Obedience training usually refers to the training of a dog and the term is most commonly used in that context. Obedience training ranges from very basic training, such as teaching the dog to reliably respond to basic commands such as "sit", "down", "come", and "stay", to high level competition within clubs such as the
American Kennel ClubThe American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
and the
Canadian Kennel ClubThe Canadian Kennel Club is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. Beyond maintaining the pedigree registry, the C.K.C...
, where additional commands, accuracy and performance are scored and judged.
Obedience implies compliance with the direction or command given by the handler. For a dog to be considered obedient rather than simply trained in obedience, it must respond reliably each time the command is given, by what is commonly known as its handler. A dog can go through Obedience training and not be obedient. If a dog is referred to as being Obedience Trained it should comply immediately with every command its handler gives. In the strictest sense an Obedience trained dog is an obedient dog.
Training a dog in obedience can be an ongoing and lengthy process depending on the dog, the methods used, and the skill and understanding of both the trainer and the handler. The level of obedience the handler wishes to achieve with the dog is also a major factor in the time involved, as is the commitment to training by the handler.
Obedience training is often a prerequisite for or component of other training.
The actual training of the dog can be done by anyone, the trainer, owner, or a friend. Typically the individual who is caring for and living with the dog participates and trains the dog, as they will be the one who will be giving the commands. The relationship and trust between the dog and handler are important for success.
Basic or beginner's obedience is typically a short course ranging from six to ten weeks, where it is demonstrated to the handler how to communicate with and train the dog in a few simple commands. With most methods the dog is trained one command at a time. Though there may or may not be a specific word attached to it, walking properly on a leash, or leash control, is often the first training required prior to learning other commands.
History
Working dogA working dog refers to a canine working animal, i.e. a type of dog that is not merely a pet but learns and performs tasks to assist and/or entertain its human companions, or a breed of such origin...
s have always learned to obey commands related to the work that they historically performed, such as when a
sheepdogA sheep dog or sheepdog may be:*Livestock guardian dog, a dog used to guard sheep and other livestock*Herding dog, a dog used to herd sheep and other livestock*Sheepdog , a song from the album Bring 'Em In by Swedish band Mando Diao...
moves a flock of animals in response to a
shepherdA shepherd is a person who tends to, feeds or guards sheep, especially in flocks. The word may also refer to one who provides religious guidance, as a pastor.- Origins :...
's whistled directions, or a hunting dog searching for (or chasing down) quarry or leaving the treed quarry at the hunter's command.
In the twentieth century, formalized
dog trainingDog training: the process of teaching a dog to perform certain actions in response to certain commands which the dog is trained to understand. It is a general term which does not, by itself, describe what or how the dog is taught....
originated in
militaryA military is an organization authorized by its nation to use force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. As an adjective the term "military" is also used to refer to any property or aspect of a military...
and
policeA police service is a public force empowered to enforce the law and provide security through the legitimized use of force.The term is most commonly associated with police services of a state that are authorized to exercise the police power of that state within a defined legal or territorial area of...
applications, and the methods used largely reflected the military approach to training humans. In the middle and late part of the century, however, more research into
operant conditioningOperant conditioning is the use of consequences to modify the occurrence and form of behavior. Operant conditioning is distinguished from classical conditioning in that operant conditioning deals with the modification of "voluntary behavior" or operant behavior...
and
positive reinforcementIn operant conditioning, reinforcement occurs when an event following a response causes an increase in the probability of that response occurring in the future...
occurred as wild animal shows became more popular. Aquatic mammal trainers used
clickersClicker training is the process of training an animal using a clicker as a marker for behavior that will earn positive reinforcement. The clicker is a small mechanical noisemaker. Clicker training came about when Marian Kruse and Keller Breland, while studying as graduate students of Psychologist B.F...
(a small box that makes a loud click when pushed on) to "mark" desired behavior, giving food as a reward. The change in training methods spread gradually into the world of
dog trainingDog training: the process of teaching a dog to perform certain actions in response to certain commands which the dog is trained to understand. It is a general term which does not, by itself, describe what or how the dog is taught....
. Today many dog trainers rely heavily on positive reinforcement to teach new behaviors.
At a basic level, owners want dogs with whom they can pleasantly share a house, a car, or a walk in the park. Some dogs need only a minimum amount of training to learn to eliminate outside (be
housebrokenHousebreaking is the process of training a domesticated animal that lives with its human owners in a house to eliminate outdoors, or in a designated indoor area, rather than inside the house. The pet owner's desire is to break the habit of eliminating in the house, hence the term...
), to sit, to lie down, or to come on command (obey a
recall). Many other dogs prove more challenging. New dog owners might find training difficult and fail to make progress, because they expect dogs to think and act like humans, and are surprised and baffled when the dogs don't.
