# What is the most useful thing you have taught



## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Apart from the very important coming when called and walking nicely on the lead what is the most useful thing you have taught your dog?

I like mine to have general good manners but I think the most useful thing I have taught this pair is to do with while I am sorting out my food 

I am a sofa slob as far as eating goes and mostly rush in from a busy day at work, feed the dogs while sorting out my tea and then eat in front of either TV or laptop. This means I then want to transfer my food and drink into the living room and often also close the door behind me and switch on the TV (or fire in the winter) without anyone stealing my food or getting in the way. So I taught them to stay as soon as we get into the living room. They both sit in position, I can bring my food and drink in, put them down and do whatever else I need to then they get a fish skin treat and I get to sit down and enjoy my tea in peace


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Well.....the most useful thing that Phoebe does ( untaught) is to collect the eggs from the coop!. And if we are quick enough....WE just might get to eat them!


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## PoppyLove (May 26, 2014)

Wow, what very clever and well behaved dogs you both have. Poppy is a bit of a bugger for leaping on us if we eat in the living room (we normally eat at the table) so that is something to work on. 

Obviously Poppy is only getting the basics at the moment, but 'leave it' has been an important one for us. Several of the boy's toys and socks have been saved, and it has prevented her from eating disgusting things whilst out walking. At home she will drop the thing without a need for a bribe, but if she picks up a prized smelly thing whilst walking it has to be exchanged for a treat.


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## dio.ren (Jan 18, 2013)

The most useful thing I thought Molly was to not touch anything that wasn't hers. She has never destroyed 1 shoe or anything in the house...on occasion she will run around with a sock if she finds one on the floor but she never wrecks them just lies down on them


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## emjon123 (Apr 9, 2013)

Leave it and away are probably our most useful commands. Away works great when we do eat on the sofa and not at the table.


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

dio.ren said:


> The most useful thing I thought Molly was to not touch anything that wasn't hers. She has never destroyed 1 shoe or anything in the house...on occasion she will run around with a sock if she finds one on the floor but she never wrecks them just lies down on them



Maggie is about the same. She does like to "help" me choose which socks to wear in the morning. I refuse to play her game and try to get them away from her. This morning she took my socks, moved back about 10 feet and played with them. By the time I had chosen my other clothes, she had finished playing with them and had deposited both of them at my feet before she went to find something else to do. A little damp but otherwise undamaged.


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## Lottierachel (Mar 3, 2013)

"Drop it" and "leave it" are very useful - although if it's a stone in her mouth, she ain't dropping it!! 

Since being pregnant I've found it really useful that Tilly has learnt (just out of routine, no specific training) that if I bend my knees and put my arms out and say 'up' she hops into my arms, so I don't have up pick her up from the floor!!


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Definitely the immediate down - the dogs are bored of me yelling my stop command when we are out walking, but obediently collapse into their downs and then wait in the down until I touch their back in turn to release them. 
I also have a get back command - when we are walking and they are off lead if I tell them to 'Get back' they need to get behind me - it is not the same as heel, but it does mean that I can control them say if we turn a corner and encounter a family with small children, or a strange dog is running towards them, or there are bird watches or surfers etc on the path.
My Dad always said a good dog must: walk nicely on a lead, come when called and go and lie down when told - anything else is just icing on top of the cake


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Clever dogs and great trainers!

My two can do the usual - recall, walk nicely on lead (Nina's become a bit easily distracted but putting it down to her age), emergency stop, walk on, stopping and sitting at kerbs before crossing, would like to teach heel while off lead - we aren't great with off lead commands except for recall/come/this way. 

Lola brings the mail in to the sitting room after the postie has been, that's quite good.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Your dad sounds a wise man Marzi 

My pair are actually better at training me than I am them  if I dare to forget the biscuit Molly will stay in the kitchen and I have to go back for the biscuits and her  if I ignore her and don't go back she will push the door shut then bark because she is locked out


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## PoppyLove (May 26, 2014)

Nice one Molly!


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

I'm not sure if this counts but Rufus has a very handy "bring it closer" command for when he drops his ball a little too far for us to reach and we are trying to eat a picnic or watch tv and don't want to get up to put it in the launcher. The fact that he completely dictates when we must throw his ball is another matter.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I have been very strict with my family with never feeding my dogs outside their meal times. They do get treats but they have to earn them. We can eat on our sofa at home with the dogs right next to us and they never beg or ask for any food as they know they will never get any. 
I wish I'd been more successful over not jumping up or pulling on leads though!


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

tessybear said:


> I have been very strict with my family with never feeding my dogs outside their meal times. They do get treats but they have to earn them.



Trying to teach my husband this but he keeps failing.


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## PoppyLove (May 26, 2014)

Lindor said:


> Trying to teach my husband this but he keeps failing.


There is always a softy in the family.


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