Confused - YorkieTalk.com Forums

LibbieLu08 · 04-07-2009, 08:12 AM

So I've been training Libbie to do the simple commands like sit, stay and recently learn down.

Just yesterday while I was training her.... I notice that she was a little confused. I knew she knew how to sit. So I started to work on down. She was doing down everytime I said it.... I was totally excited

cause its only been two days since she learn that command and she does it every time (when I have her treat jar that is) ..... but then when I decide to switch the comman to SIT....... she went down.

So now I'm not even sure if she knows what I'm saying... She has an idea of what I want her to do but she seems more intrested in getting the treat so she just keeps doing whatever to get it. Does your yorkie do this? Shes smart....cause everytime I said down she'll get a treat..and when I said SIT she'll go down and wait for her treat to be given...I don't know what to do. I don't want to have her confused on the command....most important I want her to KNOW the command and KNOW what I'm saying...

any advice? I need help!

Tinal · 04-07-2009, 08:50 AM

Do you use hand signals as well as say the command? Your right they will do anything to get that treat lol Pebbles does this as well at first. Just keep doing it and she will sort it all out you'll see. I do not think you will confuse her at all, sounds like you and Libby are doing great.

But I do think that hand signals are as important as saying the command. Hope I helped a bit.

Tinal · 04-07-2009, 08:53 AM

Sorry I spelled Libbie's name wrong I have a Y thing I think everything ends in y.

TishaMoon · 04-07-2009, 09:00 AM

I'm just starting on down as well and the same thing happens with Bailey. I think hand signals are a good idea. Also I think Victoria Stilwell will say "uh oh" if the dog performs the wrong action. Maybe saying that and removing the treat will help her get the message.

LibbieLu08 · 04-07-2009, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinal

Sorry I spelled Libbie's name wrong I have a Y thing I think everything ends in y.

hehe... thats alright. It happens...

QuickSilver · 04-07-2009, 11:54 AM

Yes, Thor went through a long stage where he would just rotate though the stuff he knew to see what would get the treat. Sit, then Down, then Up, then Sit again.

If he gives you the wrong behavior, you can do the Victoria "uh oh" and remove the treat. You can also turn and look away from your dog for a few seconds to indicate it was the wrong behavior. Sometimes giving your dog the CORRECT command for that behavior will stimulate him to remember, oh yeah, I know some other behaviors.

Don't let the dog get too frustated. Always end with a trick he knows and give him lots of praise.

Oh yeah, and hand signals are good. I THINK Thor is now starting to cotton on to the fact that different words mean different things.

kalina82 · 04-07-2009, 12:03 PM

Morgan went through this phase too. she was getting sit and down confused. they both meant down to her. So to break this habit i stopped the training session and would have mini training breaks throughout the day. whenever i would catch her sitting i would say sit and then give her a treat. i never asked her to sit. i always rewarded the behavior when she did it on her own. After a few days of this i would tell her good sit, then get her to walk a bit and then ask her for a sit. The sit i asked for would be the one that got treated. not the sit she gave me without asking.

i hope this makes sense. this is what worked for us.

04-07-2009, 08:12 AM	#1
LibbieLu08 YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Milwaukee,WI Posts: 324	Confused So I've been training Libbie to do the simple commands like sit, stay and recently learn down. Just yesterday while I was training her.... I notice that she was a little confused. I knew she knew how to sit. So I started to work on down. She was doing down everytime I said it.... I was totally excited cause its only been two days since she learn that command and she does it every time (when I have her treat jar that is) ..... but then when I decide to switch the comman to *SIT....... she went down. So now I'm not even sure if she knows what I'm saying... She has an idea of what I want her to do but she seems more intrested in getting the treat so she just keeps doing whatever to get it. Does your yorkie do this? Shes smart....cause everytime I said down she'll get a treat..and when I said SIT she'll go down and wait for her treat to be given...I don't know what to do. I don't want to have her confused on the command....most important I want her to KNOW the command and KNOW what I'm saying... any advice? I need help! __________________ LibbieLu*

04-07-2009, 09:00 AM	#4
TishaMoon YT Addict Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: So. Cal Posts: 327	I'm just starting on down as well and the same thing happens with Bailey. I think hand signals are a good idea. Also I think Victoria Stilwell will say "uh oh" if the dog performs the wrong action. Maybe saying that and removing the treat will help her get the message. __________________ ~ Bailey's Mommy~

04-07-2009, 12:03 PM	#7
kalina82 Phantom Queen Morrigan Donating Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: North Jersey Posts: 8,498 Blog Entries: 1	Morgan went through this phase too. she was getting sit and down confused. they both meant down to her. So to break this habit i stopped the training session and would have mini training breaks throughout the day. whenever i would catch her sitting i would say sit and then give her a treat. i never asked her to sit. i always rewarded the behavior when she did it on her own. After a few days of this i would tell her good sit, then get her to walk a bit and then ask her for a sit. The sit i asked for would be the one that got treated. not the sit she gave me without asking. i hope this makes sense. this is what worked for us. __________________ Kellie and Morgan Girls Soccer Team Goalie!!!!

04-07-2009, 08:50 AM	#2
Tinal Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Ottawa,ON,Canada Posts: 244 Blog Entries: 1	Do you use hand signals as well as say the command? Your right they will do anything to get that treat lol Pebbles does this as well at first. Just keep doing it and she will sort it all out you'll see. I do not think you will confuse her at all, sounds like you and Libby are doing great. But I do think that hand signals are as important as saying the command. Hope I helped a bit.

04-07-2009, 08:53 AM	#3
Tinal Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Ottawa,ON,Canada Posts: 244 Blog Entries: 1	Sorry I spelled Libbie's name wrong I have a Y thing I think everything ends in y.

04-07-2009, 11:54 AM	#6
QuickSilver Thor's Human Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 2,993 Blog Entries: 21	Yes, Thor went through a long stage where he would just rotate though the stuff he knew to see what would get the treat. Sit, then Down, then Up, then Sit again. If he gives you the wrong behavior, you can do the Victoria "uh oh" and remove the treat. You can also turn and look away from your dog for a few seconds to indicate it was the wrong behavior. Sometimes giving your dog the CORRECT command for that behavior will stimulate him to remember, oh yeah, I know some other behaviors. Don't let the dog get too frustated. Always end with a trick he knows and give him lots of praise. Oh yeah, and hand signals are good. I THINK Thor is now starting to cotton on to the fact that different words mean different things.