Paws In Pursuit: A To Z Challenge - X Is For X Marks The Spot

Thursday 28 April 2016

A To Z Challenge - X Is For X Marks The Spot

Teaching your dog to target a variety of objects can be incredibly useful and can serve you well when you want to teach him more advanced commands. A simple hand touch is surprisingly simple to teach, and from then on, you can teach your dog to target many more objects using the same technique. Clicker training your dog to perform this command makes the process even easier, as you can simply click and reward every time your dog shows the desired behaviour. Hold out your hand, and every time your dog makes contact with it, click and reward. When your dog fully understands his task with confidence, you can add your desired vocal command and/or hand signal. Once your dog has learnt this command, you can replace your hand with different objects and use the same technique. This command opens up a wide variety of training doors for you and your dog; the many training opportunities that can arise from this one simple command are endless! The same command can also be successfully taught with the paw.

Ethel

As long as your dog understand that X marks the spot for rewards, he is bound to love touching your hand and different objects at every given opportunity! This command can even open several sporting doors; many Heelwork To Music handlers use the target command to teach their dog to work away from them and be able to send away to different props during a routine. Obedience handlers also use the hand touch command to teach their dogs to walk to heel and press their nose against their side where the hand is positioned. Agility handlers use the target command to teach their dogs to touch the contacts on the contact equipment, often using the two-on-two-off method. This is taught with the paws instead of the nose, but a similar principle applies. One simple command can do so much for you, your dog and your training progress!