OK

I too regularly perhaps finish my first daily walk enjoying a libation in a lovely country pub. I walk in, identify a decent place to sit and tell the dogs to lay down and stay, then I go to the bar to order.

Regularly I receive comments from people saying " I wish my dogs would do that " or something similar. Sometimes I engage in conversation on the topic of dogs doing what they're told , and I notice one constant that is missing from the way some folk interact with their dogs. They never release their dogs from a command.

Therefore the dog has no idea how long it should sit, stay. lay down etc. Should it obey for a minute, ten minutes or an hour, so many people leave it for the dog to decide, and then end up shouting at it.

I always release my dogs from an instruction by using my release word, OK. So if I've told them to walk to heel for example they will do so until released by OK. Without such they would be left to decide for themselves, not a good idea and I would end up joining the shouters.

How do your dogs know when it is ok to exit from your instruction ?

Re: OK

If I ask them to sit I'll say come on then to get them back up, crossing a road they two sit nicely one is picked up, before I take first step off kerb I say come on then and off we go.

If they sit for treats or toys I say no more and show them empty hands so they know activity has stopped.

I don't have the best behaved compared to some but they are happy and I'm happy with level of training so I'm not worried about that.

I like a dog that fits with whatever family it lives in and mind are fine for us.

Re: OK

Yes I agree with you, it is amazing how dogs are clever enough to adjust to where they find themselves. Many however would be happier if we communicated better.

Re: OK

I agree.

One thing I see happening on a daily basis, is when people tell their dog to 'Sit' at the kerb.
When the road is clear to cross, the owner just walks off without saying a word to dog. Poor dog is still sitting there, doing as he was told, and suddenly gets a jerk of his neck because he hasn't got up yet!

Re: OK

I used to say, "Come on then" to Floyd.
He got to know my body language, if I was about to get up to leave somewhere he'd be ready.

Re: OK

I was just thinking I don't say sit at kerbside I say wait, so they do sit but they are waiting for the off, not sitting because I've said so. I wonder if they realise a difference ?

Re: OK

I am envious of you dog owners, if I tell my cats to sit or stay, they look at me as though to say "No chance, we are coming where you are going"
But they do understand when I tell them off, for doing something wrong, & always come in when I shout them.

Re: OK

We use OK also.
They really like those two letters!

Re: OK

Generally I don't say anything at the kerb, on rare occasions I will say "stay" and then "OK" . I never ask them to sit at the kerb, don't know why, just never found it necessary. Possibly because I always use short leads.

Re: OK

Open hands when "no more". We don´t have to say "sit", she automatically walks at the same pace as whoever she is with, you stop, she stops. "Okay" mostly when crossing roads, very occasionally it´s "come on lady move that little black bottom" if she´s found an interesting "wee mail" to read.