Basic training

The most important thing about training your sighthound is that all training is reward based – be it with food (extra special treats used for training) or favourite toys. Training should be pleasurable time both for dog and handler, should be kept short and if either party becomes fed up at any time then call a halt and try again later. Training is ongoing and if you make it fun then it can be an enjoyable part of every walk.

You want your dog to succeed in responding to commands, so choose times when he is most responsive and don’t try to make him do things when he is distracted or he may fail to respond immediately. The more you and your dog succeed, the happier and more willing your dog will become, so don’t ever try to catch him out. Practice your command when you have the best chance of achieving the required result.

Dogs learn to associate words with what they are doing at the time the word is spoken, so it is important not to use a verbal command until the dog is actually doing/has learned what you are wanting him to do. For instance, many people wait until their dog is pulling on the lead in front of them, then haul them back and say ‘heel!’ The dog has no idea what the word ‘heel’ means at this point and learns that it must mean walking ahead and being yanked backwards, but as this still means he gets where he wants to go he continues to pull.

Walking on a loose lead
Many sighthounds, particularly greyhounds, walk well on the lead. However, some still pull, particularly at the start of an exciting walk. Dogs pull because they want to get where they are going. They have learned that when they pull on the lead, you walk forward with them. We know that we will still walk forward even if they do not pull, but some dogs have yet to realise this! Therefore we need to teach them that a loose lead = walk forward, a tight lead = don’t walk forward.
1. Start the training about ½ way through the walk when the dog is not too excited trying to get to his destination. Avoid places where there are distractions like children/dogs playing.
2. Put you dog onlead at your side in the sit position (if he is comfortable with this, stand if not) and then step forward briskly. If he walks at your side, praise him and reinforce with a treat whilst still walking. If he gets ahead and the lead becomes tight, immediately turn and walk back the way you came. This will come as a bit of a shock to your dog and the idea is that he will learn that if the lead becomes tight he won’t be able to continue forward. He should also start focusing on what you are doing and which direction you are going to go next rather than just thinking about getting where he is going.
3. Repeat this, turning round when the lead becomes tight and praising every time he walks on a loose lead, enforcing with the occasional treat. As he starts to get the hang of it (again, this may take many sessions), start to use the word ‘heel’ whilst he is close and paying attention to you, again praise and treat. (Only use the word when he is actually walking to heel until you are absolutely sure he knows what you want from him and is likely to succeed in responding when you do use the command)
4. You can take this further by teaching your dog whether you intend to walk right or left either by word or hand signals.


Sit
Many sighthounds are not comfortable in the sit position and unless your hound sits naturally at times then give this one a miss and train the down position.
1. Use a tasty titbit (eg liver, sausage, cheese) or if your hound is not a foody, an exciting toy, and hold it in front of his nose.
2. Then move the treat/toy above and behind the dog’s head, luring him into the sit position.
3. Once his bottom hits the floor, immediately give him the treat and lots of praise and petting.
4. Repeat several times until he starts to get the idea (some dogs may take several sessions before they grasp what you want from them). Then you can start giving the verbal command just prior to inducing the sit.

Down
1. Use a treat to lead your dog into a down position. It helps to start in the sit position if possible. Hold the treat in front of the dogs nose but with your hand turned slightly so he cannot grab at it.
2. Slowly lower your hand, holding the treat, down to the floor between or just in front his front paws. Keep it there until he lies down. The minute he lowers his body to the floor, give him the treat and praise.
3. Repeat until your dog is going down quickly and smoothly, then start to use the verbal command just prior to inducing the down.

