Week Three - The Third Action (Becoming Stationary)

Once the dog knows how to turn off the Tri-Tronics collar by bending, and by responding to "Here," "Heel," "Kennel" and "Place," it's ready to learn to turn off the Tri-Tronics collar by becoming stationary. We will use the commands "Sit" and "Down" for this action.

TRAINING "SIT" WITH THE COLLAR
You can accelerate learning with most dogs if you first attach the Tri-Tronics collar around the dog's waist with the contact points on top of its rump. The collar looks strange on the dog's rump, but this point-of-contact method helps the beginning dog learn. The dog's natural inclination to react away from the stimulation on its rump will cause it to sit quickly. (If the collar strap doesn't fit around the dog's waist, buckle two collar straps together.) You may need to insert a lower-level intensity plug into the collar for this lesson because most dogs are more sensitive on the rump than on the underside of the neck. Also, some dogs are startled by the feeling of a strap around their waists. If this happens, calmly reassure the dog and have it sit quietly while it gets used to the strap.

You can teach most dogs to sit more quickly if you first attach the Tri-tronics collar around the dog's waist with the contact points on top of its rump.

Now with the Tri-Tronics collar around the dog's waist, attach a leash to a collar on the dog's neck. Tell the dog to "Sit" and guide it into a sitting position without using electrical stimulation. Leave it sitting and step back to the end of the leash. Now tug gently on the leash and watch the dog's butt. The instant the dog moves its butt off the ground, press the button, say"Sit!" and take a step toward the dog. The electrical stimulation the dog feels on the top of its rump will automatically cause it to resume sitting. Be consistent. The dog must learn that it will consistently feel discomfort the moment its butt leaves the ground.

When the dog remains sitting as you give a light tug, immediately put slack in the lead and say "Good-Sit." It's best at this stage of training to repeat the command after the praise to remind the dog not to get up. As the dog gains confidence, you should phase out the reminder and just say "Good dog." Soon you will notice that the dog's natural opposition reflex will cause it to resist being pulled from its sitting position when you tug lightly on the leash. Gradually, increase how hard you pull as the dog learns to resist and tries to keep its butt on the ground. Don't pull so hard, however, that the dog cannot remain sitting.

If the dog should happen to lie down instead of sitting, gently tap on its front feet with the toe of your shoe and repeat the command "Sit." The tap will usually cause the dog to pull its front feet back and it will rise into a sitting position.

	Tug gently on the leash and watch the dog's butt. The instant the dog moves its butt off the ground, press the button, say "Sit!" and take a step toward the dog.

If the dog persists and continues to lie down, put the Tri-Tronics collar on its neck. Then when it lies down, command "Sit!" and use a higher level of intensity. (Momentary stimulation is ideal for this purpose.) The stimulation on the underside of the neck will usually pop the dog up into a sitting position, but if it doesn't, guide the dog into a sitting position with the leash.

Keep your dog's attitude positive during all this control work. Frequently say "Break" and skim a fun bumper along the ground.

"SIT" FROM MOTION
Once the dog has learned to remain sitting when you tug on the leash, begin teaching it to stop and sit on command while you keep walking. Once again, you may want to begin with the Tri-Tronics collar positioned on top of the dog's rump.

With the dog heeling on leash, command "Sit!" as you step in front of the dog and quickly turn to face it. When you do this, your body will block the dog's forward motion. Hesitate and back slowly away to the end of the leash. Wait a moment at the end of the leash and then give a few light tugs.

With the dog heeling on leash, command "Sit" without stimulation as you step in front of the dog and quickly turn to face it. When you do this, your body will block the dog's forward motion. Then hesitate and back slowly away to the end of the leash. After a few repetitions to familiarize the dog with this exercise, begin applying stimulation as you say "Sit!". Release the button when the dog's butt is on the ground. If it tries to follow you, repeat "Sit!", and counter any step the dog takes forward by taking a step toward the dog. Then move to the end of the leash, wait a moment, and give the dog a few light tugs. By now you should see the dog resist the tugs with some obvious determination.

With repetition, begin to phase out turning in front of the dog. Practice until you can command the dog to "Sit!", drop the leash, and walk briskly away with no break in your stride. Now repeat the exercise off leash, only this time from a run rather than a walk As you continue running, command "Sit". Dogs tend to develop a very quick sit when taught from a run rather than just a walk.

