Leash Lessons: Stand for Chaos
Today's lesson is how to stand firm in sea of chaos. We demonstrate two out of three methods of standing. We tried all three but you'll see. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you had a wonderful week, and were able to rest up as well as get things done. Ours was fun, but also fruitful, and hopefully I am more completely caught up on … work. I will finally get caught up on life and dog training and handling. (And writing. -Tod)
I have to say that most people focus on teaching sit and down as dog tricks because they are trying to get their dogs to stop jumping, running, or otherwise being an amazingly cute minion of chaos. But being able to control when your dog stands can also be helpful.
We can tell Crokell to stand and stay, and pretty much inspect him from head to toe with him being find about being poked and prodded in ways that I would not accept even from a doctor. For example, right now he has a sore leg. We can tell him to stand and then move the leg to stretch, rub it, or otherwise help him with it. It is just one of the examples of how stand is a skill is useful for taking the dog to the vet or if you need to groom out mats. Or if you just want to be able to get your phone from out from under them… ask me how I know.
Teaching your dog to stand on command can also be a fun and engaging activity. This "Stand for Chaos" exercise is designed to help your furry friend maintain their composure in distracting environments. Let's dive into this playful twist on leash training!
Reminder
Before we jump into the chaos, let's start with the fundamentals. Similar to all new actives:
Begin in a quiet, distraction-free area of your home.
Have your dog! (Or cat!) It is important to have the training subject present.
Here, we start from a sit. Eventually, you can work into starting from a down.
A final reminder: above, Aki demonstrates a calico stand. A reminder to everyone that sometimes, animals have a mind of their own. Enjoy it, and try again later.
The Basics of Standing - Stand Forward
We start with the simplest version of stand.
Get the training subject (to be referred to as dog for the rest of this) to sit next to you.
Hold a treat near your dog's nose and slowly move it forward, encouraging them to stand.
As soon as all four paws are on the ground, say "Yes!" and reward with the treat.
Repeat this process, gradually adding the verbal cue "Stand" just before you remove the treat.
You can see in the videos (more with Dante than Crokell) that this method gets them to step forward. There are other ways that don’t involve moving forward.
The Stand - Pop-Up
In the Pop-Up, we place our foot under the dog, near their genitalia. We are not kicking them. We are not hitting their groins. We’re just placing our foot under them, to ask them to stand.
Get the dog to sit next to you.
Move your foot into the dog’s space - right where their rear foot is.
As you do this, hold a treat near your dog's nose.
As soon as all four paws are on the ground, say "Yes!" and reward with the treat.
Repeat this process, gradually adding the verbal cue "Stand" just before you remove the treat.
The Kickback Stand - Pop-Up Back
You can tell in the videos that I didn’t learn or teach this method to either dog.
Start by having the dog sit.
Then push the treat towards their mouth but don’t let them take it.
This should cause the dog to move backwards, forcing them to stand.
As soon as the back paws are out say "Yes!" and reward with the treat.
Repeat this process, gradually adding a verbal cue “pop-up” just before you remove the treat.
Basically you will start by teaching back up and then have that move into a stand. Therefore the pop-up stand is often for a more experienced dog.
Sometime you want there to be different words for similar commands that have different versions. Like Stand and Pop-Up here. We originally taught Crokell to “sit” where he moved backwards to sit. For competition sits, where he stays in position, we use Japanese “suwatte” 座って.
Introducing the Leash
Once your dog has mastered the basic stand, it's time to add the leash:
Attach a leash to your dog's collar.
Practice the stand command while holding the leash loosely.
Reward your dog for standing calmly with the leash attached.
Stand Stay for Chaos: The Game
Now for the fun part! Let's turn standing into a game of focus and control:
Start in a low-distraction area with your dog on a leash.
Ask your dog to "Stand" and Stay and reward them for complying.
Begin to create gentle "chaos" around your dog. I would ask for someone else to help. They are your chaos.
They can wave their arms
Make soft, silly noises. (I use monkey noises. I’m really good at them. -Tod)
Lightly bounce a toy nearby
If your dog maintains the stand, praise and treat generously.
Gradually increase the level of distraction:
Move more energetically
Increase the volume of your noises
Bounce the toy more vigorously
Continue to reward your dog for holding the stand position. And praise when the dog stays in the stand. Including increases amounts of treats.
Progressing to Real-World Chaos
As your dog becomes more proficient, take the game to new levels:
Practice in different rooms of your house.
Move to your backyard or a quiet outdoor area.
Introduce a helper to create distractions while you manage the leash and rewards. This means you can add distance or distractions.
Eventually, try the exercise in busier but safe environments like a park.
Tips for Success
Keep training sessions short (5-10 minutes) and end on a positive note.
If your dog breaks the stand, simply reset and try again with less distractions.
Use high-value treats to maintain motivation during challenging scenarios.
Remember, the goal is to make leash training fun and rewarding for both you and your dog. With patience and consistency, your furry friend will soon be a master at standing calmly amidst the chaos of the world!
Are you ready to turn your daily walks into an exciting game of "Stand for Chaos"? Your dog's newfound focus and composure will make leash time a breeze, and you might just have a blast in the process!
Tips of Chaos
If you find a stray llama on your travels, consider adopting it; they’re surprisingly good at negotiating with hostile aliens!
Questioning Critters
If your pet could be any other animal for a day, what do you think they'd choose and why?
-Anna and Tod