Track Commands/words Of Obedience

[Feisty49]

When I adopted Annie Bella about a year ago, it was a hassle to get her into the back of my SUV. So much so that I was helping her climb into the vehicle via a back passenger door. About a week after her adoption I heard or read somewhere that the term "kennel up" is used at many (most/all?) tracks as a directive to the girls to jump up to their crates. Next time Annie Bella went with me in the car, I used "kennel up" with the cargo door opened to the back of the Escape and she jumped right up! !

 

I also discovered a few months ago that, when she starts to slow down on the part of our walks that she knows is bringing us back home, if I use the words "walk walk walk" she'll start trotting. I have no idea if this was ever used at the track, but she responds to the words as she does to "kennel up."

 

I'm wondering if there are other track terms, commands, directives, etc., that could be helpful to newbies and others of us who have no knowledge of track life. Thanks for any info you've got.

[LaFlaca]

What a terrific question! I am very interested in the answers that you will receive.

[Guest PiagetsMom]

I would think that commands would vary widely from kennel/trainer to kennel/trainer. But, yes - "kennel up" is a common command used by trainers, I think especially for the females, who usually have the top crates in the kennels.

 

edited to strike the "common".....evidently it's not necessarily widely used, but it was commonly used with the trainer/kennel I had experience with here at Gulf, and it always worked with my pups when I brought them home.

Edited July 27, 2012 by PiagetsMom

[OwnedBySummer]

Wow, this could be like discovering the rosetta stone! I'd love to hear some more of the common commands that might be used.

[Brindles]

Commands vary more from kennel to kennel rather than track to track. I haven't heard a single person use "kennel up" but almost everyone says "jump" or just "up." The other trick is a quick tug upwards on the collar as you give the command. Most dogs who know how to jump will sail right up.

 

Ours know their names very well. They also know "come here" along with the hand signal (which comes in handy for the one dog who is deaf) as well as "move" and "get back." An outward-facing palm means no jumping. Those are the ones we use most frequently in our kennel.

[gazehund]

Rachel, I have never heard kennel up used anywhere either. Not sure where that one came from.

If dogs are responding to it, it is mostly likely the "up" part they are responding to IMHO. Cracker and

DD were both bottom kennel dwellers. All I did with both of them to get them to hop into

the Range Rover was hold on to the collar as you said, a little trot toward the truck and say "up, up!" with a

little tug on the collar. Both of them had it figured out after the first time.

 

All three of them know their names and all three of them have excellent re-call.

I use the hand up, palm out for WAIT which they know well. That one they know verbally and just the hand sign.

They know "move" and "shut it." I use shut it for DD and his incessant whining.

Lastly they know come here with the hand signal I use ( think police officer directing traffic)

[Hubcitypam]

Have posted before that one year in Abilene (before it became invitation only) I was in a group of several owners and trainers and asked about "kennel up".

Every single one said that they had never used that command. They all used "up" or "hup". Don't know how it became adoption group legend...or maybe it is used in other parts of the country.

[Guest sweetpea]

When I'm working turnout it's pretty clear that whatever registered names or call names any of the hounds have,

their middle name is always "come here"

 

As for other commands, I'm not sure how much more would be needed than the ones Rachel mentioned.

It's not like these pups are all Schutzhund trained in some secret code (although that would be cool )

 

Buzzy

[Time4ANap]

Rocket responded to Kennel Up when we taught him to get in the car. Prior to using it, he had to be lifted into the car, one end at a time. We tried it after we saw it work to get him in his crate at the boarding place. Throwing a treat into the car didn't work until we paired it with the command.

 

He came from Daytona, so maybe it was used there, or he just learned it at boarding - not sure.

 

He does know "Move" or "Move Please," "Wait, " "Go Lay Down," "This Way" and probably some others. "Wait" impresses the neighbors because he waits to cross the street until I tell him "OK".

[Feisty49]

Annie Bella also knows wait rather than stay. Stay has never worked with her, and I have spent many an afternoon, when she's most hungry, trying to teach her. Again, at some point on a walk, just as I used the words "walk walk walk," I used the word "wait" and she stopped immediately. I'm still working on stay, using it in association with wait, because stay is a common command and it's good for her to know the terms most other people would use with her, but right now, wait works when I need her to hold still while I pick up poop, am at a corner to cross the street (I also hold her close to me with no loose leash) or if she tries to go down the 9 stairs off the terrace faster than I can go.

