When first training a young puppy, should formal or informal commands be used? For example: sit vs. sitz, down vs. platz and come vs. heir. Of course the training is all motivational, but should the formal commands be saved for later when the dog is ready to work a little longer and pay more attention? I have had people tell me that two sets of commands should be used, the "around the house" informal commands and the "time for trial" formal commands. Thanks in advance for any comments.
Kristen Cabe Webboard User Reg: 06-09-2004
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Loc: Asheville, North Carolina
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I don't know, but to me, that seems like it would make things more difficult (and confusing to the dog) because you'd have to be teaching the same things twice, but with a different command word. Seems to me like it would just be easier to teach the dog using one set of commands.
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I use lay down or go lay down when the dogs are in the house. I don't ask them much more than that really. Formal training commands usually occur on the training field, or in a particular spot at the house. I keep my young dogs in a crate most of the time so I don't have to keep telling them things. I find it is easier that way. I let them out when I can pay attention to them without interruption.
I use lie down for Mika, but then he's a stickler for grammar. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I don't think of this as having two sets of commands for the same thing. When I tell the dog to platz, I mean drop immediately to a formal platz position. But around the house, I don't want that. When I tell him to go lie down, I just mean stop bothering me and go relax. Since Mika is a house dog and companion first, I don't want him to feel that he is constantly "working", if that makes sense. In fact, I've learned that if I do use a command constantly, like sit, then he begins to get lazy about it when he is working. That's my fault, of course, since I've allowed him to be lazy about the command when in the house, but I think with a companion dog, that's often inevitable.
But to answer the original question, I think the sooner you introduce the working commands, the better, since you want to get the language imprinted on the puppy when he's at his most impressionable stage in life. I've found it harder, even at just a year old, to get Mika to comprehend and remember a command than when he was a little pup. Just like children and languages.
John Tice Webboard User Reg: 06-01-2005
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Loc: Blacksburg, VA
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I use two sets of commands and it makes sense to me. It's actually harder for me to keep them separate than it is for the dog. For example, c'mon means please quit sniffing that nasty stuff and get over here. Come means I want a fast recall and a good square sit with eyes. Walk means heel loosly–– it's what I use mostly when we go on daily walks. They derive as much meaning from posture, tone of voice and context as from the words. If I were to use the word "fuss" every time I want her to stroll nicely down the street it would loose it meaning as precise position with focus and eyes. I only want to issue obedience commands in a controlled situation, free of distractions, because I want her to be successful and get the reward. Otherwise I have the unfortunate choice between allowing disobedience (or sloppiness) and correcting (and I'm not doing that yet).
Kristen Cabe Webboard User Reg: 06-09-2004
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Loc: Asheville, North Carolina
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Quote:
When I tell the dog to platz, I mean drop immediately to a formal platz position. But around the house, I don't want that. When I tell him to go lie down, I just mean stop bothering me and go relax.
As you said, you're not using different commands to mean the same thing. The original question was whether the dog should be taught the same commands in both English and German. That's what I meant by it being confusing. If you're not teaching the dog that platz means the same as down, then I don't think that would be confusing.
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True - I assumed that the original poster would have different expectations for each of the commands, but after re-reading his post, I'm not sure that's what he means.
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