# Another brick in the wall: What Next for Tessie?



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Just spitballing here...

A really mannerly "give paw" or "shake" is a nice thing to have in a Golden ambassador, since it seems to really warm nervous kids up to watch your dog give you five. And then then can come over and try it, etc.

Also, training a Golden to play fetch with a little kid is really rewarding for dog and whatever kid you meet, and it's a bit different than playing the game with an adult.

Roll over is fun too if you want to show off your dog's awesomeness a little, as is teaching her to walk on her hind legs on command.

You can also teach Tess to jump up onto objects on command, which is surprisingly useful once the dog gets the idea.


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

Other than Astrophysics and Quantum Mechanics it looks like Tessie is doing great!!!!!


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

An Emergency down from a distance is one my grandfather and mom taught all our dogs, so I do too. You can teach Tessie the hand signal for down so she'll drop where she is when she sees it. This is key if she ever gets across a busy road or is approaching a skunk!

Off and Up( I am embarrassed to admit, my dogs know "uppy-puppy", but in agility class, I don't dare say it. It's nice for the vet's scale and other assorted reasons to know the "up" command. 

The word "Catch" is lots of fun. Our chief summer toy is a discraft frisbee. 


"Stand" is a good one.


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## avincent52 (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks. Jill suggested not to teach "shake" lest she turn into a paw giving, leg raking pathologically-paw focused canine politician. Maybe now that she's a little older. 

As for fetch, she's better than most pups, but she doesn't give the ball as readily as we'd like (yet.)

As for "uppy puppy" I've been trying to keep her "off" things so that she's a "downy clowny." A little the same with walking on her hind legs. 

Roll over seems like a good idea but I'm not really sure how to work the progression. 
Her down is a little "posed" and she's much more likely to spring right back up, than to melt into rolling on her back (if left to her own devices.)

Toast, FWIW, was Ethan's idea, kinda. He was joking about teaching her to say "toaster" and since we had already used the word "down" to teach what really should have been "off" we made "lay down" into "toast."

allen


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

avincent52 said:


> Thanks. Jill suggested not to teach "shake" lest she turn into a paw giving, leg raking pathologically-paw focused canine politician. Maybe now that she's a little older.


Yeah, they can go through that phase. The trick is to either delay the start or shape the behavior very carefully so you don't reward spontaneity or pushing scratching.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I like to teach mine to get in the tub on command, to not shake off any water until I close the curtain and step away, and to wait to get out until I lay out a towel and say "Front first" (front feet only, to dry them, then the rest of the dog can come out).

I also teach my dogs that they must NEVER exit a car, crate, or door without my direct permission. This is for safety... imagine if you break down on I-95 and you get out and your dog comes flying out... dead dog. Of course crating is good for this too but dogs can dart out of crates, too. I work hard to teach them that this is NOT acceptable. 

I like to train my dog to "go lie down" and to 'crate up" to get them to settle or go away when someone comes over, too.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

I'm a big fan of the "wait" command. I have Rookie wait at all open doors until I give him permission to go through. I also use it when crossing the street, or when putting his food down, etc.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

But, can your dog do this? Mine was only 7 months old here


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Doing all those things around distractions! ANywhere, anytime, etc. Especially coming away from distractions when called.

Go lie down (and stay there) -- as in, please stop pestering your humans!

Get that (pick something up for you as you point to it)

No dogs - I use that to get mine to clear a room

Stand - handy when grooming and they want to sit


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## beargroomer (Jan 2, 2008)

Tessie sounds super smart! 

I agree with teaching a good "wait."

As far as tricks go, I like "give paw" for around kids. "Take a bow" ("TA-DAAA" for us) is fun, too. 

"Achoo!" (you sneeze, the dog pulls out the handkerchief out of your pocket) is a big favorite of the neighborhood kids. This was one of the tricks suggested by our Advanced class teacher for the graduation (where she has each team show off some tricks) and Gibby, my usually not so fast-learning dog, learned this one in one session. It was easy because I had taught the "pick it up" Stephanice mentions above. We did the "achoo" for the first time in public yesterday by the playground and kids went INSANE with their laughter and "WOOOOWW"s. 




