Training two dogs to do different things together!!!

Sorry not sure how to word the title !

My three dogs all respond at the same time to any command I give them

Where do I start getting them only to do what I tell them individually? i.e. recalling one dog at a time while other carries on or one to wait while other moves off etc


waiting with baited breath for some of SB's links

Come = everybody recall

Fido come = Fido come, everyone else stay put or carry on.

I never managed to do this with Parker as when we have a few different sorts of dental/joint treats I put them all in a line and said "Cherry fetch one" and she would go and choose one but I would have to hold Parker by the collar to stop him going as well.

Now we have Izzy Parker will get first pick and Izzy will sit there waiting patiently for her turn until I say "Izzy fetch one". I guess she's just been better trained! (or more patient-patience never was Parker's strength-like me!)

I like to back up verbal commands with hand signals. Easier for the dogs to decipher which one the command relates to. Also, as SB says, use their name when directed at one dog not the two.

Because I train mine out on walks, we`ve developed the habit of me putting 2 in a down or sit while I train the other. Because of this they tend to react individually. So if I make eye contact or use their name they respond and the others don`t.

If i'm doing some formal training I will sit/lie them all down and tell them to wait. I then call one dog by it's name, take it a few yards away from the others and then do the training. If any of the others break their stay I take them back and re-command them, a bit firmer though.

It's quite testing for the dogs (from my experience) to have them all waiting and recall just one by name or send just one dog for a retrieve. It really makes them think instead of just acting upon something.

If I take my grans dog out with Teg I do a bit of this, generally I call both, but can recall them seperately if needed.
I also sit them both next to me and throw whatever toy I have with me. To release one I use "*name* fetch" and the other is expected to stay there while the named dog fetchs and returns with it.

I have problems training one and lying the other down, they need reminding often they are supposed to be waiting!!!

I call mine separately for their dinners which is harder for me because their commands are all the same and also their names end in "ie" which always sounds the same to them... I am also working on calling them separately and also training them the same - however two of mine are really eager to get the treats whereas the other takes the back seat - so if I've put Louie and Sadie in a stay and I'm getting Benjie to do stuff - I'll have Sadie and Louie, sitting, downing, sitting - all on the sidelines - just to try and get the treat OR they'll come forward and show me they can do it.. the power of hotdogs!

This is an interesting thread as I was wondering myself

I've always ensured they really knew their name well, and then for example I'd get them both to Sit and then say (for example) "Freebie Wait, Tasha, Come".

Obviously the Waits, Comes etc were trained first in this example.

I think the key is the dog understanding their name and teaching them gradually over time to Wait/settle or whatever ... and ensuring the one who Waits (or whatever)is also rewarded a lot for showing self control, etc.

Wys
x

I just use my dog's name and then the command when I want them to do something individually. It just takes a bit of practise

Hubby on the other hand has various different whistles for his different sheepdogs - I have no idea how he remembers which whistles relate to which dogs! Pretty impressive to watch though