits down and the bike can safely pass by.

The second cue is 'shake' - which has saved my walls and my sanity on many occasions!!

The third is 'do wee-wees', which is especially useful with Merlin if we are going indoors anywhere (e.g. the vet or a shop). It sort of reminds him that he should pee outside and NOT indoors!!
 
Stacia

Stacia

Location
Malvern Worcestershire
MellowYellow said:
I have three invaluable cues. First is a really solid 'stop' to the whistle. I especially find this one useful in the woods at the weekends, when there are lots of mountain bikes whizzing around. Recalling can be dangerous if a bike is coming up behind you, whereas 'stop' means the dog sits down and the bike can safely pass by.

The second cue is 'shake' - which has saved my walls and my sanity on many occasions!!

The third is 'do wee-wees', which is especially useful with Merlin if we are going indoors anywhere (e.g. the vet or a shop). It sort of reminds him that he should pee outside and NOT indoors!!
Click to expand...
I train the stop and I thought it was petting good, stopped her chasing a Muntjac, but this morning, three young pheasants in the field were three pheasants too many! She can do shake and also "be quick' on cue.
 
Atemas

Atemas

UK Tour Guide
Location
North Cambridgeshire
I have trained ‘wait’ which is very useful especially now we have Molly with us on our walk. We have to wait ages for her sometimes whilst she does her own thing. Red is very patient. The only cues Molly responds to is ‘sit’ when I have a treat in my hand. Typical Labrador 😊

’Go wee’ is one I started very early and is brilliant especially when we are travelling. Sorry Helen I know you said ‘one thing’ but I’d definitely do these too
 
Candy

Candy

Biscuit Tin Guardian
Location
West Yorkshire, UK
Atemas said:
I have trained ‘wait’ which is very useful especially now we have Molly with us on our walk. We have to wait ages for her sometimes whilst she does her own thing. Red is very patient. The only cues Molly responds to is ‘sit’ when I have a treat in my hand. Typical Labrador 😊

’Go wee’ is one I started very early and is brilliant especially when we are travelling. Sorry Helen I know you said ‘one thing’ but I’d definitely do these too
Click to expand...
Yes, I taught Joy 'Be quick' as a way of asking her to wee on demand and I also find this very useful when we're travelling together.( Also when it's raining heavily and blowing a hooley!)
 
M

M.F.

Hand signals. It’s never been more useful than now that Snowie has lost his hearing. And I’m so pleased we can still communicate with him about specific behaviours even when he can’t hear.

We weren’t intentional about training the hand signals. They just came naturally at the time.

Come, with open arms, is the most gratifying. He responds not only by coming, but also by pulling his ears down and smiling, as if he feels the open arms in the same way as we do. 🥰
 
Granca

Granca

Atemas said:
I have trained ‘wait’ which is very useful
Click to expand...
Yes, I’ve trained that too - just ‘wait‘, whether sitting or standing. Usually it works well, but not this morning when I was doing Tuppy’s treat hunt in the garden. There were two more to hide (always in the same place for the hidden ones) and she’d just found the rest, so I asked her to wait while I went to hide the final two… but then there was a wet nose hovering!

Candy said:
I taught Joy 'Be quick' as a way of asking her to wee on demand
Click to expand...
That’s a useful one too!
 
MellowYellow

MellowYellow

Hollysdad said:
With a young and excitable cockapoo the ‘hand touch‘ has become a very useful command. Its really good at distracting her from an imminent indoor zoomie. A useful visual command is the ‘arms wide’ recall. She sees it and comes running at full speed, then sits at my feet waiting for a reward. Great when off lead.
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She sounds lovely. Maybe time for some updated photos??
 
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