FlyingQuizini said:


> Get that (pick something up for you as you point to it)



This one really is great and to have the dogs carry stuff for you is good, too. Gibby and I went to Sport Chalet the other day and on our way to the register, I dropped the box of insoles I was buying that day. I had Gibby pick it up and carry the box of insoles to the cash register. My hands were pretty full so that was not only cute, but actually really helpful.


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## pburchins (Mar 11, 2009)

Leaping thru a ring of fire is my favorite trick ! Of course, you might need a circus outfit for Tess.  

Wow....Tess sounds like she is doing great on her commands. One thing I like to practice was a "go to command". A command that no matter what is going on the dog will stop and do. I worked on this with my first golden Riker and that was the sit command. Around the house and off leash we would practice it. One day it came in very handy. I was chipping golf balls in the yard and one got away from me and went across the street and and he was running to get it. Fortunately, no cars were coming but when I screamed SIT. He stopped and sat down not knowing what was going on but he knew he had to do that command. All we did was practice this command over and over in different spots. It came in handy when people would approach while we were in the yard.

Sounds like you are doing great !

Good Luck


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

avincent52 said:


> Thanks. Jill suggested not to teach "shake" lest she turn into a paw giving, leg raking pathologically-paw focused canine politician. Maybe now that she's a little older.
> 
> As for fetch, she's better than most pups, but she doesn't give the ball as readily as we'd like (yet.)
> 
> ...


Merlin's down was like that too. I taught him to "settle" after he was in a down position by lightly pushing his rear end to one side. Had to use my foot cause if I bent over him (using my hand) he'd get back up! LOL :doh: Anyway, he was much better staying in downs this way and eventually did it on his own.


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

beargroomer said:


> Tessie sounds super smart!
> 
> I agree with teaching a good "wait."
> 
> ...


I love the achoo!!! LOL!! I'll have to try that.

"get that" is good too. Time for some new tricks around here!


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## beargroomer (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh, and "take it to Dad (or Mom)" is great. Gibby's totally the UPS man at our house. I give him the remote control or DH's wallet or something and say, "Take it to Daddy!" and he'll deliver it and return to me to be paid for the delivery.  We started short distances with DH's socks in the morning (DH wears soggy socks to work everyday.) - me handing Gibby something and DH enthusiastically calling Gibby over and handing him a COD (cash on delivery) treat.  Now he delivers and then returns to me so I can pay AFTER delivery confirmation.  We've gone as far as having the recepient be out of sight (upstairs or the bathroom) but sometimes the recepient still has to call out a reminder. Gibby ABSOLUTELY LOVES playing the delivery man.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

"Look" and "Show me" have been very helpful with Tucker. Shadow learned "wait" right after his first hip surgery. It's amazing how he is 100% on that command.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

I didn't notice a 'stand/stay' which comes in handy when bathing and brushing. I taught 'wait' too, as others have mentioned. 'Go Get...' and then the name of an it or he/she. Comes in very handy in our house. Of course 'Who's Here?' and Ike's ears perk up and he runs to the door. Hubby teases with this one...bad hubby.

Tessie sounds like she's well on her way to being a good Golden citizen.
Are you using verbal and hands commands? I taught both and think it made learning the commands easier.


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## moverking (Feb 26, 2007)

tippykayak said:


> You can also teach Tess to jump up onto objects on command, which is surprisingly useful once the dog gets the idea.


Just a word of caution on this one...and it really was probably a stupid owner mistake. After Sadie's intermediate class we worked on 'up' and she was gggrrreat at it. I would turn to the side of the object, rest my hand on it, nod or say up and up she would go. Weeellll, one day on a walk at the park we we're crossing a bridge with cement wall sides about 6 "thick, about a 30 foot drop to a rocky creek bed below. I stopped to look over and turned to talk to my friend not realizing I had assumed my 'up' posture....and up Sadie went. I caught her miraculously before she went all the way over and drug her back. Then collapsed in a heap of fear tears. 




Ljilly28 said:


> An Emergency down from a distance is one my grandfather and mom taught all our dogs, so I do too. You can teach Tessie the hand signal for down so she'll drop where she is when she sees it. This is key if she ever gets across a busy road or is approaching a skunk!


