The remote collar training method used at Sit Means Sit focuses on having the remote ability to communicate with our dogs. This helps get the dog’s attention in the face of high excitement and distraction and it also offers a constructive ability to make our training goals more clearly defined to our dogs.

In Arizona, where I live, we have all levels of agility enthusiasts from the novice pet owner all the way to national top competitors, including two world competitors that I can think of. There are many schools and clubs in the Valley that offer training ... more]]> By Toni Drugmand

The remote collar training method used at Sit Means Sit focuses on having the remote ability to communicate with our dogs. This helps get the dog’s attention in the face of high excitement and distraction and it also offers a constructive ability to make our training goals more clearly defined to our dogs.

In Arizona, where I live, we have all levels of agility enthusiasts from the novice pet owner all the way to national top competitors, including two world competitors that I can think of. There are many schools and clubs in the Valley that offer training techniques and different styles of handling to meet just about everyone’s tastes and needs.

Talon Works the Weave Poles

By far the most prevalent unwanted dog behaviors that handlers in the agility community come to me for help with are:

1. The dog won’t come reliably when he’s called or he runs off and forgets his job. The handler can’t compete with his dog or has been asked to not come back to class until the problem has been fixed.

2. The dog gets over stimulated by the activity and commotion of the other dogs and acts inappropriately out of play or aggression AND he wont’ come when he’s called. The handler can’t compete with his dog or has been asked to not come back to class until the problem is fixed.

In reality these two behaviors stem down to one thing; The Art of Attention as I like to call it. It is essentially the most important element to training in general. The dog that can’t put his attention on what the handler asks is bound to get into trouble somewhere. The sport of agility requires the dog to have an extremely high level of attention and competency off leash. Remember agility IS off leash and the dog IS running free! After all, what can be better than that? If all that freedom is controllable of course!

With the over stimulated dog and the dog that doesn’t come back when called (sometimes referred to as “ ZOOMIES), both behaviors are our focal point for the agility handler seeking help from us by using the remote collar training method. Some of our “agility” clients are thrilled after only a few sessions of working on the Art of Attention and these clients are happy to focus their time into maintaining excellent attention and find that they have met most of their main goals with the foundational skills we teach them. Others in the program take advantage of the “Full Monty” and these clients are able to gain further versatility by learning to direct their dogs from a distance and keep obstacle focus and handler focus in balance.

A great example comes to mind with my dog Stuff when he was being run for the first time at a trial by World Competitor Elicia Calhoun of Waltzing Paws Agility. Although I had been a student of Elicia’s with Stuff and Stuff was familiar with the handling techniques and Elicia’s agility training methods, he had never run a course with Elicia. At most he had done one or two obstacles for her in demonstration at a lesson. I was unable to be at this show so Elicia, who is a more experienced and competent handler than I am (she ran on the World Team for 5 years!), agreed to handle Stuff for me. I happened to stop by the show grounds just at the time she was running into the ring with Stuff. Elicia had just finished running her own four dogs and in the excitement she forgot the course!

Because of her experience, however, she quickly recovered and remembered the course but not before Stuff was running where Elicia had sent him….in the wrong direction! So she hollered out to him, “Sit!” and he gave her a quick and snappy sit and she redirected him and they finished the course nearly perfectly!. I have this clip on video and I was very proud of my dog that in the midst of all the excitement that agility runs bring on and with a new handler, his remote training was strong enough to carry him through. And just to note, almost never do you stop a dog in agility when they are on the fly like that….you just don’t see it, so for the spectators who were watching Elicia run it was quite exciting to witness.

Below are the top ten ways that I use Sit Means Sit remote training to aid in agility training:

1. Working at a Distance

In agility it is important for the dog to learn to work toward the obstacle he is directed to and to work at a distance. Very quickly we can teach our dogs that our cues mean the same thing when we are close by and we can wean more quickly to the goal of the same behavior at distance.

2. Keep the Dog Focused on His Job

Since not all dogs are as motivated as we would often like, we can help keep focus more easily and at distances with the cue of our training aid.

3. Recall with Reliability

In agility teaching the dog to come towards you is used to change the dog’s direction from the obstacle in front of him. A reliable “come” or “here” will redirect the dog to look in the handler’s direction at which time the handler can show the dog the new direction he wants him to take.

4. Directing Through Excitement

Distractions in the training environment can be anything from noise, fast movement, an enticing smell, a judge wearing a hat, discriminating between an obvious obstacle to a less obvious one, food dropped on the training floor, a favorite toy or even stress. All of these distractions can cause the dog’s focus to vanish from the job at hand. With our communication we can calmly talk to the dog and help keep him on track through distractions so that he learns to be more capable of handling distractions with less and less aid until he can do his job reliably without the aids.

