Dog Training Advanced Obedience and Competition Training 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of teaching a 'default down' to a pet dog?
- To give the dog a calm, incompatible behavior to offer in arousing situations (Correct answer)
- To prevent the dog from jumping onto furniture
- To train the dog to stay down during feeding
- To prepare the dog for agility competition
Correct answer: To give the dog a calm, incompatible behavior to offer in arousing situations
A default down teaches the dog to automatically lie down as its go-to calm behavior when unsure, reducing excitability and reactivity.
Question 2: Which method is recommended for building a reliable off-leash recall in advanced training?
- Using high-value rewards and never recalling the dog to end something enjoyable (Correct answer)
- Practicing recall only on leash
- Using a leash correction when the dog is slow to return
- Calling the dog only when needed to avoid overuse
Correct answer: Using high-value rewards and never recalling the dog to end something enjoyable
A reliable recall is built by pairing the cue with high-value rewards and ensuring the dog is never punished or immediately leashed after returning.
Question 3: What does 'stimulus control' mean when applied to a trained behavior?
- The behavior occurs only when the specific cue is given and not otherwise (Correct answer)
- The dog responds to all similar-looking cues
- The trainer controls all environmental stimuli during practice
- The dog refuses distracting stimuli on cue
Correct answer: The behavior occurs only when the specific cue is given and not otherwise
A behavior is under stimulus control when the dog performs it reliably to its cue and only its cue — not on anticipation, other signals, or spontaneously.
Question 4: In advanced heel work, what does 'forging' describe?
- The dog walking ahead of the correct heel position (Correct answer)
- The dog lagging behind the handler
- The dog swinging its hindquarters out
- The dog sitting crookedly on the halt
Correct answer: The dog walking ahead of the correct heel position
Forging is when the dog's shoulder moves ahead of the handler's leg, a common heel position fault penalized in competition.
Question 5: What training technique is used to teach a dog to work at a distance from the handler using spatial cues?
- Directional or remote cue training with targets or gesture signals (Correct answer)
- Classical conditioning at close range
- Restraint recalls
- Flooding
Correct answer: Directional or remote cue training with targets or gesture signals
Directional training uses hand signals, targets, and spatial markers to teach dogs to move to specific positions away from the handler.
Question 6: What is the recommended approach when a dog begins performing previously reliable behaviors inconsistently?
- Return to simpler versions of the behavior to rebuild the reinforcement history (Correct answer)
- Increase leash pressure during attempts
- Stop training the behavior temporarily
- Switch to a different incompatible behavior
Correct answer: Return to simpler versions of the behavior to rebuild the reinforcement history
Inconsistency often signals the dog was advanced too quickly, so stepping back to an easier criterion and rebuilding reinforcement history restores reliability.
Dog Training Advanced Obedience and Competition Training 2
What is the primary purpose of teaching a 'default down' to a pet dog?