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Those Frustrating Utility Signals! UTILITY! OR AS SOME SAY FUTILITY!
One of the most frustrating set of exercises to train a Golden Retriever
for, but one of the most rewarding titles to earn.
The best fun ever --- exhibiting in Utility! Besides training the go-outs, which is a whole other article in
itself, training signals can be very frustrating for both dog and handler.
The dog must learn to take its cue from the handler without being
dependent on its hearing. It must
also learn to do this at a distance of approximately 20 feet.
Initially, the dog will be trained to do hand signals on leash with
the handler at the dog's side. Two
elements are generally trained first, the down, then the pop into a sit. The down, can be easily taught to the dog from the front, by raising
your hand and commanding down. A
slight tap on the lead that is held straight out from underneath the dog's
muzzle can reinforce a dog that is inclined to do this motion slowly.
For the dog to pop into a sit from the down, it is desirable for the
dog to move its front backward to its rear when learning the sit, rather than to
go forward to its front. The simple
way to accomplish this is to stand in heel position, facing the side of the dog
and to bring your right foot to the dog's front paws.
The dog will bring their front paws back and pop into the sit.
Adding in a "yes" or a treat will encourage the dog to perform
the exercise and dogs quickly learn this behavior when a sit signal is added to
the motion. Once the dog is proficient in down and sit, and the light bulb has
gone on, the next step is to add distance. It
is usually this step that our little Goldies have so much trouble with.
We all know they are wonderful "velcro" dogs, but get distance
and they become insecure, forgetting every lesson taught.
One way of working on distance signaling is to put a light, long
line, over your clothesline pole. Draping
the line over the pole will allow you to use this as a pulley.
The line can be loosened as you are signaling the down command, and can
be used as a pulley to bring the dog into a sit.
The line also prevents the dog from coming to you, which is the typical
response for the dog during this learning phase.
If you do not own a clothesline pole, another way is to put an eyehook in
the rafter of your garage and work on your lesson there.
An important part of this lesson is to phase our your verbal commands and
use signals and the pulley to do that work.
Verbal praise should be limited to only reinforcing the right response by
a "good" or "yes" when the signal is done right by the dog! |
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