# Time Out Command?



## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

Just wondering if anyone knows how to train "time out." When Charley is playing with his doggie friends sometimes we want to untangle everyone and I thought it would be cute to command "time out." 

Of course I could do "come" or "side" but "time out" would be so cute. Any ideas? 

Just a little brag if that's ok....Charley does the cutest "high five". He jumps way up in the air to high five my hands with both his paws. It's just so adorable. What's more, I'll then do a "don't leave me hanging" and he'll slap my right hand after the high five with his left front paw. It's really beyond adorable.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Charleysmom said:


> Just wondering if anyone knows how to train "time out." When Charley is playing with his doggie friends sometimes we want to untangle everyone and I thought it would be cute to command "time out."
> 
> Of course I could do "come" or "side" but "time out" would be so cute. Any ideas?
> 
> Just a little brag if that's ok....Charley does the cutest "high five". He jumps way up in the air to high five my hands with both his paws. It's just so adorable. What's more, I'll then do a "don't leave me hanging" and he'll slap my right hand after the high five with his left front paw. It's really beyond adorable.


What do you want him to DO when you say, "time out"? You need to be clear in your mind what the criteria are, train for that, then it doesn't matter WHAT "words" you put on it. That is your choice.

I have a friend who has this set of cues for the "drop on recall" sequence in obedience...

"Draw!" (The dog starts toward her on the recall)
"Bang!" (the dog drops to the ground)
"I missed!" (the dog finishes the recall and comes to front)
"Reload!" (the dog returns to heel position)

Most people, say a utilitarian, "Come", "Down", "Come", "Set up" for this sequence. My friend always gets a chuckle from the crowd for her cues! 

The point is, you can put any words you want on a behavior, as long as you teach your dog what the words are!


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

yes I undertsand. ok. I need to be clearer. when I take Charley for a walk sometimes we encounterhis dog friends. my community has ALOT of dogs. the dogs are all on leashes at that point. the dogs all know each other and love to play. it may be just one dog or two or three. of course we the owners are constantly trying to untangle the leashes. it's really all fun but once in a while a leash gets caught up in the dog but the dogs are still playing. I'd like to call a "time out" at that point. like Charley stop what you are doing and come here. I feel it needs to be stronger than come although come is come. I just want him to stop what he is doing and back away from the dogs. 

I'm just not sure what to do with this. I could do "come" and of course he knows that but how can I teach "time out" in this situation?


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## tra_po (Aug 14, 2013)

Not an answer but two comments... 

1. Your avatar is simply adorable. 
2. Just a funny - a neighbor of mine has a Havanese and she has trained him "Go to Time Out" and he goes and puts his nose in the corner until he's released.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Charleysmom said:


> yes I undertsand. ok. I need to be clearer. when I take Charley for a walk sometimes we encounterhis dog friends. my community has ALOT of dogs. the dogs are all on leashes at that point. the dogs all know each other and love to play. it may be just one dog or two or three. of course we the owners are constantly trying to untangle the leashes. it's really all fun but once in a while a leash gets caught up in the dog but the dogs are still playing. I'd like to call a "time out" at that point. like Charley stop what you are doing and come here. I feel it needs to be stronger than come although come is come. I just want him to stop what he is doing and back away from the dogs.
> 
> I'm just not sure what to do with this. I could do "come" and of course he knows that but how can I teach "time out" in this situation?


Personally, I think that dogs tangling leashes is dangerous, and is under human control. I simply don't allow on-leash play. If it's time to play, the leashes come off. If there is someone else who allows their dog to tangle my dog's lead by not maintaining enough distance, I drop my lead so that my dog doesn't get tangled.

I don't know how Charley could come back to you if his leash was tangled. Besides that, when dogs are aroused during play is the HARDEST time to get them to listen to ANY cue. If you have a strong recall already, that should work, as long as he's not tangled. If that doesn't work, you need to strengthen that in less stimulating environments first, before trying it in the middle of play.


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

tra_po said:


> Not an answer but two comments...
> 
> 1. Your avatar is simply adorable.
> 2. Just a funny - a neighbor of mine has a Havanese and she has trained him "Go to Time Out" and he goes and puts his nose in the corner until he's released.


thank you. Putting the nose in the corner - I can just picture him doig that.


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

krandall said:


> Personally, I think that dogs tangling leashes is dangerous, and is under human control. I simply don't allow on-leash play. If it's time to play, the leashes come off. If there is someone else who allows their dog to tangle my dog's lead by not maintaining enough distance, I drop my lead so that my dog doesn't get tangled.
> 
> I don't know how Charley could come back to you if his leash was tangled. Besides that, when dogs are aroused during play is the HARDEST time to get them to listen to ANY cue. If you have a strong recall already, that should work, as long as he's not tangled. If that doesn't work, you need to strengthen that in less stimulating environments first, before trying it in the middle of play.


unfortunately I live in a community without enclosed open space. we are all very careful about the leashes but you are right - it could be potentially dangerous which is why I want a time out. But I need to reconsider this sort of play.

