Getting Started Week 21 - Going Inside and Outside

Make sure you always use one word to always mean one thing.  For example, don't say, "Stay" unless you expect your dog to freeze in one position until you say otherwise!  Don't say, "Down" unless you mean lie down in the down position.  Don't say, "No" if you mean, "Quiet".

Coming indoors and going outdoors is a good time to teach and practice vocabulary - such as sit, down, watch, wait.

• Tell your puppy to "wait" with a hand signal like a stop sign - making your body a barrier to the opening. 
  

• Use a release word such as "Okay" or teach "Inside" and "Outside" to cue your puppy to go through the doorway.  It you are going in or out, make sure you go through the door before your puppy. 
  

• The word "wait" means remain in this general area. The word "stay" means freeze in an exact position.
  

• Only use the word, "stay" after cueing your puppy to hold a position first such as "sit-stay" or "stand-stay" or "down-stay". 
  
  Insist that your puppy "wait" and allow you to go through doorways first. This helps communicate that you expect respect.  Canine's consider going through a doorway first as a privilege of rank.