Mary Allen
We dog owners have a command for everything – but do you actually work with a break-up command? Most of you will have heard of it, but very few actually put it into practice – at least that’s the impression you get when you look around the dog parks.
Important Help for the Dog
With the help of a resolution command, you show your dog what to do and for how long. It signals to him: “Now you can move freely again.” As long as your command is not resolved, he has to sit or lie down. He doesn’t decide when it’s over, you do!
Consistency is Necessary
If you decide to work with a riot squad, it means that you have to be very conscientious and – as always in dog training – to be consistent. Because you have to cancel every command: If you call him to you, you dismiss him again with your command to continue running, etc. If you consciously send him to his basket, then you also allow him to leave his place again.
It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it! This will make your communication finer and, above all, easier for the dog because it doesn’t have to “guess” whether a command is valid for 2 minutes or for a quarter of an hour.
“Stay!” is (Almost) Superfluous
Many work with the term “stay!”, which is intended to signal a dog to stay in this specific position now. Of course, this is also a good option – but you still don’t tell your dog how long he should stay there. In this case, it is still the dog that picks up the command – or at least asks and then asks you to stay on with a second “Stay!”.
With a break-up command, on the other hand, everything is clear: you demand something and until you say otherwise, your command applies. Point!
Apply Resolve Command
- Choose your term carefully. It has to be a word you don’t normally use when working with your dog: “Ok,” “Up,” “Run”…
- For all commands related to staying in one place, work in very small steps. In the beginning, a few minutes are enough, with young dogs even seconds. That’s the only way you’ll have a chance to really lift your command.
- Take a critical look at yourself: are you really picking up all orders? In the beginning, ask your partner or an acquaintance from the dog park to also make sure that you give your dissolution command consistently and, if necessary, to remind you of it.