To do this, I train using a number of different exercises. These are:

1. The “Stationary directions”
2. “Crossing behind”
3. “Reverse counter-balance”; and
4. The “Overtaking directions”

These exercises start to train the sheepdog pup to obey the spoken commands regardless of our position. Many handler’s dogs are only responding to their position and movement (or their use of the training stick or arm signal), rather than to the spoken (or whistled) command itself. It is vital (if we want a well-trained dog), that we train the pup to respond to the directional commands regardless of where we are standing or what we are doing.

In this training video, I look at the next exercises in my method of teaching the directional commands – the “neutral” and “offset” stationary directions.

Note: In this episode we also see how Campaspe Rust’s “sit down” has progressed since we last saw him in “Introducing “Sit down”“.

Running time: 17 minutes