HONORING

[cheeko]

What are some good training sessions on getting your dog to Honor?

[Faithful Retrievers]

Training group.

[Denlan4]

I have two retrievers, so I usually practice honoring everyday...not just for fetching but everyday commands like...like sit, come, heel, etc. Usually prefaced by the dog's name..."Fido, stay"; "Rover, come."

Sometimes, on marks, I have my pups stay while I go fetch the bird or marks. They have to honor me.

One of the "proofs" that I use is a some "chatter" on the line..."Dog #6", "Mike", "Bear", "Blackie", "Guns up!"...etc. I try to condition my pup not to launch at every sound, but to wait for his name and/or command.

I also proof the honoring dogs by having another dog run right past the honoring dog to fetch.

I also sit/stay the honoring dog remote from me. Spots/positions, on the boat, on the table, in the box, on the mat, etc...

Years ago I had a dog, that at first would scootch a bit, then...scootch forward a bit more...you know the story. Now, I know better. I do not allow any forward movement. It got to the point that it looked like he was doing a forward moon walk by curling his toes! Make the basic, sit/stay your basic drill...proofed to the hilt...honoring is just another temptation for Rover to move his butt.

My routine now is to start teaching "sit" with small temptations, like handler movement and or longer time while the dog is on a leash with a choke chain...then escalate the temptations as the dog improves or learns to sit under different situations and conditions. I also use a small table or platform for sit so that I know that he knows that I know when he has moved.

I am sure you know your dog well enough to know his weaknesses and can think up your own proofs. I treat honoring as an extended proof for the sit command.

A learning story...
So, years ago when I got my first retrievers, I had my pup in a plastic kennel in the back of my pick-up truck. As I open the kennel, I have my dog "wait" so he does not bust out as soon as I open the door. I have my dog, come and sit so that I can put on his training collar. He comes and sits in front of me while he is still in the bed of the truck. As I begin to place the collar around his neck, he immediately stands up! I think he is just eager to begin his training work out. I command him to sit. Again, he sits...and again as I try to place his collar, he stands up! Now, I am a patient trainer, but I know he knows this command thoroughly and I am getting a bit peved. Well, who is this dog??!...shining me on like this!!...

Suddenly, I burst out laughing in a sadistic way and realizing how stupid I was being; and all the while profusely apologizing and hugging my dog...In the bed of the truck, I had a full-sized rubber mat. It was summer time, and the mat was extremely hot. When I told pup to sit, he was frying his oysters on the scorching mat!!...my bad