 

Kennel up also worked with Annie Bella to get her to go in her crate the first few days I had her. She hated the crate, though, and it was put away 5 days after her adoption.

[Guest KennelMom]

The trainer I saw the most at B'ham just said "hup!" I dont' think he had any other "command words"

[schultzlc]

I had heard to try using the word "wait" rather than "stay" as well, and was amazed when Luna stopped dead in her tracks the first time I tried it out.

 

I'll be following this to see if there's anything else I can test her vocabulary with.

[TheFullHouse]

JT uses "up" also. I've heard him use "wait" and "come here" also. He will also ask the dogs "want this" when he offers a treat and he also uses their names.

[BootsyCollins]

Bootsy knows pretty much all of those words. He also chooses to ignore them.

[GeorgeofNE]

I suspect George was spoken to in a foreign language. He is either an excellent actor, or knew NOTHING when I got him. He acted like he'd never even walked on a leash, and considering he was in the same racing kennel for 3 years, I have to wonder how they got him from place to place! Mostly by the collar I guess.

 

He knew exactly what to do the day I brought him home when I opened up my SUV tailgate. He jumped right in without me saying a word!

[Hubcitypam]

He acted like he'd never even walked on a leash, and considering he was in the same racing kennel for 3 years, I have to wonder how they got him from place to place! Mostly by the collar I guess.

Have never seen a dog taken to the starting box by the collar. Perhaps he was just seeing how much he could get away with?

[Guest goofydog]

I've frequently seen onrushpam and onrushglen use the 'up' command along with a gentle tap on the butt. They go right in to the transport chariots!

[Brindles]

He acted like he'd never even walked on a leash, and considering he was in the same racing kennel for 3 years, I have to wonder how they got him from place to place! Mostly by the collar I guess.

Have never seen a dog taken to the starting box by the collar. Perhaps he was just seeing how much he could get away with?

 

Dogs have to walk on a lead to the box. They get scratched if they won't walk or have to be led by the collar.

 

Another signal we use at the track is patting the floor of the crate. A lot of dogs who don't jump will at least put their feet up for that one.

[GeorgeofNE]

He acted like he'd never even walked on a leash, and considering he was in the same racing kennel for 3 years, I have to wonder how they got him from place to place! Mostly by the collar I guess.

Have never seen a dog taken to the starting box by the collar. Perhaps he was just seeing how much he could get away with?

 

I was joking. I know how they get them to the box.

 

I also know that they don't seem terribly concerned about the dog actually behaving on his way there!

[jetcitywoman]

One of the things that charmed me when we went to Wheeling Island was the leadout parade and how the dogs often couldn't stand still while they were announced. The leadouts would pick up half a dog and flip him back around facing forward. On one or two occasions, the leadout would pick up the whole dog and plop him back down facing the right direction.

[rschultz]

Wow!! I wish I would of known about "kennel up" because when we first got Lexie it took me forever to get her to jump in the car. Excellent topic

 

Bootsy knows pretty much all of those words. He also chooses to ignore them.

 

:hehe

Edited July 31, 2012 by rschultz

[tydyelady]

Opie seemed to know "Back Up" when we got him., and immediately started going in reverse.

[Guest bigbrindlebunny]

OMG. "Wait" and "Walk, Walk, Walk." Who knew???

 

 

Thank you!

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

At both racing kennels I have worked at, the dogs knew:

 

1) Their call names

2) Get out (go out to the turn out pen)

3) Kennel up/Crate up

 

Girls who wouldn't jump, we pat their butt gently and say "up!" and it usually works!

[ParzivalWatts17]

Our grey came from Iowa Park track and spent most of his time there and at the end of his career had a race at Southland and few more at Wheeling.

Hes only 2.5 years old and adopted him a couple months ago. Any ideas if they use the same commands or if they did? I can’t get him to jump up into the car for anything. 
 

He also doesn’t know how to sit, lie down, stay, and heel. He does seem to know leave it because we use that to not get into certain things and not try to eat our cat. 
 

Thanks in advance for any advice!