# Most Useful Commmand!



## Sue Miller (Jul 21, 2009)

This command works for all dogs & puppies. I use this command to have a dog with me to protect anywhere in the house without any hassle. I was just looking at the crime search for our zip--frightening. In the last 3 months, there have been 308 crimes--robberies, assults, burglaries, drug busts, family disturbances--in addition 38 sex offenders. I hate to watch the local news because it seems like there're more violent crimes commited. The video link follows the explanation of the command & the dog's level of obedience. This puppy is way too young to protect, but her family acquired her as a protection dog & she's showing all the signs that she will be a success.

The “place” command simply means stay on your place—you can sit, stand up, go to sleep, anything the dog wants to do except step a foot off the Coolaroo (the Coolaroo is what we use for training)—eventually, you can use a towel, piece of cardboard, jacket etc, point to it & tell the dog “place”. 
This is Gabbie—she is around 6 ½ months old in this video. Her owners have 4 children & Gabbie would chase the kids, jump up, grab things & nip. They wanted to stop those behaviors especially since she’s going to be huge—they also wanted basic obedience (sit, down, come & sit, sit at a distance-all commands automatically mean stay until released). 
In the video, Gabbie hasn’t seen her family for almost a month—previously, she has gone through training at home for 2-months & has been with us for almost a month. Gabbie is very excited but remains on her place. There is never a command like sit or down or anything else given when the dog is on the place—she can do whatever she wants as long as she doesn’t step her foot off. We asked the kids to wrestle, run around her, talk to her & Isabella is skipping around Gabbie with a plastic bag in her hands. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLtndqAHmRw


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I tell folks that the top five (sit, down, stay, walk nicely on leash, and recall) should be learned by every dog. Recall is my #1 priority for safety's sake, both if you do working sport and since one of my father's dogs was hit and killed by a car a little over a year ago because it didn't have the recall out at the off leash area.


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## Sue Miller (Jul 21, 2009)

I agree that recall is the most important--I train the recall first in the yard & then progressing to extreme distractions. I have about a million recalls on video--I'm editing 3 weeks of training for a video showing how I train with an e-collar. The "place" thing is the most useful for a family. This puppy was causing lots of turmoil with the kids.


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## Ron Ackerman (Jul 29, 2007)

I’m afraid I’ll have to disagree with the Recall being the most important command. What if your loose dog runs across the street, you see him and use your perfect Recall command. As he begins his return to you, splat, that speeding truck takes him across the rainbow bridge, all because he did exactly as you asked. How would that make you feel? 

In my opinion, it is the Down that is most important. It can be used if the dog is either going away or coming toward you. Then after he Downs, you can either go to the dog and get physical control or use your recall, when you’re sure the coast is clear, to get him back. Think about it.


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## Sue Miller (Jul 21, 2009)

This dog has a long-distance sit also. I just think the recall is most important. My dog isn't loose in the city anyway.


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

No =; simple as that


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Recall, Drop, NO.


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## Cesar A. Flores Dueñas (Oct 1, 2009)

As A friend of mine told me one time

You cant do nothing ith your dog if he is not close to you!!

RECALL


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## Lacey Vessell (Nov 18, 2006)

I agree with Ron....solid down - then recall.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Yep I agree, a solid "down" is the most important, as far as I'm concerned head & shoulders above anything else.


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## Adi Ibrahimbegovic (Nov 21, 2008)

Down - most important. Everything else is secondary. With "out" being a close second,too.


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## Adam Rawlings (Feb 27, 2009)

Down, Recall & Leave It. Still working on the solid out with one of my dogs.


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## Michael Santana (Dec 31, 2007)

Another vote for Down, Recall, Out.


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## Courtney Guthrie (Oct 30, 2007)

I'll have to also be in the Down, Recall and Out camp. 

With a solid down, you can stop your dog anywhere, no matter what, the dog knows down means don't move until I release you, this allows you to walk up to your dog and grab it should the need arise compared to calling him and putting him in a potentially worse situation. A good solid down can be used just as the "Place" command is. If this family was having that much trouble with their puppy, I would've helped them to calm down the dog in the house and then started on this command if it was something that they wanted. (I'm sure you did this too!) 

Courtney


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## Sue Miller (Jul 21, 2009)

Courtney Guthrie said:


> I'll have to also be in the Down, Recall and Out camp.
> 
> With a solid down, you can stop your dog anywhere, no matter what, the dog knows down means don't move until I release you, this allows you to walk up to your dog and grab it should the need arise compared to calling him and putting him in a potentially worse situation. A good solid down can be used just as the "Place" command is. If this family was having that much trouble with their puppy, I would've helped them to calm down the dog in the house and then started on this command if it was something that they wanted. (I'm sure you did this too!)
> 
> Courtney


Yep, the puppy had weekly training sessions from about 12 weeks old at home working on the commands. The place is different than a down, she'll spend many hours on the place--she can do anything she wants on the place except step off. It is a way of controlling her without crating her & keeping her with the family. She's only a little over 7-months-old now.

The family has the 4 kids & they are always going just like the video. Kids running, calling her name constantly, telling her what to do (commands) is not a good thing--the place is just something that will eliminate all that. I said it was the most useful--it keeps my dogs with me at all times without bothering me by wanting to play.

I still think the recall is most important--I want my dog to return to me & sit until released in a dangerous situation (loose dogs, odd situations, etc). I'm not saying that a long-distance down isn't important, but I want my dog near me for protection & to control any dangerous situation.


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## Sue Miller (Jul 21, 2009)

Do you mean like this Ron? He has a leash on because the park security says they always need to wear a leash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG9DpHw3-fY


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## Rick Cadez Jr. (Dec 1, 2009)

The Place command is nice in the house. I use it as soon as the dogs come inside the house. It helps them settle and is great for times when you dont want them at your feet. I agree with the Down command being the most important Off-Leash.


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## Mike Di Rago (Jan 9, 2009)

I also agree with the down being the most important, and with my last police dog he would never be recalled from a down. If he was down, he would be given a sit before the recall that way he knew not to anticipate a recall when he was down. Kind of a safety.

Mike


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

most important recall or "hier"


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

I think from a safety point of view having a very solid "panic down" is a must. No matter how far away the dog is if he is running loose and careless, if you can stop him where he is then you can go get him safely. Of course a recall is also important, but for me a panic down is the most important.


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## Ron Ackerman (Jul 29, 2007)

Sue,

Yeah, that's EXACTLY what I was talking about. Thanks.


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

mike suttle said:


> I think from a safety point of view having a very solid "panic down" is a must. No matter how far away the dog is if he is running loose and careless, if you can stop him where he is then you can go get him safely. Of course a recall is also important, but for me a panic down is the most important.


Is your 'panic down' very effective and do you train it off the training field ? My version of a 'panic down' is a WAIT, which equates to a stop in your tracks until I give a further command. I have found better compliance and reliability with this than a down when the dog is in full flight, it's a kind of half way between recall and down.


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