When the dog will respond correctly to "Sit!" as you continue running, put the collar back on the dog's neck. Now repeat the steps previously described until the dog responds to the "Sit" command as confidently with the collar on its neck as it did with the collar around its waist.

	By now you should see the dog resist the tugs with obvious determination. Practice until you can command "Sit!," drop the leash and walk briskly away with no break in your stride.

TRANSITION TO THE AVOIDANCE RESPONSE
Once your dog is trying to sit quickly, the required periods of stimulation will become shorter. Now allow the dog to make a comparison and understand that quick obedience avoids stimulation. Give the command "Sit!" without electrical stimulation. If the dog sits immediately, have it remain sitting a moment and then release it with "Break" and a fun dog training bumper.

REINFORCING SIT AT HEEL
Now you can teach the dog to sit automatically at heel when you stop moving. As you come to a stop, tell it "Sit!" without using stimulation. After a few repetitions to familiarize the dog with this idea, just come to a stop and hesitate a moment before commanding "Sit!". Soon the dog will start trying to beat the stimulation and it will sit automatically when you come to a stop.

You can correct a slouching sit by stepping slightly on the foot that is under the dog's body. It will pull that foot back and sit correctly.

If you have a dog that rolls over on its hip, correct it by stepping lightly on the foot that is under its body. It will pull that foot back out and sit correctly. With consistent repetition, the dog will learn to sit straight the first time.

REINFORCING THE "SIT WHISTLE"
The dog is now ready to learn that one short whistle blast means the same as "Sit." This is easy for the dog to learn if it first hears the whistle, immediately followed by the verbal command combined with low-level stimulation.

	Follow the "Sit Whistle" with the "Sit!" command, using stimulation. The dog will chain the two together and quickly learn that the whistle preceeds the "Sit!" command. It will soon start sitting on the whistle to avoid the stimulation.

Repeat the sit-while-running drill a few times, using the single whistle blast followed immediately by a verbal "Sit" command, without stimulation. (Use stimulation if you need to give a second command.) After a few repetitions to introduce the dog to the response you want, begin following the whistle blast with the "Sit!" command. The dog will chain the two together and quickly learn that the whistle precedes the "Sit!" command. Now it will start sitting on the whistle to avoid stimulation.

If your dog already knows the "Sit Whistle" from prior training, the above procedure does not apply. Instead, you should just teach the dog to turn off stimulation by responding to the whistle. You can do this by applying low-level stimulation just prior to giving the "Sit Whistle." After several repetitions the dog will respond quickly to avoid stimulation. Now you can give the whistle without stimulation and only use the collar if the dog fails to sit.

When the dog sits on the whistle command without verbal or electrical reinforcement, release it by saying "Break" and throw it a fun dog training bumper. Now go for a walk and make sitting a game. The quicker the dog sits to the whistle, the quicker it gets a fun bumper. The dog will believe that sitting can cause fun bumpers to happen.

Once the dog becomes equally adept at sitting on both the verbal command and the whistle, begin using the verbal command when the dog is next to you and use the whistle for sitting when the dog is at a distance.

STEADYING

Go for a walk and make sitting a game. The quicker the dog sits to the whistle, the quicker it gets a fun bumper. The dog will believe that sitting can cause fun bumpers to happen. Go for a walk and make sitting a game. The quicker the dog sits to the whistle, the quicker it gets a fun bumper. The dog will believe that sitting can cause fun bumpers to happen.

The best time to teach the dog to be steady is after it has learned to turn off stimulation by sitting on command. In addition, allowing the dog to retrieve is part of steadying so your dog should thoroughly understand "Hold" before you begin. Understanding "Hold" will help ensure that the dog does not develop any mouth problems during this stage of training. Also, be sure your dog's desire to retrieve has developed sufficiently to withstand the restraint of waiting to be sent. You don't want the dog to become confused and think that it's not supposed to retrieve.

To begin steadying the dog, have it sit facing you about ten yards away. Be prepared to command "Sit!" instantly if the dog's butt should leave the ground. Now toss a bumper over your shoulder so that it will land several yards behind you. This will leave you standing between the dog and the bumper so that your position blocks the route to the bumper and discourages the dog from breaking.

On the first few throws, help the dog by repeating the command "Sit!" at the instant the dog training bumper is thrown and again as it hits the ground because that's when the dog is most tempted to break. Use the Tri-Tronics collar to instantly reinforce "Sit!" if the dog should get up. Release the button when the dog's butt is back on the ground. After the bumper lands, hesitate a moment and then send it to retrieve.

