Touch command.

[hmhershey]

Has anyone taught the touch command to their dog? I have been thinking about teaching bentley this and using it instead of recall. Any thoughts?

[Belles mom]

Not sure what you mean by the touch command INSTEAD of a recall?? There is nothing more valuable to a dog owner than a recall command. (Other than maybe a drop/sit on recall command).

[Cheley]

Our instructor at Willow's basic obedience class had us teach "touch". I rarely use it now. Not sure what you mean by using it instead of recall?

[deidra]

I taught Bentley the touch command so he would nussel me not bite me when he wanted his treat and it worked! With using it instead fo recall I am the same and od not get what you mean.

[jen124]

I have taught the touch for target work etc. which helped tons with tricks. Not sure what you mean instead of recall either... unless you mean like a sit front with the dog having to touch you - just a different command????

[hmhershey]

Well I've heard of people teaching touch instead of recall. We are working in recall now so it wouldn't replace that for us. I've read that people use 'touch' because it gives the dog a job instead of just walking towards you.

[jen124]

Well I've heard of people teaching touch instead of recall. We are working in recall now so it wouldn't replace that for us. I've read that people use 'touch' because it gives the dog a job instead of just walking towards you.

Hmmm... that's kinda cool! I'll have to look into it....

[theoconbrio]

Sounds like you are asking if you can use "touch" (by which I assume you mean targeting) in place of the recall, meaning that you would use the word "touch" to mean recall with a nose touch as the endpoint of the recall. You certainly *could* teach that, and if you were consistent it would be no impediment to a solid recall. But if you ever plan to do any obedience work, rally, or agility, I think this could end up backfiring. Targeting--either your hand or something else--is a very useful skill that is a foundation for all sorts of other behaviors. And the recall can have any number of finishes--front, swing to heel, right-around to heel, touch palm, lie down, whatever. If you teach recall (meaning "come to me as quickly as possible and I'll tell you what to do when you get here") and touch/target as separate behaviors, you will have more options. Theo knows that "come" almost always ends in a front finish, but not always. Lately we've been doing an extra-long front finish because he's been jumping the gun with his flip finish.

[Tanya]

I do touch and taught Macy this yesterday. I've never heard of it being used for recall.

[blackandyellow]

My old Brownie taught herself the "touch" command... whenever she "demanded" attention and you didn´t pay it she would come from behind and give you a nose push right in the middle of your butt...

She certainly got the attention she wanted afterwards LOL