Chapter 16: INSTRUCTORS' COMMANDS
Just as the dog must learn commands in order to know what is expected, you must learn a few simple commands so that the Instructor can give urgent messages in as few words as possible while working on the street.
Guidework commands
The Instructor will frequently give commands that are the same as those given to the dog. When the you hear the Instructor giving a guidework command, it means that you should immediately give the dog the same command. You should mimic the Instructor's voice tone and inflection while giving the command. Tone and inflection are important as they convey meaning to the dog.
"Follow Your Dog"
When the Instructor gives this command it means several things; The dog is attempting to proceed in the proper direction, to give proper clearance, and you may be showing doubt and hesitating to maintain proper position next to your dog. You should attempt to correct your position by walking willingly with the dog while paying close attention to the harness handle to feel for latteral or left and right movement and changes in speed.
"Wait"
When an Instructor gives the "Wait" command you should give the "Wait" command to your dog and stop walking. It usually means that the Instructor needs to give some further explanation or instruction, to wait for a class mate to catch up, or some other practical reason. Compared to;
"STOP!"
When the Instructor gives the "STOP!" command it means that a potentially dangerous error or situation is about to occur. The only correct response to this command is for you to stop whatever you are doing and await further explanation or instruction. If you first asks why, prior to stopping it may be to late!
Praise
The Instructor may praise your dog out loud. When you hear the Instructor praise your dog, "Good girl, Juno", you should immediately join in and praise your dog in the same manner. If the stops to ask, "What did my dog just do?", it is already too late for your praise to be meaningful to your dog. Explanations will follow after praise has been given to your dog.
HOW TO TALK TO YOUR DOG
When working with your dog, it is a good idea to periodically praise the dog, particularly when you feel it make a movement to clear you around an obstacle and when it stops at a curb, step, or barrier. Praise given at such times should be given in a warm, friendly voice: "What a good boy." The praise does not need to be constant. If you chatter endlessly to your dog while working, even if it is all praise, your praise will come to be meaningless. If the dog gets praised no matter what it is doing, it will not have to work for it. Wait for specific actions that the dog does, then praise those. When the dog is lying quietly at your feet, it is fine to reach down every once in a while to pet the dog and tell it that it is being good. Remember that the tone of your voice will affect the way your dog behaves. If your praise is bubbly, the dog will get excited. If your praise is calm, the dog will remain calm too.
When giving a command, your voice should be pleasant but firm. Shouting commands at your dog doesn't make them hear you any better. They can hear you when you speak in a normal conversational volume.
A command should never be given in a tone of voice that makes you sound like you are asking the dog. If you say, "Juno, Forward?" in a tentative voice, your dog may look up at you and not do anything. In the dog's mind, you are saying, "Juno, is it OK to go forward?" and the dog is thinking, "I don't know, is it?" Be confident and let that confidence show in your voice “Juno Forward.”
Remember that while voice inflection is important in conveying a message to your dog, dogs are also vissual and physical in their communication. Hand signals & body language also communicate things. If you are giving the command “right”, but your hand & body language say “left”, the dog will go left. Keep this in mind as you go through the process of learning to communicate with your dog.