"In" and "Out"

One final bit of recapping to do from our last Saturday meeting (yes, I'm a bit behind here), and that's the use of the commands "in" and "out."

Whenever we go in a door, the command is "in," and when we go out, it is "out." (Crazy, I know.) The puppy should sit at the door and not go in or out until given the command to do so. This is something that should be practiced at home as well as out on exposures. Not only do we not want our puppies darting out of ANY doors on leash, this also teaches them not to dart out of a door even when off leash. In fact, it's a good idea to have your pup sit and wait for you to tell it "out" even when you are just letting it out into your fenced-in backyard – and have it sit again before it comes back "in."

The same basic philosophy applies when your pup gets in or out of a car. Have your puppy sit and wait until you say "in" to go in the car, and then have it sit once inside. (Before you start moving, you will also want to tell it "down-stay.") When you're ready to get out of the car, have the puppy sit when the door is opened and wait until you say "out" before exiting, then sit again.

If you consistently apply this sequence of "sit-in-sit" and "sit-out-sit" at home, in the car, and on exposures, you will soon have not only a safe, happy, and well-mannered puppy but a safe, happy, and well-mannered puppy raiser, too!