Training A Puppy To 'Stand'

Training a puppy is easy when you know how to do it. If you want an obedient Cocker Spaniel read on to learn how to teach your puppy to 'Stand' when you ask him to and see just how easy it is.

Training a Puppy to 'Stand Up!'

Why Should I Teach My Puppy This Command?

Before I begin, I thought you might be wondering why you need to teach your puppy to stand up.

Oops! Sorry Mum, I got it wrong.

Well, there are several good uses that spring to mind.

It will  be extremely useful when his vet wants to give him a thorough nose-to-tail examination.

And once his feathers have grown in and you take him to the grooming parlour, the groomer will probably want him to stand for some of the time.

There will be many other times when you don't want your Cocker sitting or lying down.

For example, you'll want your puppy to stand up while you're grooming him or when you're giving him his monthly bath-time scrub!

So read on to learn how to teach your puppy to 'stand up'!

Training a Puppy to 'Stand Up!'

Make sure there are no distractions and that the kids are safely tucked up in bed or at school. You want a calm, peaceful atmosphere.

• Sit on the floor, about 30 cm in front of your puppy and ask him to sit.
  
  
• Hold a treat between your fingers, and move your hand just in front of your puppy's nose so that he can see and smell the treat.
  

• When you have your puppy's full attention, move your hand away from him, between 15 and 30 cm, taking care to keep your hand at his nose level, and parallel to the floor.
  

• As your puppy begins to move towards the treat, lower your hand slightly to stop him from sitting down again. Don't lower it too much, otherwise he may lie down.
  
  
• Your puppy will stand to reach the treat. As he does, say the command word, 'Stand', and praise him with, 'Stand, Good boy stand'. Don't forget to give him his treat as well as his praise for getting it right.
  
  Your hand movement during this command can act as a visual prompt later.
  
  
• Repeat this exercise between 5 and 10 times every day, and practice regularly until you feel your Cocker Spaniel puppy has completely mastered the stand command. 
  
  
• Once he's learned to stand and responds immediately, you can try using the vocal and visual commands separately. It might take a little while for him to respond to the visual command on its own, but don't worry about it. Simply take a break and try again later.

Training a Puppy: What Can Possibly Go Wrong?

Teaching your puppy to 'Stand Up!' may take a little patience and practice, because there are a couple of things that can (and often do) go wrong.

• If you move your hand too far away from your puppy, he may need to walk to reach the treat; you want your dog to stand, not walk.
  
  
• If your treat hand is held too high, your puppy may need to raise his head to take the treat and, in doing so, he will sit down again. 
  
  
• If you move your hand too low, your puppy may lie down.

Don't be impatient or get angry when your dog gets it wrong, simply give him a cuddle and try again later.

Practice, Practice, and More Practice!

When training a puppy don't be tempted to move on to the next training exercise until you're certain that your Cocker has learned each lesson thoroughly.

Eventually, he should stand for you whenever you use either means of command and without always being bribed with a treat.

When you decide to remove the use of treats, (you don't want an overweight puppy now do you?) don't forget to continue rewarding your pet with lots of praise and affection to let him know he's getting it right!

Ready To Try The Next Obedience Training Command?

Keep practicing the stand command a few times each day and your Cocker Spaniel will soon get the hang of it!

When he does, you can move on to further puppy training, such as the 'Down' command.

If you'd like to try your hand at more puppy obedience training, simply follow the link.

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