5. Sits and Down Stays Away from the Handler

The Pause Table can be tough for some dogs. Fast moving dogs probably think it’s rude to ask them to stop when they have four on the floor in high gear! Shy dogs can get de-motivated by being asked to slow down. Smooth and thin coated dogs such as Italian greyhounds may not find the surface very comfy. Fast dogs with high drive can benefit from learning to control themselves while shy and slower dogs can have their confidence and speed encouraged thereby enhancing their performance without the handler having to yell or hyperventilate while trying to motivate performance. It is amazing what gyrations a handler might try when on the competition field trying to get their dog to do the task at hand.

6. Start Lines Allowing the Handler to Lead Out on the Course

It is usually a disadvantage if the handler can’t take a lead out on the start line, if he so chooses, because the dog can’t hold a stay until he is told to go. Teaching our dogs a remote stay is one of the first things our clients learn. Even the dogs with high drive that shake at the start line with their muscles quivering in anticipation for the release to move, can get better at holding a stationary position on the start line.

7. Contacts as Boundaries are More Clearly Defined

There are many schools of thought on teaching contacts. Teaching running contacts can be broken down to teaching a contextual surface while on the move. Cueing the dog to learn to touch a smaller area breaks down to teaching a clear boundary. The remote collar again gives us remote directability once the behavior has been taught close in to the dog.

Teaching the contact as two-on/two-off, or a rock back down on the edge of the contact is a more simplified version of teaching the dog to touch and stay put in a certain position using a contextual surface. Although there are many other things to consider when teaching contacts, specifically head position, we can utilize a remote cue to help make our picture clearer to our dogs.

8. Obstacle Discrimination

The more clear and timely both physical and verbal cues are to the dog the more quickly he can get the information on direction away from the obvious obstacle to the less obvious obstacle. The remote collar gives us the ability to remotely add a physical cue to the timing of both and to give the dog a preparatory cue.

9. Aggressive Tendencies

Aggression and tendencies to be aggressive have many triggers with motion, fast movement and chaotic energy being a top contender for set offs. Using the remote collar cue to help gain and maintain focus in the height of distractions has proven helpful to keep the dog’s attention when in a stimulated state.

10. Aids in Weaning Away from Other Training Aids Such as Toys and Treats

The end goal to teaching an agility dog is of course, to do all the behaviors without any training aids. The remote collar as an aid will have to be phased out as well. Using the remote collar you can more quickly phase from some early aids such as food and toys until you have set your patterns well enough and long enough that they become habits and patterns. At this point the remote collar would begin to be phased out as well.

Stuff Through Weave Poles

Although no one tool can create the perfect dog and we certainly don’t want robots, most agree that both the handler and the dog have more fun together when the dog is listening and as a pair the two can work together. We feel that training with the Sit Means Sit’s remote training program we can help clarify information and help get the dog to the stage of working off leash with a high level of success in a shorter amount of time. Shorter not because we are taking shortcuts on the dog, but because his information was clearer to him more quickly so why hold your dog back if he can learn more quickly?

Kyro and His Pumpkin

Owner: Sarah

City: Phoenix, Arizona

Breed:Purebred German Shepherd

Likes: Peanut Butter

Favorite Toy: Kyro’s favorite toy is any cardboard box!

Best Trick: I taught him to “place” on the plastic meter covers at the park. Arrival Story/Bio:

When I first got him he pulled a lot but now he heels right by my side thanks to Sit Means Sit.

You can do almost anything or go anywhere if you have a well-trained dog. In this video we have dogs enjoying fun stuff like dock diving, herding and the lure course. All of these events are available for everyone to try at the Paws for a Wish event every January.

Crate training is a safe way to contain your puppy or dog. Some people have an adverse opinion of a crate and the general reason is usually because they believe it is not comfortable for the dog.  When you think like a dog, however; and not like a human, the crate becomes a favorable place because the crate replicates a natural den environment.  Despite some opinions to the contrary, the crate is really a humane way to safely contain your pup or dog.

Why does crate training work? It works because dogs have an innate den instinct and like to sleep ... more]]>

Crate training is a safe way to contain your puppy or dog.
Some people have an adverse opinion of a crate and the general reason is usually because they believe it is not comfortable for the dog.  When you think like a dog, however; and not like a human, the crate becomes a favorable place because the crate replicates a natural den environment.  Despite some opinions to the contrary, the crate is really a humane way to safely contain your pup or dog.

