Commands

[metz]

I have a 11 week old BLM and I hunt pheasants, quail, ducks, geese. He is out of PL stock, and appears to have that tendency.

I plan to train the following commands (not requests):

No - stop what you are doing.
Here - come to me now.
Heel - walk on my left and stay with me.
Sit- sit down and sit squarely.
Kennel - get in there.
Go pee - relieve yourself.
Fetch- go get that (anything reasonable but mostly bumpers/birds).
Hold- hold on to it.
Give- release it to me.
Whoa- stand still and don't move. (used for honoring another dogs point, steadying, stop to flush etc... not for standing game).
Hup/Dogs Name - release from whoa/heel/sit etc...
Whistle commands - Beep/whoa, BeepBeep/Release, BeepMultiple/Here
Blind retrieves- ? Verbal, hand and whistle?

I will eventually get another GSP and would like to have the capability of running them together in any situation and not confuse either one.

I see many trainers release their dogs for a fetch on the dogs name. This is apparently to prevent confusion when working with multiple dogs. I was thinking of using the dogs name as a release for whoa, sit, heel, etc...? Hup would release everybody that was under a command whereas using a name would isolate the release to that individual dog.

Questions:
1. Anyone see any problem with using each dog's name for release, getting his attention and to send on a retrieve?
2. Would it be confusing for a dog to use his name for a release from whatever command you are under and also to fetch or get his attention?
3. Not sure what to do on the whistle commands. From above you can see what I used on my GSP prior (all upland work). But I'm not sure what whistle commands to teach a dog used for upland and blind retrieves. If I could have my GSP on the same commands that would be good. Anyone see good whistle command program for upland work/blind retrieves even if I have a GSP someday?
4. What whistle commands do you teach?
5. What are the verbal, hand, whistle commands for blind retrieves?

Thank you!

[MSU Aggie]

Sounds like you have a good plan in place. I use "ok" as a release for non-retrieving task, and I use their name for retrieving marks. Whistle commands are 1 blast for sit, 2 for change direction if need to (quartering), 3 for here. Blinds: "Back" to send on straight line in direction of bird, whistle to sit and then "over" while pointing an arm in direction I want them to go. Will use "back" and raise arm over head to send attend father away. The Basics

[DonF]

You can use any word you want for any of those command's. The most important thing for me is command's I understand the meaning of. As a command, "hup" is a spaniel meaning sit. It would also work as a release command but I prefer "alright". You'll find the most important part of it is being consistent with the commands. That is why I like commands I understand.

[Meskousing]

I use 'free' as a release command. I seldom use it in normal conversation or other commands.

[Meskousing]

I use 'free' as a release command. It's not used commonly in conversation.