I think we over-did it with maintained sits/downs....

• 11-16-2007 1:08 PM

  houndlove Joined on 08-28-2006 Pittsburgh, PA, USA Posts 4,054 Points 995

  I think we over-did it with maintained sits/downs.... Reply Contact Okay, so there are definitely worse problems to have. But here goes.... Marlowe knows "sit' and "down" as maintained behaviors, meaning, I don't have a "stay" command, just "sit" until I tell you to stop sitting with a release word ("OK!"). I did put a lot of work into them because I'd never had a dog who could stay before and I thought it was so awesome and also very useful. I made maintaining the position very rewarding and being released very boring. And I think I did too good of a job. Marlowe now has such a solid stay but more and more I release him and he just keeps on sitting there. As I say, there are worse problems. Mostly the time that I kind of need him to not stay any more is at agility class when I set him up and do a lead out and it kind of takes some convincing to get him to stop staying and start running. We kind of have the opposite problem from all the other dogs in class! So, how can I make the release more reliable without actually making it so rewarding that he starts to break his stays? Cressida and her best friends:

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• 11-16-2007 1:29 PM

  In reply to houndlove

  Jewlieee Joined on 03-23-2007 MI Posts 7,322 Points 4,610

  Re: I think we over-did it with maintained sits/downs.... Reply Contact First, I have to laugh because that is kind of a funny problem to have. Second, I'd say to work on an actual Stay command so that you divide up the behaviors 1)sit 2)stay 3)release. He should catch on to stay very quickly since he is already doing it. You just need to label it and practice it with lots of different settings and distractions. That way you can make the release actually rewarding. Also, to get him to release his sit he has going now, toss the treat away from him along with saying "OK!" good dog so that he has to get up to get the treat.

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• 11-16-2007 1:57 PM

  In reply to houndlove

  corgipower Joined on 09-10-2007 new jersey Posts 792 Points 0	Re: I think we over-did it with maintained sits/downs.... Reply Contact i don't have a "stay" command either. as for the release, i have always been very enthusiastic in releasing, and i've never had it turn into a problem with breaking the stays. Proud member of the tenth place CISRA 2008 team!! tweleve.org corgipower.com My Dog Votes!
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• 11-16-2007 2:12 PM

  In reply to corgipower

  Liesje Joined on 03-02-2007 Posts 9,918 Points 655

  Re: I think we over-did it with maintained sits/downs.... Reply Contact Kenya is *supposed* to maintain a sit and down, but that doesn't always happen.  A quick hand in front of her face means "wait" and she will do that.  When I release ("OK"!) I usually take a jump or step or throw my arms up.  She's not so consistent with only verbal commands.  She's actually best with only hand signals or body language.  If I just stand there and stoically say "o.k.", she wouldn't move.  I have to say it with enthusiasm and a little movement in order to get the motivation and movement from her.  She actually enjoys the release, b/c often for a good sit-wait she is rewarded by being invited to jump up on me, so the release is like a reward to her, a burst of energy.  http://vankelderdogs.dutchbingo.net http://www.schhmi.com

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• 11-16-2007 2:30 PM

  In reply to Liesje

  Cassidys Mom Joined on 09-02-2007 SF Bay Area Posts 805 Points 100

  Re: I think we over-did it with maintained sits/downs.... Reply Contact Liesje: When I release ("OK"!) I usually take a jump or step or throw my arms up.    I totally agree. While I do sometimes use a stay command, I also taught my dogs that they are to remain in a sit or down until released. I started with very short sits, just a second or two before the release, working up to longer times. I found that saying "okay!" in a high happy voice and jumping back a step helped them "get" it. If they broke before the release I'd give a verbal marker ("ah ah") and calmly put them back in place, and then release. You shouldn't have to to this forever, but I think it does help them grasp the concept. In our agility classes they really stressed that we have a reliable voice cue for the release to make sure that we weren't inadvertently releasing our dogs with our body language (such as a head bob) prior to the command. I started practicing that at home by first holding very still when I released, and then actually ducking around a corner so that I was completely out of sight when I gave the command. Dena v TeMar 9/12/04 Keefer (Lakota v TeMar) 8/25/05 Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

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