A default behavior is a behavior you and your dog choose (usually sit or down) as a way for your dog to politely communicate with you a request for something they want such as going outside, saying hello to a person, or a special toy you need to get for them.
How to teach:
- Pick either sit or down to be your default behavior.
- Sit is most common, but down can work as well.
- Start by asking for the behavior (sit) with your hand signal only.
- When your dog sits click and then feed in a way to get them out of position into a stand.
- Repeat the hand signal 3 times in a row relatively quickly.
- Then after completing step 4 wait for your dog to offer the behavior and click.
- They may need to think for a little bit before they offer the behavior. That is o.k. just wait for them.
- Once your dog is offering the behavior quickly without you cuing her, you can add duration. This teaches your dog that the it’s not just about offering the default position, but also maintaining it to request what they want.
- To add duration use the marker word good instead of clicker.
- Wait for your dog to offer their default behavior, when they do say “good” and feed in position. While they are still on position repeat “good” and feed in position.
- Release your dog in a way that will get them out position.
- Repeat steps 8 and 9 slowly increasing the duration they are in position before using the release word.
- Once you have a small amount of duration start ping ponging the time between shorter and longer to slowly build longer duration without always making it harder for your dog.