Obedience Class for Chip

[Fluffypants]

hmmmmm . . . methinks I need a long line! Another item for my corgi-equipment list!

[corgimom]

Barbara,

Yes, I have one of those long leashes - I know I need to practice that - If
I stay off this forum more often, I can squeeze that in.

Linda

[Chip's Mom]

Me too! I have got one - just need to start using it. Maybelle will look real cute when Chip does circles around her and wraps her & me up in it. Poor Maybelle!

[corgimom]

I love that Hat Chip is wearing - that is a hat, right?

linda

[Chip's Mom]

Thank you,Yes it is a hat. I bought it, especially for wearing on the boat, at Walmart. It helps keep the sun out of his eyes. I am thinking about getting him sunglasses next. I am getting eccentric.

[darci]

I am loving the hat.

[Chip's Mom]

Chip and I had our first session of Obedience and it went well. He does best at "watch" I am having a little problem with down though as he knows down for putting his front feet on the end table, jumping on people, etc. When we tried it in class, he looked at me so confused so I told the instructor and she helped us. I am now telling him to lie down. (Is this ok) My question is - With Chip's short little legs, all he has to do is lower his nose from the sit position to reach the treat. I have tried stretching it out but that is not working well either. Also putting pressure on his shoulders. He just doesn't know what I want him to do! Any ideas? I crouch down on the floor with him and that seems to help some. I give lots of praise and kisses for Chip when he does it. By the way, I am the only one in class that bestows kisses for praise. I love my Chip.

[corgimom]

Chips mom,

I taught Cody to lie down- he has been doing it for quite awhile.It is to the point now that once he sits, I can now just give the "hand signal" with no words and he automatically lies down.

I think the "lie down" would be fine for Chip since he associates just "down" with something else. When Chip is sitting, can you lower the treat to the floor in front of his nose and at the same time slide your hand under his front legs so that would encourage him to go into the lie down position? and at the same time saying "Lay down"(I think that I am now recalling that this is what I did) and then immediately reward him with a small treat and lots of praise.


I have found that I already had taught Cody some commands using my own words and then in class, they may use something else - so rather than confuse him, I stick to what I already taught him.


The neighbor kids wanted to try and give him treats last night and get him to do some tricks, so I helped them and Cody did the "shake paw" for them and "roll over", but first, he had to give them all his Corgi kisses on their toes and then their faces. Once he greats them and gets over the initial "wiggles", then he lays down on the grass and is usually pretty quiet.

linda

[Chip's Mom]

I will try that. I don't like the idea of pushing on the shoulders anyway and I don't apply any pressure when I do it so that sounds like a much better way for our little ones. How old is Cody? I can't remember. What did you use for treats? I am thinking about using tiny pieces of real meat as the ones I used Thursday night were too rich and he got sick also it was very warm in there and Chip isn't used to the heat.He is addicted to air conditioning.

[corgimom]

I use freeze dried Lamb Liver for treats - I order it from the Drs. Foster and Smith Catalog. You can buy Beef freeze dried liver at some pet stores, but Cody has some allergies so I only use the Lamb. I was also able to find some Venison liver that they sold at his doggy day care that he occasional goes to. I cut these into very small pieces, as the trainer says he only needs a "taste"

He cannot tolerate those commercial treats sold like "Pupperoni" and all those "regulars" that you find in the stores - he gets major diarrhea from those, so I spend way more for ones that agree with him.

You could use your own real meat, the trainer last week had a Sirloin steak cut into small amounts. She also suggested a hotdog cut into very small bites, but I don't think Cody could tolerate a hotdog. Also, can bake your own beef liver sprinkled with a touch of garlic powder and cut into very small pieces; or even a few very small pieces of cheese. I have to remember to
cut his food consumption down at meal time after practicing commands and
him eating extra treats.

I honestly am having a hard time remembering how I got Cody to lay down, but try what I suggested. When you put your hand under his front legs once he is sitting, he may naturally stand up instead of go down - not sure. The trainer at my last class, did say to apply some pressue to the upper back area to help get them to go down, but Cody already knew this command once I started so I didn't have to do that.

Cody is 8 1/2 months now.

linda

[tandemgal]

Down was the hardest command for Chloe to learn! We tried with holding the treat between her front paws and going further under her but she would just slide backwards. Then we put the treat again floor level on the left or right side of her front paw (right worked best on Chloe) and as she would reach for the treat I would move it further back close to her body. Finally about midway between her front paw and back leg she slide down to reach the treat! BIG PRAISE and do it again... it took a good week for her to grasp down.

BIG TIP - when your training for lay down it was easier when I sat down on the floor with Chloe. Even though I my resemble a corgi (short legs, round middle, and lets not talking about the shedding! ) it was "ruff" to keep bending over to touch the floor with the treats... and when Chloe was sliding backwards and I was already ready to tip over walking with my head between my knees ... come to think of it that must have been pretty "ruff" on the others in the class toooo

[Jeni D]

We taught Dudley very much the same way T-Gal did. Place the treat in front of him and slide it backwards under his chest. It seemed to work very well, and when it failed we used the light pressure on the shoulder area. Dud caught on very quick to this trick, although he has been pretty slow with others like shake.
I also agree it was much easier to teach him while sitting on my knees on the ground. Now all I have to do is touch the ground and he immediately lays down (I'm not entirely sure he even knows what the word "Down" means, he just knows the hand signal.) We used hot dogs for his treats, he would only eat the cheap, generic ones--hated oscar mayer for some reason, go figure

[Chip's Mom]

Chip did his first lay down last night - I was so tickled. and he repeated it four times! He lays to the side though but I am proud anyway. That is kind of how I have taught him with the pressure thing. I get on my knees too!