And you're also right about diffficulty with commands during play. I will think this through some more. thank you as always for your excellent advice.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Charleysmom said:


> unfortunately I live in a community without enclosed open space. we are all very careful about the leashes but you are right - it could be potentially dangerous which is why I want a time out. But I need to reconsider this sort of play.
> 
> And you're also right about diffficulty with commands during play. I will think this through some more. thank you as always for your excellent advice.


Could you get together with some of your dog-friends, have everyone bring an ex-pen and link them all together as a temporary, fenced in play ground? If everyone brought just one, it wouldn't be TOO hard on any one person, and would give all the pups time to really enjoy some off-leash play!


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

actually sometimes the dogs come to my house and play in my garage. my garage has been permanently converted to a doggie playroom for Charley!! tunnels, balls of every shape and size, small jumps, hoops, ladder, cones etc. other agility items. Charley LOVES doing the course but when the dogs come over I clear away some of it except for the tunnels which they love chasing each other through. But it's only for the smaller dogs. I like your idea and I will talk to some neighbors to see what they think.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Charleysmom said:


> actually sometimes the dogs come to my house and play in my garage. my garage has been permanently converted to a doggie playroom for Charley!! tunnels, balls of every shape and size, small jumps, hoops, ladder, cones etc. other agility items. Charley LOVES doing the course but when the dogs come over I clear away some of it except for the tunnels which they love chasing each other through. But it's only for the smaller dogs. I like your idea and I will talk to some neighbors to see what they think.


Oh, your "Charley Playroom" sounds AWESOME!!! What a pampered pup!  That's the perfect place for play dates, even when the weather isn't great.

I'm planning on converting one room of our basement to a training area for Kodi and me. I plan to rubber mat the floor, then I can bring my agility and obedience equipment inside and train comfortably over the winter.


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

yes that's what Charley and I do. When it's especially hot or cold or wet or I have a broken toe and can't walk alot - I run drills with Charley. He loves to zoom through the entire course and back again. I always change the course up except for the 9 foot tunnel which stays put. But we've done alot of our training in there. we also play soccer or treiball which he LOVES to play and is very good at. We do fetching games of all sorts, catch etc. It's worth keeping my car outside so that my little guy has this. It also faces the street so Charley loves hanging out in there by himself and watching the neighborhood go by. But the kitchen door goes right into it so I can also keep my eye on him. All the shelving in the garage is expened off so it really works terrific. And the opening is gated with an expen too so he's safe in there. 

My neighbors really like it too. So we get the spontaneous stopover often and it works. I have places to sit and there's always water for the dogs. But it's only a roomy one car garage and enough for 3 small dogs. A neighbor two doors down - we've actually connected our 9 foot tunnels so that the dogs can run through and have a blast. Charley is always promoting play with everyone. he seems to always have the ball b/c he's fast and agile and some dog is always chasing him. He's in his glory then. 

Life is good for Charley!!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

One of these days I'd like to try Treiball with Kodi. It lookalike the fun of herding without the need for more livestock! Your set up sounds wonderful!!!


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

Thanks Karen. It really works for us. When I came home from the Kings I knew I would be setting up something like they have. There are also things to go over or under in the setup. By the way, I started the soccer with Charley when he was just months old. I would toss a volleyball size beach ball and he would bring it back pushing it with his body. It was so adorable I started rewarding the behavior and encouraging it. Now it's a favorite mealtime game. Bring the ball (or body push) and get fed gradually. We also play where I'm trying to kick the ball (gently) toward a goal and Charley is amazing at blocking. He doesn't undertsand the concept of goal when we both are going for the ball - maybe I can teach that somehow. But it's all alot of fun. We also love to play hide and seek. 
Uh - oh, I'm going off on a tangent!! It's so easy to get carried away when I'm talking 
about him. 

With all the work you and Kodi do it sounds like it would be extraordinary for you to have an inside dedicated space for him. Keep us posted.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Charleysmom said:


> Thanks Karen. It really works for us. When I came home from the Kings I knew I would be setting up something like they have. There are also things to go over or under in the setup. By the way, I started the soccer with Charley when he was just months old. I would toss a volleyball size beach ball and he would bring it back pushing it with his body. It was so adorable I started rewarding the behavior and encouraging it. Now it's a favorite mealtime game. Bring the ball (or body push) and get fed gradually. We also play where I'm trying to kick the ball (gently) toward a goal and Charley is amazing at blocking. He doesn't undertsand the concept of goal when we both are going for the ball - maybe I can teach that somehow. But it's all alot of fun. We also love to play hide and seek.
> Uh - oh, I'm going off on a tangent!! It's so easy to get carried away when I'm talking
> about him.
> 
> With all the work you and Kodi do it sounds like it would be extraordinary for you to have an inside dedicated space for him. Keep us posted.


Just gotta get my husband and sons to clear that side of the basement out!!!


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