Your dog is looking forward to his daily go outs, but does he have dog obedience issues that make you dread taking him out for his walk? Is Marmaduke constantly pulling on his leash, interrupting friendly conversations and forcing you into a jogging spree?

There Goes Marmaduke ...

Here you are, anticipating a nice, leisurely walk with your dog after a long day's work, only to have Marmaduke ruin your plans for a well-deserved, relaxing break. He's got his own agenda: sniffing every bush and mailbox in his path, jumping on total strangers, deciding on a whim to cross the street regardless of oncoming traffic.

The worst part is that he is making you look bad. One moment, he is the perfect pupil, obeying your commands like he was born to please. The next, he has lost all sense of hearing; you simply don't exist. Let's just say that Marmaduke is in serious need of dog obedience and behavior modification.

Chances are, all Marmaduke needs is to have his memory refreshed. Just review the basics of dog obedience terminology with him, like let's go, come and heal. Keep repeating until Marmaduke has got it down pat and can practically do it in his sleep. But remember to vary the commands and cut the practice sessions short when he loses interest.

The Down on Recall Quandary

A complete home dog obedience training involves mastering the toughy: how to train the down on recall in dog obedience. That's the one your pooch is most likely to resist. Why? It's really quite simple when you stop to think about it: the basic commands like come or heel are easy to learn, mostly because you're right next to your dog, and you're in control of the leash.

But in the down on recall, there are many issues we canines have to overcome. First, the taste of freedom tends to go to our head: there is so much to smell and investigate out there, not to mention so many distractions. So, if we don't come immediately, don't assume we have heard you and simply chosen to disobey.

And when we finally get the message, we're happy to oblige and can't wait to reach you to show you how clever and obliging we are. But half way there, you suddenly change your mind and order us down! So we figure you made a mistake (or maybe we didn't hear well or you were really talking to someone else), and we just keep coming at you as fast as we can ... and that's not right either.

So that down on recall command needs to be perfected at home before we venture out. Your best bet is to get your dog to become a pro at come and down first. Then, when you've got your dog in the down position, back up from him a foot at a time and praise him. Keep increasing the distance until he gets it. Then, do the same exercise, only turn your back on him as you move away from him, always in small increments, a foot or two at a time.

Canine Wisdom on Puppy Obedience

One of my favorite dog training tips about puppy obedience is that you should start early, as young as six weeks old. By the time he is six months old, he should have mastered the basic commands. Remember that an older dog will take longer to learn --isn't it uncanny how human-like we can be at times?--, so you'll need to arm yourself with patience. In my humble opinion, people are often in a rush to show off to their friends, so they cut corners. They fail to realize that only after numerous repetitions are we canines ready for the road show.

Remember, practice makes perfect. When your dog is perfectly comfortable with the basic commands at home, take him to the park and show off -- both of you! Now that you've got dog obedience handled, Marmaduke's go outs will no longer be an excuse for mischief.

Amber, Dog Training Star


Amber has been sniffing out top secrets from expert dog trainers & behaviorists in order to help you understand & communicate with your best friend. Being a dog whisperer is truly the key to stress-free dog & puppy training.

(c) Copyright Amber, DTS. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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