Dogs Training Commands

Marker Words : “YES” & “UH-UH”

TIMING is a crucial component of effective dog training.  The appropriate implementation of positive and negative word markers can make a world of difference to how well your dog responds to your verbal cues.

The positive word marker is “yes”. This should be used the exact second the dog does the behavior.  For example, if you say “Scooby, sit,” the second his bottom hits the ground, you should say “yes, ” thereby marking the behavior when it happens.  “Yes” essentially tells the dog he did the right behavior and reinforcement is forthcoming.

The negative word marker is “uh-uh”.  This is implemented once the dog understands the behavior and chooses not to do it. The negative word marker is “uh-uh.”  Uh-uh essentially means, “whoops, that’s not right, let’s try again”.  The negative word marker is often associated with a step towards the dog, effectively infringing on his territory.  Effective timing is very important for this command as well.

Commands:

Below are the most commonly used commands.  We may have discussed all or some of these depending on your particular needs.  Keep in mind that the actual word you use for a behavior may be different than my suggestions.  For example, you may use “lay” instead of “down.”  That’s absolutely fine as long as everyone in your family is using consistent verbal cues.

  


Sit The dog gets into the sit position on cue.

Down          The dog gets into the laying down position on cue.  This command is different from the “off” command, which means all four feet on the ground.

Stay          The dog is not allowed to move from a specified position…i.e., sit or down.

Wait          This is boundary training.  This means the dog cannot cross a certain boundary you have set for him.  He can be in any position he chooses.  The command is a very important safety and leadership exercise.  The best place to implement this command is at the doorway.

Release     This is your dog’s “release word” which effectively means the

dog is done with a particular behavior.  You use this word (many trainer’s use “OK”) at the end of each exercise so that your dog knows the exercise is over.  Otherwise your dog will think it’s his decision when the exercise is over.

Leave it    The dog should not look at or move towards a specified object.  For example, if you drop a piece of bread, you can tell your dog to “leave it” and he should remove his attention from it. This is different than the “drop it” command which means to drop what they have in their mouth.

Off            The dog keeps all four feet on the floor.  No jumping on people, countertops, furniture, etc.

Right Here The dog walks nicely on your left (or right) side without pulling.  Heel is a more formal version of this command.

Come          The off leash come is usually the most difficult behavior to achieve.  Your dog will need a tremendous amount of reinforcement for this behavior and you will need to have realistic expectations.  Please refer to the Off Leash Recall handout for more information on this particular exercise.

Words of Wisdom:

Remember that the sequence of commands is always the same, regardless of what command you are using.  Say the dog’s name, give the command, give the positive or negative word marker depending on his response and then give the release word.

For example: “Bisty, down.  Yes, good boy. Release”

No yelling:  Try to keep your voice calm and under control at all times. Dogs respect a pack leader who is calm, cool and collected.  If you aren’t careful, you can inadvertently train your dog to only listen when you are yelling.

Be patient:  Dog training should be fun and a special bonding time for you and your companion.  If you are overworked or overtired, don’t train.

Be generous: You won’t need to have treats on you forever!  But, it’s important to be generous in the distribution of a motivator when you are training.  We will work with you on weaning off the use of food, however you will never stop reinforcing your dog.