This one is absolutely essential and also one I failed miserably at. My girls know 'down' verbalized, but I couldn't teach them that a hand up in the air from a distance meant down too. Wish I could still teach them this one.

The only 'parlor trick' I hated and wouldn't teach was crawl. Not my dogs, lol.

And rollover is relatively easy. Get her in a relaxed down and bring the treat close to her nose and move it _slowly_ back and over her shoulder and back. If she follows you, her body should automatically roll over.

Tessie sounds like she's doing great!


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

moverking said:


> J
> 
> This one is absolutely essential and also one I failed miserably at. My girls know 'down' verbalized, but I couldn't teach them that a hand up in the air from a distance meant down too. Wish I could still teach them this one.


It's easy to teach the emergency down in small steps. The trick is breaking up the desired end result into smaller bite-sized tasks. 

First combine the verbal cue they know with the hand signal that's new. After a while, try only the hand signal, with a big party for doing it right. Once they go down for the hand signal. Then, have a helper hold the leash and ask from a distance- you might have to go back to the verbal and signal combo, but they will trnasition to just the hand signal quickly. 

If their stays are rock solid, you don't need a helper. Also, if they tether well, that works too; if they know a "place" or mat" command that can work. 

Alternatively or in addition, you can ask for a sit stay, and just take one step back, asking for the down hand signal. Once that is learned, take two steps back etc, until you can be 50 feet away. 

Meanwhile, you can practice moving downs, where you ask the dog to down with the verbal they do know while walking slowly, building up over time to running. 

Eventually, a comfort level with a hand signal down from a distance and a moving down come together magically into a dog you can drop anytime you want.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Lol, I think Tessie is plenty old enough for Give Me Your Paw or Shake. That advice was only for small baby puppies. It was the first thing I taught Tally at 7 weeks and four days- what a mistake because he talks with his hands. But Tango learned it at five months and is good about only shaking when asked.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I have a very different hand signal for down, but it works!


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## moverking (Feb 26, 2007)

Ljilly28 said:


> It was the first thing I taught Tally at 7 weeks and four days- what a mistake because he talks with his hands.


Well, Jill....makes sense to me---->He's Tally and he talks with his hands.

So do I:

And thanks for breaking that down (ha) for me...sometimes I get so caught up in what I can't get them to do that I can't think out of it.
Plus at 5 & 6 years old, I've let some of that training get stale and rote. Gotta spice it back up.


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## avincent52 (Jul 23, 2008)

sharlin said:


> Other than Astrophysics and Quantum Mechanics it looks like Tessie is doing great!!!!!


Tessie has a pretty good understanding of sub-atomic particles, at least for a puppy, but when I start talking about Kepler and the laws of planetary motion, she just stares at me and drools.

Maybe if I gave her some poop to eat first. 

She does seem to like Kepler's mentor Tycho Brahae. Perhaps she feels some kinship with his fancy nose and prodigious bladder abilities. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tycho_Brahe

allen


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

One that I didn't see mentioned that I think is one of the top 3 commands all dogs should know is "DROP IT!!!"
I use LEAVE IT to mean don't touch that, but I use DROP IT to mean get it out of your mouth NOW. A very very valuable command, especially with socks 
A "wait" command is essential. I use that all the time for when they get a little too far ahead of me, it's not really a "stay" command because 'stay" means don't you dare move even one paw, it just means, well, wait a minute. Also useful for when you don't want them to jump out of the car before you put their leash on, or don't want them to run out the front door, etc. 
Depending on the dog, "QUIET!" can be useful.
If you are just looking for fun things to keep her little brain busy and off of poop eating, I like to work the retrieve desire. I teach "mark" or "look", followed by "take it", followed by "bring it", followed by "out", which has a different meaning from DROP IT. "Out" means release it carefully into my hand. Very convenient for remote controls, cell phones, etc. 
So if I'm walking along and I drop something, I tell Tito "take it", "here" and then "out". Very handy.
My personal favorite stupid trick that I've taught Tito (ok, not so stupid) is to carry money. I tell people that my dog is very very good at carrying money without crumpling it or getting it wet (which is quite true). They pull out a bill or two, preferably 10's or 20's, and hand it to him. He promptly takes it oh so gently in his mouth, then brings it right to me. Possession is 9/10th of the law.


