Examples
Below are video examples of the four areas we have trained Cosi:
- Waiting for food
- Coming in on invitation
- Going out on invitation
- Staying out of the kitchen
The training is best if it is consistent. Like gravity. She never eats, goes in or out, or goes into the kitchen, without an “OK”.
The guideline is “nothing for free”. She should obey some command when she does almost anything. We have trained her to not get on the lounge furniture without us there and inviting her up. In order to come up, we always ask her to “Sit” then “OK” to come up.
The more consistent you are, the happier she is.
Cosi Waits for Food
When you take Cosi her food, have her sit and put the food down. If she goes for the food immediately, say “Wait”. She will return to sitting and look at you, or at the dish. Wait a few seconds, then say “OK”. If she moves before the OK is given, say “Sit” again and have her wait. In extreme cases, if she goes for the food and doesn’t return to sitting on command, grab her collar and pull her gently but decisively away from the food and start over with “Sit”.
Cosi Waits to Come In
When it is time for her to come in, for example, in the morning. Have her sit, then open the door enough for her to enter. When sitting, have her wait a few seconds and then say “OK”. If Cosi moves to come in, say “Sit” again, or close the door to prevent her coming in. If she gets in without the OK, say “Out” so she goes back outside. If she hesitates, take her gently but decisively by the collar and put her out again. Start over with “Sit”, then wait, then “OK”.
We have also trained Cosi to not bark when she comes in. This is the same as above, but if she comes in barking, tell her “Out” and do it over again. If she comes in barking more than about two times, have her come in the other door (if by the dining room table, move to the door by the garden, and vice versa). It sometimes takes two or three attempts before she comes in and doesn’t bark.
If Eric is also waiting, it is OK for him to come in when he wants. The training is only for Cosi. If you are coming in from a walk, have Cosi sit, say “Wait”, then open the door and let Eric in first. If there are others on the walk with you, let them go in, too. Then you go in with Cosi coming in always last and on invitation, “OK”.
Cosi Going Out
Similar to the invitation to come in, have Cosi sit before going out (and again before getting into the car). Have her wait a few seconds then say OK. If she moves before the OK, have her start over at sit.
Cosi Leaving the Kitchen
We have trained Cosi to not be in the kitchen. If she is in the kitchen, a simple, “Out of the kitchen” is enough. If she hesitates, repeat, “Out”.