Dogs who demonstrate the previously mentioned basic skills, as well as walking reasonably well on a
leash----A leash or a lead or lead line is a rope or similar material attached to the neck or head of an animal for restraint or control...
and a few other minor tasks, can be tested for and earn the
American Kennel ClubThe American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
's (AKC)
Canine Good CitizenThe Canine Good Citizen program, established in 1989, is an American Kennel Club program to promote responsible dog ownership and to encourage the training of well-mannered dogs...
certification. While not a competitive obedience title, a CGC certification demonstrates that the dog is sociable, well behaved and reliable in public settings. Some insurance companies will waive breed restrictions on dogs with CGCs, and many states have passed resolutions supporting and encouraging CGC certification as a yardstick for canine manners and responsible dog ownership.
Dog Intelligence and Training
Certain breeds, such as Doberman Pinschers,
German ShepherdThe German Shepherd Dog , is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. German Shepherds are a relatively new breed of dog, whose origins date to 1899. As part of the Herding group, the German Shepherd is a working dog developed originally for herding sheep...
s,
Border CollieThe Border Collie is a breed of herding dog originally called the "Scotch Sheep Dog" that originated in Northumberland along the borders of Scotland and England...
s, Labrador Retrievers and
Golden RetrieverThe Golden Retriever is a breed of dog, historically developed as a gundog to retrieve shot waterfowl and upland game during hunting. As such they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and an instinctive love of water...
s, have reputations as being easier to train than others, such as some
houndA hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry....
s and
sled dogSled dogs, known also as sleightman dogs, sledge dogs, or sleddogs are types of dogs that are used to pull a wheel-less vehicle on runners over snow or ice, by means of harnesses and lines...
s. Dogs that have been bred to perform one task to the exclusion of all others (such as the
BloodhoundA bloodhound is a large breed of dog that was bred originally to hunt deer and wild boar, later specifically to track human beings by scent. It is famed for its ability to follow scents hours or even days old over great distances...
or
HuskyHusky is a general term for several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs. Because of strength and stamina, the name "Husky" is used extensively for sports mascots. Huskies were originally used as sled dogs in northern regions but are now also kept as pets...
), or who have been bred to work independently from their handler (such as terriers), may be particularly challenging to obedience train.
Dog intelligenceDog intelligence is the ability of a dog to learn, think, and solve problems. Dog trainers, owners, and researchers have as much difficulty agreeing on a method for testing canine intelligence as they do for human intelligence...
is exhibited in many different ways, and a dog who might not be easy to train might nonetheless be quite adept at figuring out how to open kitchen cabinets or to escape from the yard. Novice dog owners need to consider a dog's trainability as well as its energy level, exercise requirements, and other factors before choosing a new pet. Very high intelligence is not necessarily a good thing in a companion dog, as smart dogs can require extensive daily mental stimulation if they are not to become bored and destructive.
No breed is impossible to obedience train, but novice owners might find training some breeds quite difficult. The capacity to learn basic obedience—and even complicated behavior—is inherent in all dogs. Owners may need to be more patient, or creative, or both, with some breeds than with others.
Commands
The specific command word is not important, but consistency in usage is. There are certain commands that are accepted as standard and commonly used.
Basic commands
- Sit: The dog is in a sitting position.
- Down: A dog is typically down when its elbows (front feet) and hocks (rear legs) are touching the ground or floor.
- Heel: The dog's head or shoulder is parallel to the handler's leg on the left side of the handler.
- Come or Here: (referred to as the recall) "Call your dog" equals "come" or "here".
- Stay: The dog must remain in the position (sit, down, stand) and location under which the command was given until it is released by the handler.
Advanced commands
- Stop – a dog that will simply stop whatever it is doing and lie down on command no matter how far it is from its keeper is a dog that can be taken anywhere. Some handlers use the German
German is a West Germanic language, thus related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. It is one of the world's major languages and the most widely spoken first language in the European Union. Around the world, German is spoken by approximately 105 million native speakers and also by...
word Platz (related to "place", i.e. stay in position) for this action.
- Back up – keepers of large dogs or dogs with a reputation for aggressiveness can make strangers more comfortable by teaching the dog to back up on command.
- Growl – the inverse of backing up. Some owners teach non-aggressive dogs to growl on a subtle command – not the word growl, usually a small hand gesture – as a way of letting strangers know that you and your dog value being left alone.
- Steady – keep near by. The dog can walk free, but not dash off.
- Stand – dog stands still. Useful for grooming. Many dogs are groomed frequently and need to stand quietly during the process.
- Go to bed, kennel, or get in: Directs the dog to go to its bed or its crate
Crate training is the process of teaching a dog to accept a dog crate as a familiar and safe location. Dogs are den-dwelling animals and advocates claim that a crate can become a den substitute...
and to remain there until released. The dog has freedom of movement in that location to stand up, turn around, or lie down, unlike when placed in a Stay. Useful to keep a dog out from underfoot and safe in a busy or complicated situation.
