Does your dog love to help you around the house and likes to learn? Then the “pull” command is just right for him. Not only can he help you hang up the laundry, but he can also even help you undress if necessary.
How practical the “pull” command can be is shown above all by moments when a person is disabled – regardless of whether it is temporary or permanent. Then your dog can prove to be a rescue in times of need. Because if, for example, you can no longer use your hand or entire arm properly after an accident, your four-legged friend can give you a paw. Or he enjoys helping you – then both sides benefit from this special dog training. But what is the best way to teach your four-legged friend the “pull” command?
This is how you prepare the first “pulling” exercises.
For training, find a place with a soft surface where nothing can rattle or rattle. Otherwise, your four-legged friend may be startled during the first attempts and then have no desire to continue. Your dog should learn the “pull” command quickly and easily with the help of his favorite toy. It would help if you also had an object you wanted your four-legged friend to pull later, such as a basket or a crate of drinks. However, make sure that the thing corresponds to the size of your fur nose. Small dogs should start with something lighter, like a water bottle. For the training to work, you also need a rope. Attach the toy to one end of the rope and the object you want your four-legged friend to pull to the other end. Now the exercise can begin.
Give the command at the right time.
When your dog approaches his toy and puts it in his mouth, say the command “Pull” – even if the object does not move at all or only slightly. You can praise your four-legged friend if the thing has already moved a few centimeters. Repeat this exercise until your dog gets the hang of the principle, slowly but surely increasing the distance he has to travel with his toy in his mouth. In the beginning, you can also accompany your dog and, if necessary, pull the rope a little to help.
Practice creates masters
Over time, your faithful companion will have internalized the “pull” command so that he no longer needs his toy for motivation. Instead, you give the “pull” command and point to the object you want your four-legged friend to pull – and your dog obeys. But remember, he won’t learn all of this in one day. Practice with him in several small sessions.
Unforeseen possibilities open up.
If your dog has mastered the “pull” command, you can integrate your four-legged friend into the household. For example, attach a rope to a drawer and give the order “pull.” You can then help yourself without shaking hands. Or you give the command and point to items of laundry that are drying on the line: with a bit of practice, your dog will pull the clothes off the line. If your four-legged friend is brilliant, he can even help you undress if you have a broken arm or leg. For example, he can pull on the trouser leg or sweater sleeve so that you can “squirm” out of the garment more easily. But never forget: Praise your helper with many stroking after the work is done.
