Which came first the chicken or the egg? In dog training which comes first; teaching the release from a position or place, or the position/place? I teach the release word first. Before I teach my dog to stay in the crate or to do a sit or down I want a behavior that means the pup is finished and should move my direction. I want the positions or place training to have a specific end.

I have changed slightly now how I teach a release word to my pup. Since my release (ok, break, all done, that’ll do) ends the behavior and also brings the dog directly to me, I decided just to teach the release right now as a recall. When my pup is looking elsewhere I say “break” and then click when he turns and looks at me. He runs to me to get the treat or have a game of tug. This method seems to have worked fast and is simple to teach.

No name puppy understands just a few words and those are mostly situational, meaning that I don’t think I could demonstrate them in new environments 100% of the time:

• Hurry up- potty cue
• sit
• break
• kennel-up- get into the crate
• get-it- get the toy on retrieve or tug
• He also responds to Jeep, and Jute for recalls. (poor no name puppy!)

Today my puppy watched an agility foundation class. Because he learned to chase a soccer ball all around the field before the class began, he was an exhausted angel in the ex-pen the entire class, snoozing the entire 90 minutes. Good puppy!!!!

Hope you are enjoying your puppy as much as I am mine!

NJG