Use the dog's name as a command to send it for marked retrieves. Teaching the dog to wait to hear its own name before going is helpful at times when the dog must remain steady while hearing commands meant for other dogs. By utilizing your placement and your timing, you can guide the dog through this steadying drill. Without a dog leash the dog feels free and the decision to behave correctly rests with it. By using the blocking technique, placing yourself between the bumper and the dog, you simplify the concept for the dog. Once the dog is steady when you throw the bumper behind you, begin moving off to the side so you do not block the direct line between the bumper and the dog. Gradually move closer to the dog until you are standing next to it when you throw. Now repeat this procedure but use birds instead of bumpers. Be sure you keep a close eye on the dog to prevent it from creeping. If you cannot throw and still watch the dog, have someone else do the throwing.

	To begin steadying the dog, toss a bumper over your shoulder so that it will land several yards behind you. Your position blocks the route to the bumper and discourages the dog from breaking.

RETRIEVING FROM A REMOTE LOCATION
Hunting situations can require that you send your dog from a distance to make a retrieve, and this requirement is incorporated into hunting tests and occasionally into field trials. Hearing your voice coming from a distance when it is sent to retrieve can confuse a dog that is only accustomed to being sent from your side.

To have your dog retrieve from a remote location, begin by putting out the familiar mat. Say "Place" as you command the dog to get on the mat. Then take your dog several feet away from the mat and send it to its "Place." Now throw a dog training dummy and release the dog to retrieve. Each time you throw a mark have the dog wait a few moments in its "Place" before you send it to retrieve. After it delivers to you, have it return to its "Place." Gradually increase your distance from the dog until the dog works from a remote location that is several yards away from you.

Now have someone else throw the mark. After each retrieve, have the dog deliver to you and then return to its "Place" before another mark is thrown. Soon your dog will view this activity as a game and will become accustomed to working from a remote location.

TRAINING "DOWN" WITH THE COLLAR

Leave the dog standing next to the stake. Then command, "Down!" and, if necessary, guide the dog down with the rope.

The dog has already learned the meaning of the word "Down" but now needs to understand that "Down" is also a command it must obey in order to turn off electrical stimulation. For this lesson, position the collar so that the contact points are on top of the dog's neck. The dog will naturally move away from the stimulation and this collar position will make it easier for the dog to learn during the initial training phase.

The best place to teach "Down" is at a tie-out stake which has a swivel ring on top. Run a long rope through the ring on top of the tie-out stake and tie one end to the dog's collar. By tying the rope to the collar, you can guide the dog all the way to the ground without the snap getting in the way. With the dog next to the stake, put it in a down position and walk to the end of the rope. The moment the dog gets up, command "Down!" and pull it back down. Stop the stimulation as the dog's elbows touch the ground. Then calmly praise the dog and let it remain down for awhile. Return to the dog and take it by the rope near its collar. Command "Heel" and walk the dog around for a short time. Return to the tie-out stake and repeat the procedure.

Now wiggle the rope as a distraction and be ready to reinforce "Down!". When the dog remains down even when you wiggle the rope, you can proceed to the next step.

Now the dog is ready to learn to lie down from a standing position to turn off stimulation. Leave the dog standing next to the stake. Pull the slack out of the rope as you walk away so that the dog cannot follow you. Then command "Down!" and, if necessary, guide the dog down with the rope.

Once the dog does not need to be guided down with the rope, take it away from the stake and put the dog on a leash. Now you are going to proceed the same way you did with the "Sit" command, giving light tugs on the dog leash after the dog has responded to the command "Down" and using mild stimulation whenever the dog tries to get up. Repeat this procedure until the dog resists the pull of the leash.

When the dog is reliable at these lessons, put the collar on in the normal position and repeat the lessons. Be sure to reward the dog's obedience with frequent fun bumpers.

Gradually increase distractions until the dog is reliable under all circumstances and in different locations. It will learn that it can turn off the stimulation by complying, and will lie down quickly on command. It will also learn to remain down around exciting distractions until you release it.

	A tip for hunters: Cover all but the dog's head with a piece of burlap and require it to remain down while covered.

Here's a tip for hunters:
When the dog becomes reliable at staying in the down position, cover all but its head with a piece of burlap and require it to remain down while covered. This will be helpful when you're hunting and want to camouflage the dog.