- Drop or drop it: Dogs pick up all sorts of things, some of which they shouldn't have. A dog that drops anything on command, no matter how attractive (and "attractive" to a dog can be "rotten and smelly" to a human), is a dog under control that the owner can prevent from eating dangerous items or from destroying valued personal property.
- Leave it: An adjunct to Drop, directing the dog to not touch an item. Also useful before the dog has picked anything up. Leave it is also used in conjunction with Take it.
- Take it: The dog leaves a desired object, such as a toy or treat, untouched until given this command. Alternatively, the dog takes and holds an object which it has no interest in. This can protect an owner's, visitor's, or child's fingers.
- Give: The dog has an object in its mouth and "gives" it to its owner by releasing the object into the owner's hand. Object of choice in training is usually a light-weight dumbbell or a glove. This is useful for when your dog has one of your belongings and you want it back before the dog hides it or chews it up.
- Speak: A dog, when taught this command, will bark once (or more) when told to do so.
- Roll Over: When taught this command a dog will lie down, roll over, and stand back up.
- Attack: A dog will attack something (or someone) when told to do so. Common commands are either "Attack" or "Sick'em".
- Fetch: A dog will retrieve a thrown object (usually a ball or a stick) and bring it back to the one who threw it.
Flat collar
Flat collars are commonly used in
clicker trainingClicker training is the process of training an animal using a clicker as a marker for behavior that will earn positive reinforcement. The clicker is a small mechanical noisemaker. Clicker training came about when Marian Kruse and Keller Breland, while studying as graduate students of Psychologist B.F...
and other non-correction-based training, such as puppy kindergarten. They are also effective in training small dogs, however they tend to lift the dog off the ground when giving corrections while the dog is distracted or in high adrenal mode. They are typically made of nylon or leather, and fasten with a buckle or quick-release connection.
Slip collar
Slip collars (commonly called choke chain or check chains) are made of metal links or rolled material such as nylon or leather. A metal ring is at each end. Historically, slip collars have been used as a matter of course, mostly in North America and the UK. In the last few decades use of these collars has declined. Correctly used, the collar should make a quick clicking not zipping sound when quickly snapped and released to startle or get the attention of the dog and indicate to the handler that the technique was a swift jerk not a choke. The idea is not to strangle the dog, though this can happen if the collar is improperly used.
Martingale collar
Martingale collars (also called limited-slip collars) and are usually made of flat nylon with a smaller fixed-length section (made of either nylon or a short length of chain) that, when pulled on by the leash, shortens up tightening the collar around the dog's neck, to a limited extent. When properly fitted, martingales are looser than flat-buckle collars when not tightened, and less severely corrective than slip collars when tightened.
Prong collars
Prong collars (also called pinch collars) has the same design as the martingale collar but are made of metal links which have prongs on the inside of the collar. The collar is designed to inhibit forward movement and issue corrections by causing the dog temporary discomfort or pain. Proponents state that prong collars are gentler than slip collars. Sometimes rubber tips are fitted on the prongs to reduce damage to the fur and skin of the dog.
Shock collars
Shock collars (also known as E-collars) transmit a remote signal from a control device the handler operates to the collar. An electrical shock is transmitted by the handler remotely, at varying degrees of intensity, from varying distances depending on range frequency. It is also done automatically in the bark electronic collar to stop excessive barking, and invisible fence collar when the dog strays outside its boundary. Shock collars are widely accepted in some areas of the world and by dog obedience professionals . Shock collars are also banned in some countries, and some dog training associations, veterinary associations and kennel clubs condemn their use.
Leash
The leash or lead is used to connect the dog to the handler, lead the dog, as well as to control the dog in urban areas. Most communities have laws which prohibit dogs from running at large. They may be made of any material such as nylon, metal or leather. A six foot length is commonly used for walking and in training classes, though leashes come in lengths both shorter and longer. A long line (also called a lunge line) can be 3 meters (ten feet) or more in length, and are often used to train the dog to come when called from a distance.
Clicker
The clicker is a small hand-held device that makes a distinct, short sound to
markOperant conditioning is the use of consequences to modify the occurrence and form of behavior. Operant conditioning is distinguished from classical conditioning in that operant conditioning deals with the modification of "voluntary behavior" or operant behavior...
a desired behavior. (See
clicker trainingClicker training is the process of training an animal using a clicker as a marker for behavior that will earn positive reinforcement. The clicker is a small mechanical noisemaker. Clicker training came about when Marian Kruse and Keller Breland, while studying as graduate students of Psychologist B.F...
for a more detailed discussion of this methodology.) It has gained popularity in recent years as being a means of training that does not involve physically correcting the dog, though it may be used in conjunction with these methods.