Why does crate training work?
It works because dogs have an innate den instinct and like to sleep in a small, confined space.  The crate serves as a safe place for the dog to go to when he is tired or anxious.  It provides a sense of security and it is a familiar place to your pet if his environment changes during travel or a move.  The crate can be transported with you and give your pet added stability to keep something familiar in his world during a confusing time for him.  Crate training is also a valuable tool for house training and for helping to teach him to be calm. Crating your pet prevents him from engaging in negative behaviors like chewing or digging or other destructive behavior patterns which can occur when you are not available to supervise.

When do you teach crate training?
The answer is anytime it is a necessary tool in your tool box.  Although, it is easiest to introduce a crate to a young puppy it is never too late to train your dog to use a crate.

What kind of crate do you get?
There are many styles of crates to consider for your needs. There is the plastic airline crate most commonly used for shipping but it can be used just as easily in your home; the wire open-air style is popular and this model comes in collapsible versions for easy fold up, or the soft-sided crate which is lightweight and quickly put up. Because of its ease of assembly and light weight, the soft-sided crate is popular with dog handlers who travel to competitions like agility and obedience. This is not a crate to begin training a new puppy with, however, because the soft material sides could be chewed.

What size crate do you get?
Your crate should be large enough for your dog or pup to stand up and turn around in.  If you are trying to house train a young puppy, use a crate that will be large enough when your dog is full grown but has a divider to give the pup just enough room for his current size. Most dogs are clean by nature and will try not to urinate or defecate in the area that they sleep in.  If the crate is too large your puppy may go to the other side of the crate to relieve himself in place of attempting to hold it.

Wire Crate Just the Right Size

What do you do when your pup is crying in his crate?
You may have to weather initial moans, cries, screams and maybe an outright temper tantrum because your pup generally will not be happy the first time he is introduced to his crate. Especially if he has just been separated from his litter he will be very unhappy and may even panic the first time.  It is important however that you do not give in thereby rewarding the act of becoming hysterical.  If you feel sorry for him and get him out before he settles down, he will quickly learn that the more he cries it will eventually bring him what he wants….OUT!

What do you do if you are not sure your puppy has to go potty when he is crying in his crate?
It will be important to quickly get a schedule on your new puppy so that you can get him out of his containment area in time so he can learn to relieve himself outside. The schedule should start out with short sessions with your dog in his crate for about two hours before letting him out.   His feeding will be a part of the schedule. Once your puppy has eaten and you have seen him relieve himself outside, then it should be safe to put him into his crate.  With a schedule in place, time and duration in the crate can quickly be extended.  If he is going out every two hours and you are hoping to sleep longer during the night, let him stay crated for a longer period of time; if he begins to cry and it has been three or four hours then you must get him out and give him the chance to relieve himself.  You will learn how long he can hold it and you will not be in danger of rewarding the wrong behavior of barking. Once the first few days have passed your dog’s schedule will begin to form.

Soft Sided Collapsible Crate

What kinds of things will make your puppy like his crate better?
A helpful hint for going into the crate is to give the puppy a good outlet first which will help tire him out.  A short walk or playing in the yard or with the kids can be a good way to get him a bit tired before sending him to his quiet, safe place to relax.  Toys that cannot be chewed up and ingested are okay to keep in the crate.  Also, safe chewing bones are a good idea.  A Kong stuffed with peanut butter can keep your pup happy for hours.  Feeding your puppy in the crate can be helpful and giving him a treat when he goes into the crate initially are ways to help get a new dog accustomed to his new  crate.

The more you use your crate for constructive confinement and training, which means that your puppy has had enough time to be out and part of the family with your supervision before being crated, the more comfortable and safe his crate will feel to him. Just like your bedroom and bed may be a welcome sight at the end of your day, your dog will view his crate in much the same way.  It’s all about how you train and use your crate.

Dogs are social animals they need to be with others of their kind.   They relate to their kind similarly to our social requirements as humans, thus making dogs ideal companions in many ways.  If we understand some basic things about nature and what the dog does without our intervention, we can understand how to help train our dogs to have a mutually beneficial relationship that is satisfying and meeting his needs as well as our own.

Important to note is that the dog’s survival of his family or pack members weighs solely ... more]]>

Hiking with Trained Dogs is a Breeze

Dogs are social animals they need to be with others of their kind.   They relate to their kind similarly to our social requirements as humans, thus making dogs ideal companions in many ways.  If we understand some basic things about nature and what the dog does without our intervention, we can understand how to help train our dogs to have a mutually beneficial relationship that is satisfying and meeting his needs as well as our own.

