The Training Tree

The amount of "commands" or requests you will be able to give your dog, while expecting consistent compliance, will depend greatly on the strength of your training tree. Think of it as starting with your best most consistent commands - commands that allow you to build other commands off of. SIT is always an important inclusion in the trunk of the training tree. Sit, will allow you to build the Down command later and be a basic resort in Stays (along with Downs). The "Place" command is one that i like to include in my trunk, because it makes the Stay command much easier to teach later, and usually is more helpful in basic behavior situations to teach the dog distance (like jumping with excitement at guests, begging at the table). So, for me, Sit and Place are the two commands that make up the trunk of my training tree. If I start my training focus on achieving vintories in translating the Sit and Place command (both can be worked in tandem 5 to 6 times a day easily) then I can branch off into the Down command. You are not going to have a consistent Down if you cant control a consistent Sit first. You need to be able to pull the learning experience/frustration of the new commands back into the trunk commands - like Sit, or Place. Same situation will present itself as you learn the Stay, and Come commands, all which will require a learning curve that will also allow you to reinforce your core trunk commands. Helping your dog by extending the tree.....building commands like "Sit"......"Go To Place"....."Down"...."Stay".........."Come Here". Thats a realistic series that can seem sensible, simply by the structure of the commands as they have been taught and reinforced. Allowing you to peel back into a command you know you can be succesful in, if you find yourself wobbling in the command you are trying.