Head halter
Head halters are an alternative to collars that works similarly to a horse halter. The halter fits over the dog's snout and behind its head (leading it to sometimes be mistaken for a muzzle). Halters reduce the dog's ability to successfully pull on the leash, but do not eliminate it. If the halter is used with a sharp jerk on the leash, neck injury to the dog may result, but used correctly head halters have not been shown to cause harm.
Competitive obedience
For dog owners who enjoy competition and relish the opportunity to work as a highly tuned team with their dogs, competitive
obedience trialAn obedience trial is a dog sport in which a dog must perfectly execute a predefined set of tasks when directed to do so by his handler. According the American Kennel Club obedience regulations...
s are available. Dogs can earn obedience titles, including an obedience championship.
In competition, merely sitting, lying down, or walking on a leash are insufficient. The dog and handler must perform the activities off leash and in a highly stylized and carefully defined manner. For example, on a recall, the dog must come directly to the handler, without sniffing or veering to one side, and must sit straight in front of the handler, not at an angle or off to one side or the other. Training for obedience competitions builds on basic obedience training.
The
United Kennel ClubThe United Kennel Club is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. According to the website, the club records 250,000 registrations annually. The UKC is not part of the International Canine Organisation, Fédération...
(UKC), the
Australian National Kennel CouncilThe Australian National Kennel Council is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by individuals across Australia. It was formed in...
(ANKC), the
American Kennel ClubThe American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
(AKC) and the Australian Shepherd Dog Club of America (ASCA) are some of the organizations which offer titles in Competition Obedience.
In recent years, a new form of Obedience competition, known as
Rally ObedienceRally obedience is a dog sport based on obedience. It was originally devised by Charles L. "Bud" Kramer from the obedience practice of "doodling" - doing a variety of interesting warmup and freestyle exercises....
, has become very popular. It was originally devised by Charles L. "Bud" Kramer from the obedience practice of "doodling" - doing a variety of interesting warmup and freestyle exercises. Rally Obedience is designed to be a "bridge", or intermediate step, between the CGC certification and traditional Obedience competition.
Unlike regular obedience, instead of waiting for the judge's orders, the competitors proceed around a course of designated stations with the dog in heel position. The course consists of 10 to 20 signs that instruct the team what to do. Unlike traditional obedience, handlers are allowed to encourage their dogs during the course.
Recently, another dog obedience competition has been gaining ground. Known as "Dock Dogs" this method of training has dogs jump off a "dock" and into the water. The dogs who can jump the furthest, on command, win the competition.
Obedience for Other Purposes
There are many reasons for training dogs beyond the level required for basic companionship. For example,
assistance dogAn assistance dog is a dog trained to aid or assist a person. Many are trained by a specific organization, while others are trained by their handler .-Classification:...
s must obey their "sit" and "down" commands perfectly at all times, but they do not have to conform to the rigid rules of competitive obedience.
Dogs competing in dog sports, such as
flyballFlyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from a start/finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring loaded pad, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball.Flyball is run in teams of four...
,
agilityDog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off-leash with no food or toys as incentives. The handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles...
or
SchutzhundSchutzhund is a dog sport that was developed in Germany in the early 1900s to test whether German Shepherd Dogs exhibit the traits necessary for police-type work, rather than simply evaluating a dog's appearance...
, must be trusted in an open field, off leash and surrounded by other people, dogs,
hot dogA hot dog is a moist sausage of soft, even texture and flavor, often made from advanced meat recovery or meat slurry. Most types are fully cooked, cured or smoked. It is often placed hot in a special purpose soft, sliced hot dog bun...
s, and flying discs. This requires more focused attention on the owner and a better recall than that found in most household companion dogs, and more advanced training than that required for formal obedience.
See also
- Clicker training
Clicker training is the process of training an animal using a clicker as a marker for behavior that will earn positive reinforcement. The clicker is a small mechanical noisemaker. Clicker training came about when Marian Kruse and Keller Breland, while studying as graduate students of Psychologist B.F...
- Dog sports
- Dog training
Dog training: the process of teaching a dog to perform certain actions in response to certain commands which the dog is trained to understand. It is a general term which does not, by itself, describe what or how the dog is taught....
- The Intelligence of Dogs
The Intelligence of Dogs is a book on dog intelligence by Stanley Coren, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver...
- Musical Canine Freestyle
Musical canine freestyle—also known as musical freestyle, freestyle dance, and canine freestyle—is a modern dog sport that is a mixture of obedience, tricks, and dance that allows for creative interaction between dogs and their owners....
- Rally obedience
Rally obedience is a dog sport based on obedience. It was originally devised by Charles L. "Bud" Kramer from the obedience practice of "doodling" - doing a variety of interesting warmup and freestyle exercises....
(Rally-O)