Ok how do I go about getting them to respond to specific commands but not all?
When one is told to sit they all sit, same with down and come
I have been practicing having them all sit and saying their name then treating and taking turns, trying to get them to focus on their name more but it doesnt translate to other commands.

If I am in the kitchen and tell Nico to sit, I can peak and Loki will be sitting too in the living room all expectantly and looking a little confused

 Quote: Jennifer Lee

Ok how do I go about getting them to respond to specific commands but not all?
When one is told to sit they all sit, same with down and come
I have been practicing having them all sit and saying their name then treating and taking turns, trying to get them to focus on their name more but it doesnt translate to other commands.

If I am in the kitchen and tell Nico to sit, I can peak and Loki will be sitting too in the living room all expectantly and looking a little confused

Take one away (in turns) for sessions, and use the name before each command.

When they are all in view, your proximity to and focus on one dog should make it pretty clear. I have found that I must give each one separate one-on-one, as Cindy has mentioned, although not every single time. As Bob Scott posted, it doesn't hurt for the others to be watching ob work from a few feet away.

JMO

We do have our training sessions one a time, or else they tend to get in the way trying to participate and it is way too much distraction. That and I try to give everyone one on one time of both play and short training sessions daily.

I'll be more vigilant about saying their names before each command.
Would it be helpful when they are all together to give Loki one command and Nico another, saying their names first and only rewarding when they do the one I asked them for?

did that even make sense?

i just use different words and signals for each of my dogs. then i have a few commands that i usually only use with them as a group which are the same word for each dog. keeps it simple, right?

So wait they each have a different command for sit or down etc??

I would confuse myself for sure, I call my son by the dogs names and vice versa as it is!

 Quote: kacie hackett

i just use different words and signals for each of my dogs.

You have several dogs and use a different word for, say, "sit," with each one?

i definitely have some "roll call" moments that remind me of my dad's version calling for one of his 4 girls

but it usually works out ... it also helps that even though each dog has his/her own cue for sit, the hand signal is the same for everyone. this is for when i really want everybody to sit at the same time. then i have an special whistle for an emergency sit (for tense situations with huge distractions), that is also the same for each dog.

Edited to say: connie, i only do this with a couple of the basic commands for my dogs (sit, down, come) as well as a couple of commands i use when i'm on the trail with all 4 (slow down, relaxed heel) since my dogs move at different speeds. everything else i need from my dogs is handled via the proximity and eye contact as you mentioned earlier.

I am impressed lol,
I cant imagine trying to do that in our house, my husband can barely keep the hand signals for down and sit straight. finger pointing up, finger pointing down...not complicated!

What I do in my house (once I know the dogs know their commands) and if they are together.

One dog is told to (name) sit (treat) stay. Second dog is told to (name) down (treat) stay. If the first dog breaks its sit stay to lie down when the second dog does down, it gets a correction for breaking the sit stay.

At first the dogs are in the same room but not right next to each other, there is a good distance so there can be no mistake who I was talking to. It is easier if there is a second person to help replace the errant dog back into position. And use their name before the command. At first it would be like learning something new, so the corrections would be more like ("oops, you moved at the wrong time" and replace) than a leash correction.

The dogs learn in this way to distinguish if you are talking to them, and that yes it is important which dog you are talking to.

I just thought of this. You could make it more fun by making it motivational, like a game of simon says. Use lots of treats. I'm going to go home and try this now, LOL.

I think your suggestion is actually the same as my idea only much clearer!

We tried it this afternoon
Oh goodness gracious great balls of failure!

It was mass confusion, they know the commands, the listen well when given a command but cant seem to grasp not all commands apply to all dogs
Loki got all anxious because he didnt understand what was going on and shut down in about 1 minute and half, Nico got all snorty and started head nudging me like a horse.

Of course the puppy got it right away, smart little toot.

I am going to keep naming and treating to maybe help make the connection that they need to take turns and I am sometimes speaking to a specific dog rather than all of them all the time.

I can call one over to me, and if the others follow I can tell them to go on, or out, and they will listen so at least that is something.


There is really No specific need for this other than Id like to be able to do it and it would be convienent at times to only get the one I want to do something.