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You can use commands with your dog to make gardening more enjoyable for both of you. Wouldn’t that be nice?
By Laura Pakis, Certified Professional Trainer and Cynologist
So you’re ready to garden. You have the time, the weather is great, and the ground is right for you to start working in. There’s a glitch. Your best furry friend wants to join you. What dog obedience commands can you use in the garden to help make this a quality time for both of you?
Commands aren’t tricks. Commands can use them to stop a dog from digging. They can keep a dog in one location while teaching self-control. They become a form of communication between you and your dog, being frustrated or enjoying time together.
Here are some tips to help you and your furry friend have a great gardening season:
Sit
What it means
Your dog sits and holds the sit until released. No sniffing, scratching, barking, whining, lying down, standing up, etc.
For examinations (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, etc.), should your dog get into something
During playing fetch
When talking to friends or neighbors
To keep your dog from getting in the flower beds
Why it is helpful
Using the SIT command keeps your dog from getting out of control. It stops barking and jumping on people and helps build self-restraint.
Down
What it means
Your dog lies down with its belly on the ground and holds the position until released. No sniffing, scratching, barking, whining, standing up, rolling over, creeping/crawling forward, etc.
When to use it
Keeps your dog in one location
When talking to friends or neighbors
To keep your dog from getting in the flower beds
Why it is helpful
Using the DOWN command keeps your dog from getting out of control. It stops your dog from wandering away from you or jumping on people, and helps build self-restraint.
Place Mat
What it means
Your dog goes to a flat item that is different than its surroundings and stays there until released. All four feet must be on the item, but the dog can sit, stand, lie down, play, eat, or sleep. No barking, whining, leaving the mat.
When to use it
When you are busy and can’t keep an eye on your dog
As an alternative to tethering the dog in one spot
Allows the dog to stay in one location for a couple of hours but gives them the freedom to change positions
The PLACEMAT command helps a dog develop a great deal of self-restraint. It allows the dog to be near you without getting in the way while you are busy.
Leave It
What it means
Instruct your dog not to approach, eat, sniff, licking, or grab any person, place, or thing (people, cats, dogs, food, decorations, rooms, etc.)
When to use it
With mulch eating
With plants, you don’t want your dog to have
With other animals
With leaves, shoes, feces, socks, or any other object
Preventing the dog from entering flower beds or places
Why it is helpful
The LEAVE IT command is very versatile. It can keep your dog safe, refocuses them when they want to chase a squirrel while it helps develop self-restraint.
Boundary training
What it means
Your dog stays within a designated area without the need for a fence.
When to use it
To protect areas of your garden
To restrict your dog from leaving the yard
Preventing the dog from entering flower beds or places
Why it is helpful
By teaching your dog boundaries in the yard, you can keep your dog safe, help him develop self-restraint, and even help prevent smashed plants.
Eliminate on Command
What it means
Your dog will eliminate within a designated area
When to use it
To protect areas of your garden
To restrict your dog to a specific elimination area
to keep your yard clean of dog waste
Why it is helpful
Teaching your dog to eliminate on command can keep your yard clean and nicer looking, prevent urine burn and uneven grass growth due to dog waste and stop the spread of disease or parasites throughout the yard.
Down to earth, common sense, proven DOG advice
Welcome to Spike’s Dog Blog by Acme Canine. Throughout the site, you will find a variety of helpful dog training articles, insightful dog behavior tips, and truthful product reviews from nationally-recognized canine trainers and professionals.
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