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## Ripley's Mom (Apr 22, 2009)

avincent52 said:


> Tessie has a pretty good understanding of sub-atomic particles, at least for a puppy, but when I start talking about Kepler and the laws of planetary motion, she just stares at me and drools.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tycho_Brahe
> 
> allen


 
Tom says that if she understands that then Temperal Mechanics should be a breeze!

Ripley knows:
sit
stay
come
heel
Bang-bang (play dead)
tub (get in the tub)
High-five (you can say anyhting to her and she will give you her paw)
Shake (after a bath)
catch / tip it (bounces it off her nose back to you)
fetch
go get a toy
down
go lay on your bed
"go wake up momma"
"go get the kitty" (She finds Gracie)

Ironically she doesn't know what "speak" is.....She doesn't bark that much unless she thinks that we are in somekind of danger.


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Alan, I think a "wait" command is essential for the same reasons other posters do. If the dog is way ahead of you, "wait" is important. To prevent leaping out of cars, "wait" is terrific. To stop the pup from zooming out the back door to catch the lepto-infected raccoon in the backyard, "wait" is life saving. A hand signal for wait is easily taught and can be done from a distance, along with the verbal command. Tess sounds like a brilliant student!


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## avincent52 (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks for all the advice.

Planetary movement aside, Tessie's an excellent student, but we're not great teachers (yet) I don't think.

We've been building "wait" and others on "sit" which is her most reliable command by far. 

We need to work more on "Leave it" and incorporate "Drop it" and "Give." 

Stand for brushing? You mean that bonding time where Tessie bites the brush and me until I give up? 

I swear, if she were a crazy dog, it'd be Marley and Me without the book deal.

thanks again,

Allen


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

avincent52 said:


> Thanks for all the advice.
> 
> Planetary movement aside, Tessie's an excellent student, but we're not great teachers (yet) I don't think.


Too funny! I know some great teachers on the subject mentioned. Gawd, I have to get my body in motion and it is just stuck to the chair...Go to work Kim...


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## avincent52 (Jul 23, 2008)

I took a college astrophysics course with a guy named Noel Swerdlow who won a McArthur "genius" grant. I was in class the day Mr. Genius spent 45 minutes putting formulas on the board while we dutifully copied them down.
Then the one guy in class who was actually trying to follow it, said "But wait, if X is on the left side of the equation here, how come it was on the right side, 10 minutes ago?"

Swerdlow steps back, slides blackboards for about five minutes, scratches his head and says, "You're right. Okay, everybody, nevermind" and goes on to something else, while we look at 16 pages of now-useless notes.

Like the joke that ends with the little boy saying, "The world's smartest man just jumped out of the plane wearing my backpack."

Now, the late great Dave Schramm, _he_ could teach. If you need a chuckle, read about the Life (He had a Silver Prosthetic Nose! And a Pet Moose! That Drank Beer!) and Death (His bladder burst at a Royal Banquet!) of Tycho Brahae.

http://www.nada.kth.se/~fred/tycho/nose.html

As for Tessie, the "NO NO NO NO!" from downstairs suggests that her training may not be quite complete.

allen


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

avincent52 said:


> If you need a chuckle, read about the Life (He had a Silver Prosthetic Nose! And a Pet Moose! That Drank Beer!) and Death (His bladder burst at a Royal Banquet!) of Tycho Brahae.
> 
> http://www.nada.kth.se/~fred/tycho/nose.html
> 
> ...


Believe it or not, I knew how Tycho Brahae died and I've seen photos of the nose. Sometimes I open one of the 38,000 books I sit in this room with.  Not often, but sometimes!


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## avincent52 (Jul 23, 2008)

Mention Noel Swerdlow to the profs there and see what reaction you get.
Same with Dave Schramm.

Photos of the nose? Who'd a thunk?
Here's the disturbing part. They got a hair sample from Tycho for DNA analysis in 1996.
He died in 1601! 
That's almost 400 years ago!


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