Tandem training in multiple dog homes is very important. In obedience school, a dog learns to work when other dogs are also working, and they learn to wait patiently while classmates perform tasks. In a multiple dog home, it is important to train your dogs together as well. It’s much easier to ignore a stranger’s dog, than one of your siblings!
Last week, we had a crime take place in our very own backyard. My sisters, together of course, killed their first wabbit. The two had just returned from their morning walk, and were turned loose to romp in the yard before coming inside. This is when the incident took place. If you follow me on Facebook, you probably heard about it the day it happened.
I was responsible for securing the crime scene once the perps had been hauled away. Can you see all the fur on the snow? Thankfully not a drop of blood was shed. The victim was not the brightest bulb that dark morning. He attempted to jump through the fence, but got stuck at the hips. At the point of the crime scene photos, the body had been extricated from the fence, and taken to a final resting spot. There are no photos of the deceased out of respect for the wabbit and its family.
Sure, this may be a bit humorous, but it was a good reminder to my mom about how important it is to train my sisters together. Some situations require dogs to work together or some independently, no matter what the circumstances. Bailie and Madison are like Siamese Twins. To get one to do something while the other watches is tough.
When you have multiple dogs who love to do everything together, it is important for them to learn to act separately, even when they are together. Getting multiple dogs to sit together, come together, or other tasks is pretty easy. Try adding in Bailie, stay, Madison, come, and the monkey see, monkey do behavior surfaces. No one wants to miss out.
Bailie is in obedience class again because Mom wants to do some Rally with her. In the evenings, Bailie and Madison work on the class homework together. It is very hard for either of them to stay put while the other one gets a command, followed by a reward. With time and practice, they are learning each one gets a reward, even the one who is staying put. Why would this be important?
Incidents happen in a split second, and depending on the danger, one dog may need to do a sit/stay while the other dog is taken away, or asked to come. With the wabbit incident, my sisters needed to both sit and stay so Mom could help the wabbit. When it was determined the wabbit was past any help, one dog needed to stay, while the other got a leash on. Any time my sisters were not “staying”, they were at the wabbit, and Mom was worried they may tear it in pieces trying to get it out of the fence.
Much more work is needed to get my sisters to the point they need to be at. The wabbit test was extreme because of the hunt/prey drive. It took many tries, but Mom did manage to get Bailie and Madison back on leash, and into the house. This tandem training would be so important if one dog was in a fight, injured in the middle of the street, or many other situations. Try it out with your own dogs. Do they obey commands separately? Madison doesn’t like it, and is not afraid to express her opinion, but she will have to learn how to be more patient.
wow a real wabbit? you are better hunters than me… but I agree it is impawtant, you said it very well in case of a fight or an accident it can be essential… in any way. btw: we had a weasel in our backyard last night. I chased it under a wood pile and then the staff and me carried all the wood pieces away to get the intruder out… but it was gone with leaving a long smelle sausage of digested food behind… that rotter…
I guess we know why humans call other humans who cheat weasels. Maybe he will return and you can get him.
What an adventure! We struggle with this, too. We’ve been working in the basement where we have one jump set up for the winter and it is not easy to get one dog to stay while the other one jumps. Some days, we have a lot of success. Other days, we never get it right. Thankfully, in non-fun situations, Barley is pretty good at listening even if Rye is doing something different–as long as there isn’t food involved. Good luck! (And Rye says she hopes it’s not too long before your sisters get another rabbit!)
In training we do fairly well, but when a wabbit is at stake and we think one of us might get back to it, the other doesn’t want to stay. It was interesting, and Mom says it was a lot of work for her to pull us off the wabbit and to keep us away. We are good about both doing the same thing, so that is at least something.
I can see why this would be so important, especially for safety reasons. When I play training games with Torrey, Roxy is right there, but she just wants a treat. So I have Roxy do a little something, so she can get a treat and feel a part of the whole game.
Missing out on a treat, or reward which last week was the wabbit is what makes it so hard for one do stay and the other to be called to move. We will keep practicing.
I’m not sure how ours would have done in a situation like that, most likely they’d fight over the rabbit! Actually, Cricket doesn’t seem to have much prey drive, but Luke certainly does. She would probably just let him have it, so I’d only have to worry about controlling him, and I imagine that would be tough!
Silly Rabbit….why did he think he could fit through that fence???
It was very sad for mom, and she too was worried they would fight with each other over the wabbit, but they did not. Bailie lets Madison have things if it comes to a disagreement, but in this case, they were both on it whenever they could break loose.
Yes, I can see where that type of training is important, buy y;all are smart ones so you’ll get it!
With Bailie and Madison, it is really necessary.
The boys have a hard time obeying the stay command. Pierre is our “exterminator” but he is very good at stop and drop it.
My sisters do all their commands really well (except for come) if they are doing them at the same time. If one has to sit and stay and the other does come, things fall apart. More work to do, but small improvements have been made.
Ah Emma, yo are SOOO right about tandem training in a multiple dog house!
It’s tough but necessary we think.
We do that type of tandem training – one in a stay and the other working with me. After years of it, they just take it in stride. I don’t have to reward the dog in a stay very much because s/he knows that their turn is coming soon. Still, handling a situation like the wabbit (RIP), would be hard with the dogs’ prey drive. And, if I’m in the woods with both off-leash, I think that I’d have a hard time getting them to do different things (e.g., Shyla sit, R come).
Not sure if they will ever master it with such a situation as with the wabbit, but it is good to do things independently and learn to wait your turn.
sorry about the rabbit, that happens at our house too. Great advice on training together.
Mom is used to them being killed, but the part about being stuck in the fence was the tough one this time.
Very informative post. Merlin caught a rat once, he wanted to play with it he kept letting it go and then catching it again. That was until my partner Trevor disposed of the rat.
Wooftastic post!
My fursister Q lived on a chain most of her life; she’s been with us roughly 3 years. We call her the cop of the house. She wants all details, identification & to control every situation. HuMom is trying to teach her that she needs to relax, it’s not her job and to listen to her. Difficult work with some cases.
Good luck my furiends. I know you will excel in your training.
Nose nudges,
CEO Olivia
Every dog is different, and every training does have its challenges but success is the reward.
Our condolences to the wabbit’s family & furiends.
Nose nudges,
CEO Olivia
Mom always feels so bad about the wabbit and those left behind, but they should not hang out in our yard.
First allow me to give my condolences to the Wabbit family. I too struggle with tandom commands but it’s mostly one sided – Jaxson. If I ask Harley to stay and tell Jaxson to come, no problem. Flip the switch and look-out. I guess we just have to continue working on this and pray for a break through LOL
It is pretty tough. Madison is also the one with the most trouble, but with something as big as a wabbit at stake, Bailie wasn’t much better.