Obedience training your dog.

by Dennis Fisher.

HIGH JUMPING.

This article is one of a great many articles written by Dennis Fisher about a very wide variety of subjects concerning different  dogs, such as obedience training, breeding, showing, health matters, training problems and other subjects.  All these articles appear on Dennis Fisher's websites.   Visit  http://www.allaboutgermanshepherddogs.com the site that has been set up specifically for German Shepherd Dog enthusiasts, or http://www.freedogadvice.com  if you interested in a breed   other than German Shepherd Dogs

These notes on dog obedience training have been set out, for convenience, in alphabetical order, rather than in order of training procedure.   Obviously, in the early stages of training you are not going to proceed with high jumping.  You can however, start with jumping over relatively low jumps, which the dog will thoroughly enjoy and regard as a game, rather than serious training.

The height  of the jump will obviously depend on the breed and size of your dog.

At a later stage in the dog’s training, the dog will be expected to take part in directed jumping, in which he will have to leave the handler, clear the jump and the return to the handler and negotiate the jump on his way.

 It is very impressive indeed to see this performed by a well-trained dog, but this early stage al that is required is for the dog to negotiate the jump while you are holding the leash and accompanying the dog.

Make the jump so low initially that you can step over it yourself if necessary.  After you have done this a few times, increase the height of the jump a little. 

With your dog on lead and with the lead in your left hand, approach the jump from the right side.   Run up to the jump and as you reach it, with the dog on lead, encourage the dog to jump with the word  “Hup”.

Do this a few times, encouraging him all the time and praising him enthusiastically after he has completed the jump. 

Don’t be too ambitious at first.  Even if the dog has managed the jump very easily continue with the same height until the dog is absolutely confident of his ability to clear the jump.

Practice with a long lead, held very loosely.  The dog will soon get the idea, and if you praise very enthusiastically will soon start enjoying the entire process.

Once the dog is obviously enjoying the process,  you can practice leaving the dog on the  sit, while you  stand on the other side of the jump with the long leash in your hand.   Call the dog to you, giving the command “hup” as he approaches the jump.

At a later stage, when the dog has become thoroughly familiar with the jumping process, you can leave the dog a  distance away from the jump, while you stand a fair distance away on the other side of the jump.

 Give the dog the command  “Come” and happily and enthusiastically as you can and he will clear the jump and come to you.

Make a point of progressing slowly. Don’t get too ambitious even if you feel that you have a potential star. It is far better to progress  slower than might be necessary than try to do  something that is slightly beyond the dog’s capacity at this stage of training.