...:: Training ::...

THE SEND AWAY

This is, together with the stand out of walking pace -exercise, one of the most difficult exercises. It is very seldom you see a perfectly performed send-away practice…..
Here too, do not start before the dog has learned all the other roll-call exercises in the IPO 1 program. For starters, the DOWN command and the STAY command must be perfectly trained. The STAY exercise may not be an exercise of the IPO program, however it is an exercise with great practical use, especially with service dogs. This is the only exercise of its kind in which I use a ball.

SENDING AHEAD RICHARD AND DIEGO

Make your dog get down at the start and the longitudinal axis of the exercise area. After the command STAY you walk some 50 footsteps away of the dog, meanwhile waving a brightly coloured (yellow) ball on a bit of rope on a little stick, and lay down the ball after these 50 footsteps. Return to the dog. The dog must remain in his position, if he crawls away, re-start the exercise, just as long until the dog remains in position. To check whether the dog had moved, I always put the leash stretched out completely in front of the dogs front legs. This is also an obedience exercise: stay on command. I can hear people say: why make it so difficult? Just make someone hold the dogs leash. But, that is the exact point: this way the tension builds up with the dog and once he gets the command FORWARD, this tension comes out into an explosion. So, when the dog has remained in position, stand next to him and give him the command FORWARD or Go out or Voraus.

The dog will go up to the ball like a rocket, take the ball and, on the command HERE, will return to you. Do not let him fool around with the ball, make him fetch and bring, and as a reward throw away the ball again, let him fetch and bring again, give him a treat and put the ball in your pocket. Do not let him pull and tug on both sides of the ball and the rope, you can better let him do this with de sleeve in bitework. You see, it is not hard at all to get the dog crazy over the ball, it is better to make him crazy about you and about the pad on the back which he gets after a well performed exercise. After this you build up the exercise by using the commands DOWN and sit in position at FOOT before sending him ahead. After this you first take some steps in the opposite direction of the ball, using the command FOLLOW, and directly after the left turn you send your dog ahead. It is all about firing up the dog before he is sent away. Other than this, you teach your dog to promptly go DOWN at a distance, for example at home or during walks, in every situation. This is how you get control of the dog, and when he does all this nicely, you can start using it in the send ahead exercise.

First you put down the ball but remain standing next to it, the dog will think it is strange, you sending him ahead like this, therefore you do not make him go DOWN the first few times. After this you vary in making him go down or not. You can also put a short section on the 10 metre leash, but not too often, because this way the drive to go AHEAD becomes less. You keep enlarging the distance to the ball, until the dog goes DOWN automatically from starting position. KEEP using the ball, this way he will certainly go at an exam or contest also without a ball.

Jacques

DIEGO DOWN AFTER SENDING AWAY

<< Back to index Training