Recall
For most sighthounds, free running is the best thing ever! So recall is often quite a hard thing for them to learn to enjoy…..
General rules:
• When you begin training recall – do not call your dog and then do something unpleasant to him when he comes (eg bath him/shut him away/clip his nails/clean his ears). And never ever punish him for something when he returns (eg running away/eating the furniture/stealing your sandwich) he will just believe he is being punished for coming back and won’t risk returning next time you call
• If your dog has negative associations with recall (eg he thinks it means run away/start playing a game/he has learned he can ignore the command) choose a new word (come, here, etc) or a whistle.
• Never call your dog when you know he will not respond and you are not in a position to reinforce the command. He will just learn that it doesn’t matter if he ignores you. Therefore, if you have a safe place to let your dog run even at the beginning of training but his recall isn’t up to scratch – don’t call him with your chosen command word/whistle as there is a good chance he won’t succeed in coming back. Instead try to draw him to you with a treat/toy or go and get him, praise and reward. Only use your chosen command word/whistle when he is at a level in training when you know there is a good chance of success.
• If you are using a command word rather than a whistle, always make your voice happy, higher pitched and cheerful. Your dog isn’t going to risk coming back to someone who is angry.
• Use high value treats (liver/sausage/cheese), something that your dog loves and would not normally receive – dog treats might be good in the house, but they are just not good enough to risk having your lead put back on when you are having fun running around outside! If your dog is not food motivated – a special squeaky toy or ball that is only used for recall could be used.
• Remember that when your dog comes back on an offlead run it is just a pit stop - time for a treat or a game and a stroke (touch his collar every time before the treat, so he associates that with something nice and he won’t get crafty and just slip off the one time you want to put his lead back on). When it is finally time to end the walk, make sure you have called and rewarded during the course of the walk several times before you put the lead back on. Don’t always choose the same spot to put his lead on or he might think twice about coming back if he begins to associate that place with the end of his free running.

Training
1. Teach your dog that the command word/whistle = treat. Stand in a room with your dog in front of you and have plenty of high value treats. Call/whistle and immediately give him a treat and lots of praise. The treat must be given right after the command so that the dog associates the two things. Repeat several times and if you keep his interest, try stepping back a few paces and repeat the command so he has to walk forward for his treat. Once he has got the idea, you can call him from another room when you know he is alert and you have a good chance of him coming, then in the garden when there are no distractions. Always call when you can see there is a good chance of him returning.
2. Once he is successful in returning to your call in the house, from room to room and in the garden, you can start training away from the home. This is much harder for your dog, so again, choose your moment to call carefully when you judge he is most likely to respond. Walk along normally, with your dog on a loose short lead. When there are no distractions (children playing/other dogs/people passing) suddenly call your dog and briskly walk backwards. You may need to pull him gently and hold out his treat to help him get the idea. Praise him and reward him with the treat as he comes to you. Gradually over several sessions, increase the level of difficulty as he succeeds (ie try when he is sniffing, then when there are people passing, and around other dogs)
3. Once the onlead recall is working and you are not having to tug on the lead at all to get him to turn around and come to you, progress to a long line/lunge rein attached to a well fitting harness (your dog’s neck could be severely damaged it the long line is attached to his collar and he runs at speed). Now do exactly the same as step 2 but in a field/tennis court/park (again no distractions at first, then when he is sniffing, working up to calling when other dogs are around/children playing).
4. Only when your dog is coming back every time you call him whilst on the long line should you progress to offlead training away from the home. Firstly you will need to make sure that the area you choose for this is fully secure (tennis court or small high fenced field) and has as few distractions as possible. Have a quick practice in the area still onlead first before letting him run free. Once he is offlead you cannot physically reinforce your command, so let him run, sniff and wait until he is looking ready to return before you call him – lots of praise, touch collar and reward if he is successful. NEVER put his lead back on this first time, let him go again and repeat several times before ending the walk and putting him back onlead.

You may well find that your dog can do offlead recall perfectly in quiet areas with little or no distractions, but needs to do the longline recall in situations where there are likely to be small animals around or other dogs running and playing. Continue to practice regularly on walks with your dog depending on the situation or if you find his recall has got worse for any reason, go back a step or two.

Recall tips:
• If you have a large garden or once your dog is recalling on walks offlead, don’t let him get too far away. He will be more likely to respond to commands and feel that you are in control if you are at a reasonable distance.
• Once offlead away from the home, if your dog does not return immediately when you call him at any time, do not repeat the call, wait a few moments until he looks ready and then call again, praise and reward on his return. If you were to keep repeating the call and then reward when he finally comes back, he is just learning that he will still get the treat no matter how many times you call so he can ignore you until he is ready.
• Keep your dog on his toes by changing your route on walks regularly so he cannot predict where you are going to be and think he’ll catch you up later. Also, you could keep him alert by hiding behind bushes so he needs to come and find you.
• Remember that dogs can get bored with the same treats, so change them every so often to keep him interested.