Order and Boundaries

Important to note is that the dog’s survival of his family or pack members weighs solely on the ability to maintain order and have clear boundaries in place.    We will meet those intrinsic canine needs through training and providing clear boundaries and structure.  This will allow your dog to feel safe and secure and help him adjust to the best of his abilities into our social human society.  After all, your dog can’t know if he runs into the street it is dangerous for him if you don’t teach him.  He simply can’t understand the words without instruction from you.

Whatever your goals might be, training can be a wonderful companion to exercise.  Training helps reduce anxieties such as separation destructive behavior.  We are going to start our education with our dog in a format that follows his basic needs for order and structure to help create a long and balanced bond between you and your dog.

Your dog is learning from you all the time. Will your dog learn good things or bad things?

Training Equipment: Your training starts the moment you get up and greet your dog.  Attach his training equipment:  A leash, line, remote collar or slip snap style collar first thing in the morning.  Take all training equipment off when you leave the house or are unable to supervise his actions.

Supervise your dog at all times

If you are unable to supervise your dog’s actions, then put him safely away into a containment or management system.  A crate, dog run, exercise pen are examples.  Ask if you need suggestions on what is best to help your needs.

Do not hold your dog responsible if he is not being supervised and gets in to trouble.  It’s not his fault.

The Long Line- it is an important tool in the beginning of your training and will help you reinforce and guide the dog to or away from what you are teaching him.  Your dog should be wearing a long line whenever you are home with him in the beginning stages of training.

Never Give Your Dog the Opportunity to Disobey Unless You Can Enforce or Reinforce What You Ask of Him.

Never Give a Command You Cannot Enforce.

Although it is fair to say nothing is absolute, the above are good rules to follow to the best of your abilities, trying to be a consistent and fair as possible with your dog.  Remember, if you can’t supervise his actions then put him away where he cannot be successful at doing the wrong behavior.

 Breed: Airedale  

Likes/Dislikes: Dunleevy – Likes to WORK, play, eat, watch for animals or cartoon characters on TV, play in the sand on the beach, stare out the den window looking for animals in the desert. Dislikes having nothing to do and hearing gun shots. Keegan – Likes to sleep on his place mat, learn new things, get his big brothers to chase him, dig in his bone box, pulling out the grass, fetch toys and play tug-of-war. Dislikes having his collar put around his neck. Leeam – Likes to ... more]]>  

Airdale Brothers: Dunleevy, Keegan & Leeam

 Breed: Airedale  

Likes/Dislikes:

Dunleevy – Likes to WORK, play, eat, watch for animals or cartoon characters on TV, play in the sand on the beach, stare out the den window looking for animals in the desert. Dislikes having nothing to do and hearing gun shots.
Keegan – Likes to sleep on his place mat, learn new things, get his big brothers to chase him, dig in his bone box, pulling out the grass, fetch toys and play tug-of-war. Dislikes having his collar put around his neck.
Leeam – Likes to EAT and play, chase Keegan, run off-lead in the park, stand up on his hind legs and kiss people, chase George the cat. Dislikes traveling in high altitudes and listening to orders.

Dunleevy – Catch toys or small treats when tossed to him.
Keegan – Getting his big brothers to chase him.
Leeam – Waiting patiently for his brother to finish their bone so he can take over.  

Arrival Story/Bio: 

All three Airedales were born at Borderdale Kennels in Idaho and they all have the same parents. Dunleevy and Leeam are 4 years old and from the same litter. Keegan is 4 months old. He is currently weighs 35 lbs and his older brothers weigh over 90 lbs each. They all enjoy getting out every morning for some physical and mental exercise then sleeping on their backs with their legs straight up in the air in the afternoons. They are all clowns and are gifts from God. 

Keegan "Belly Up" on his Place

Taz the Pit and Brother, Rocky the Boxer

 Name: Tazz

 Owner: Nancy Viscichini

 City: Phoenix, Arizona 

 Breed: Pit

 Likes/Dislikes: Likes Running & Barking. Dislikes Being Still & Quiet!

Favorite Toy/Treat/Walk: Anything Works! 

Best Tricks: Down 

Arrival Story/Bio:  

Sit Means Sit Training will help you get a great photo anytime!!! What beautiful sits – not to mention the holding of the pumpkin!

Toni practices her moves with “Stuff”.