I'm watching basic obedience again. I'm not yet to the point in training where I'm actually using corrections yet, but I had a question on this.

Assume you give the dog the command "SIT" while someone is walking by that he is barking at. You administer the correction and the dog stops barking at the person but does not sit...

Does the dog rate praise?
Are you praising for stopping the barking behavior? Or how would you handle this?

Would you again say "SIT" after you have administered the correction, stopped the behavior and received praise? Then if he failed to sit (which he shouldn't) you'd apply another correction?

Just looking for more insight.

Dog training has no grey areas, it's black or white. Sit means sit. Down means down. If you want your dog to stop barking make a command for it and praise when your dog complys. So to answer your question if your dog doesn't sit, it doesn't "rate" any praise whatsoever even though what you were really after was to get the dog to stop barking. You either reinforce the given command with a correction, or praise if the dog complys. JMO

I'm not trying to stop barking...maybe I was vague.

In the video, the section I had just watched on corrections said "Correction then immediate praise"--that's assuming you are giving a good "OUCH" correction.

Now let's apply it to an actual scenario.

-We're walking along.
-I decide I want to give the "SIT" command
-The dog is sniffing a pile of dung at this moment
-I say "SIT"
-He continues sniffing the dung.
-I say NO and apply correction
-He stops sniffing the dung
-I do not repeat "SIT" and the dog DOES NOT sit.

Does he rate praise for stopping what he was currently doing DESPITE the fact the command was SIT?

If the answer is no== What would be the correct approach for administering a correction for sit in this situation?

-Walking along
-I decide to give command sit.
-Dog is sniffing dung
-I say "SIT"
-Dog does not sit
-I say "NO" then apply correction

-Should I repeat "SIT"?

then praise and/or reward after sit is executed?
(This seems logical to me, I just want to make sure I'm approaching this correctly).

As I mentioned before: You either reinforce the given command with a correction, or praise if the dog complys.

It goes like this:

-Walking along
-Dog sniffing dung
-Command sit
-Dog does not sit
-Immediate jerk on the leash for not sitting
-Dog sits
-You praise dog for sitting

Don't repeat commands. The dog needs to learn to obey the first command. In addition, you need to be very fast with the correction. You command sit and if the dog doesn't sit that INSTANT, then BOOM dog gets corrected immediately. Don't allow the dog to continue sniffing dung for a few seconds after the command.

I am also assuming that the dog knows the command and that you are beyond the "learning phase". That's why if I give a command and my dog doesn't immediatley obey it, I don't say "No" then correct. I just correct. Remember to be fair with your dog too. If your dog displays the desired behavior, praise him up or reward him. One problem I see over and over again is trainers that give more corrections then they do praise. JMO

I'm wondering if I'm already messing up. My pup is a little over 5 months now. He knows the commands we've been working but he works lethargically when we're not specifically working obedience-

I haven't moved to the correction phase because I didn't want to rush it because he's a puppy. Still not quite sure when I should begin the correction phase.

A dog will always perform the command faster when the dog is in drive.

Some trainers may use 2 commands for the same action. One formal and one informal. For example maybe you bring your dog in the house and you want him to lie down and be quiet. So you could use a command like "Relax". So the dog curls up on the floor or lies on it's side, it really doesn't matter as long as he remains down.

The formal "training" scenario is you are bringing up the drive of the dog to do formal obedience so you use the command "Down", which means lie down quickly and in a straight position. Here the dog is anticipating the next action.

Both commands mean lie down, but have separate applications depending on the given situation.
Formal obedience commands need to be done fast and with precision. Informal commands still need to be obeyed, but don't need to be as precise as formal training.

A pile of dung is much more interesting to a 5 month old dog then the command sit. So maybe use a command like "Leave it" instead. This way your not expecting a fast immediate sit, you just want your dog to move on. Make sense?

Ken , In smelling that dung at a young age..is a good thing.The dung is only a distraction.You can't take away that natural response..of the nose of your pup..He is only investigating the territory and scent left behind.Try to work with him in a free area of dog pee/dung..Get his focus on you.Then go into that polluted area again..and give your command.Bottom line do not correct him because he wants to follow the tract of the smell left.Get your command down pat outside that distraction first.

Candace, I respectfully disagree. Allowing a dog to do whatever he wants after you give a command is sh#t training. If you want an obedient dog, then you must give ONE command and be prepared to give an immediate correction if the dog does not follow it. You are wasting your time if you begin teaching the dog that the only time he must listen to you is when he feels like it.

IMO it is definately time to start the correction stage-this will bring the training together for him-right now if he doesn't do the command it sounds like nothing happens. Don't forget to make training fun and rewarding for him. I have NEVER allowed my dogs to stop and smell the dung, flowers or anything else that has caught there interest when we are doing our training exercise-this is my time and they are there to learn, smelling crap is on there time-like relaxing walks etc. then he can smell all the crap he likes! Obedience is simple, I give command, you do command or you get corrected. Distractions come up all the time, at 5 months you wont get perfection-but training NEVER becomes on his terms, and if you allow him to stop and smell dung that is exactly what you have done. If you get frustrated you must stop, in the beginning if he distracts easily then you go somewhere where these distractions don't occur, wait till he know the commands and does them perfectly-then throw in the distraction card. And you must be the most interesting or hold the most interesting thing in the world that will keep his attention when these distractions occur.

In a case where he starts barking, give him the command for him to stop the barking, if he stops, give him a simple praise, like "good", then do the command that you had originally started. If he does the command then praise the hell out of him. If he continues barking or doesn't do the command continue correcting.

Could not of said it better myself Dee Dee! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />