Command response time

[bluebell]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get a dog to respond immediately to certain commands, instead of thinking about them for a while before obeying?

I have been incorporating commands into Shadow's playtime, so he knows that he has to obey if he wants to keep chasing his ball. But he is so slow to listen!

He will drop his ball pretty much every time when asked, but he takes ages to do it, usually chewing on it for some time before finally dropping it.

He's getting better at sitting now, but he does give it a good think, and sort of settles down into it, rather than just dropping onto his bum. His 'lie down' is just terrible when we are out - he knows very well what it means, but 50% of the time he ignores me when I ask him to lie down during play, so I have to keep saying it. If he ignores me 3 times, I take the ball, put it away and ignore him for a minute before trying again.

I try to enthuse him as though it's part of the game, jumping around and doing a theatrical dropping motion when I tell him to do it in the hope he will catch my enthusiasm, but he seems to see it as an interruption and not part of the play, as he is not used to doing anything like this.

(I think the 'lie down' problem is because it is a different sort of down to the fast down I want, he knows the command but he associates it with lying down in his bed and on the floor when he's going to go to sleep or wait - curling up rather than dropping. I can see why this is not an appealing thing for him to want to do during playtime, and it takes far too long, so I need to teach him a new command for just dropping down on his belly, but how do I get him to respond quickly??)

[Darren Hyland]

Originally Posted by bluebell

Does anyone have any tips on how to get a dog to respond immediately to certain commands, instead of thinking about them for a while before obeying?

I have been incorporating commands into Shadow's playtime, so he knows that he has to obey if he wants to keep chasing his ball. But he is so slow to listen!

He will drop his ball pretty much every time when asked, but he takes ages to do it, usually chewing on it for some time before finally dropping it.

He's getting better at sitting now, but he does give it a good think, and sort of settles down into it, rather than just dropping onto his bum. His 'lie down' is just terrible when we are out - he knows very well what it means, but 50% of the time he ignores me when I ask him to lie down during play, so I have to keep saying it. If he ignores me 3 times, I take the ball, put it away and ignore him for a minute before trying again.

I try to enthuse him as though it's part of the game, jumping around and doing a theatrical dropping motion when I tell him to do it in the hope he will catch my enthusiasm, but he seems to see it as an interruption and not part of the play, as he is not used to doing anything like this.

(I think the 'lie down' problem is because it is a different sort of down to the fast down I want, he knows the command but he associates it with lying down in his bed and on the floor when he's going to go to sleep or wait - curling up rather than dropping. I can see why this is not an appealing thing for him to want to do during playtime, and it takes far too long, so I need to teach him a new command for just dropping down on his belly, but how do I get him to respond quickly??)

Could it be worth trying to reward him with treats the quicker he responds? Gradually work up to a very quick response over a period of time.

Shadow's confused... and so am i reading that! Are you using 2 commands then, 'down' and 'lie down' ?

Anyway... you just need to proof your command more so he'll do it during distractions. I don't understand why you want him to go down during play? Play is play. Down is not play but a command.

As Darren says I'd go with rewarding for fast reaction - use a clicker. Makes response time faster I find.

[gsdlover4ever]

Does he play with toys by himself, or do you play with him?

Why do you want him to lie down?

confused... lol

[ClaireandDaisy]

Ah, this is a really easy one.
Increase the desirability of the reward.
Try cooked liver - most dogs will turn somersaults for it.
My Daisy is toy-oriented. If I am training and it`s all quite laid back I use food treats. But if I want that quivering instant response I get her favourite Ballie out. Ballie wins every time.
Find out what floats his boat and use that for training. And make it fun. A bored dog is a slow dog.

[bluebell]

Sorry, I didn't make that very clear

When I take Shadow out, to play with his ball - which he loves more than anything else in the world, it is like a bit of prime steak to him - I use that as training time. Chasing his ball is his reward for doing well.

It's important that I don't just play ball without reinforcing any obedience, as he's new to us and I want him to realise that he has to behave to get what he wants - so he doesn't start trying it on when he is fully settled!

So if he drops his ball when I tell him, I throw his second ball for him straight away. I get him to sit sometimes, then throw his ball when he does, etc.

With the lie down thing, what I meant is that he will lie down at home, he's really good with it, but for him it means 'lie down on your blanket and have a good rest', not an obedience style 'drop down'. I think I just need to start from scratch on that with a new command.

Hope that makes more sense!!

[bluebell]

Originally Posted by ClaireandDaisy

Find out what floats his boat and use that for training. And make it fun. A bored dog is a slow dog.

yeah, Shadow really loves his ball too which is why I thought it was strange that he was taking so long to respond in order to get it - but I think it was just because he was thrown by the idea of having to work for something he wants

[Caryll]

What I used to do with my collies was to have 2 commands. "Down", said sharply & crisply was an immediate drop to the floor with no movement until released. That was the first one I taught them. The 2nd was "Lie Down" said in a much more relaxed way, which meant lie down but make yourself comfortable, and if you move I won't be angry! I didn't introduce this until the 'down' was just about perfect.

[bluebell]

Originally Posted by Caryll

What I used to do with my collies was to have 2 commands. "Down", said sharply & crisply was an immediate drop to the floor with no movement until released. That was the first one I taught them. The 2nd was "Lie Down" said in a much more relaxed way, which meant lie down but make yourself comfortable, and if you move I won't be angry! I didn't introduce this until the 'down' was just about perfect.

That is exactly what I am after, how did you go about teaching the sharp drop? I was thinking, treat towards the floor when in a sit, then working on the speed? I will have to try hard not to confuse him as he already knows the lie down, maybe I should choose a different command like 'PLAVSHK!' just so he doesn't get confused

Originally Posted by bluebell

That is exactly what I am after, how did you go about teaching the sharp drop? I was thinking, treat towards the floor when in a sit, then working on the speed? I will have to try hard not to confuse him as he already knows the lie down, maybe I should choose a different command like 'PLAVSHK!' just so he doesn't get confused

If you don't use it already then try Drop! for a fast down. I use a hand signal for a fast down. I already use Drop for them to release an object from their mouth. If I thought about it I should have taught Dead for that, and Drop for a fast down!