Stewart Nordensson - Teamwork

Copyright 1997 by Stewart Nordensson and Lydia Kelley
Copyright 2003 Second Printing
Copyright 2007 Revised & Expanded

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or
reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission
of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations
embodied in critical articles and reviews.

For information address TOP DOG Publications, a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization, 5049 E. Broadway, Suite 102, Tucson,
AZ 85711.

The proceeds from the sale of this book will aid TOP DOG in
its mission to teach people with physical disabilities to train
their own service dogs.

ISBN 978-0-9656216-6-3

Printed in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

STEWART NORDENSSON
1937-1999

Stewart Nordensson, co-author of the Teamwork books
died on October 5, 1999. This printing and all
future printings of Teamwork are lovingly
dedicated to his memory.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors wish to thank many people for their help in making this project succeed.

Very special thanks go to Jeff Nordensson for giving me the computers and equipment that not only made it possible for me to dictate my thoughts but also opened up a whole new way of communicating all over the world.

Many years ago, I was having trouble with a nine-week old Belgian tervuren puppy. Donna, my late wife, asked, Who is the Top Dog anyway? I said, Thank you, Honey, I have been trying to think of a name for this new organization. Without TOP DOG, you wouldnt be reading this book. Its the place where we put our ideas into practice and thats why we know they work. Its the staff that spent many hours researching and finding the money and the printer to make this book real. Its many colleagues who read the early manuscripts and offered invaluable suggestions. Thank you, TOP DOG.

Thank you to everyone who showed up at different times and places to have your pictures taken, and thank you for allowing us to publish your names and photographs so that everyone can see how you succeeded.

Special thanks to Scott Ash, our photographer, who donated much time and energy to this project.

Thanks to all the people at Nordensson Lynn & Associates, Inc. who generously gave of their time to turn the manuscript into a real book, with special thanks to Jeff, David, Denice, Renee and Maureen. And thanks to the thousands of people with disabilities who would like to have a well behaved dog and believe they have the ability to make it happen. If we didnt know you were out there, there would have been no need for this book.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Stewart Nordensson has cerebral palsy, a disability often made more difficult because of public perception. People with CP are often pre-judged as retarded. For Stewart, one way to overcome this misconception has been through dog training. He has been training dogs for more than fifty years. He has exceptional insight into why dogs do what they do and how to train them in obedience, service dog work, and correcting behavior problems.

Lydia Kelley & Stewart Nordensson

Thats why he wanted to write this book. He has read extensively in the area of dog training and behavior, discovering that virtually every book inferred that he could not train dogs for obedience or service dog work. He has proven over years of very successful training (several obedience degrees and four certified service dogs) that he can train his own dogs, and this book can teach you to train yours.

Lydia Kelley has been training dogs for almost twenty years and has been instructing classes in general obedience and service dog work. Lydia has always felt that understanding dogs is a key element in training, a factor frequently missing in basic obedience classes. Lydia has had several articles published in Off-Lead, a dog training magazine, and she has written extensively for TOP DOG.

Stewart and Lydia are founders of TOP DOG, a Tucson-based program that teaches people with disabilities to train their own dogs. This is where Stewart has been applying his unique and successful training methods for the past ten years. Now those methods have been put down on paper, so that you can benefit from his vast wealth of knowledge.

Using teamwork, Stewart and Lydia have created this clearly written, easy to follow book. Stewart spoke his thoughts into the computer; Lydia took them, fleshed them out, and together they polished them. The result is a book which takes you step by step into the world of dog training and behavior, so that you can train your dog to whatever level you choose.

Stewart Nordensson, co-author of the Teamwork books died on October 5, 1999

PHOTOGRAPHS

(all photos listed from top to bottom)

Front Cover

Tina Caracofe (juvenile rheumatoid arthritis) and Cora (border collie mix)

John Cieslinski (multiple sclerosis) and Pepper (shepherd mix)

Sandy Rider (Behcets) and Micah (golden retriever)

John (degenerative disc disease) and Norma (lumbar fusion L4-5 & L5-S1) McKee and Magic (lab/rottweiler)

Terri Roskey (multiple sclerosis) and Mazie (yellow lab)

Back Cover

Mary George (rheumatoid arthritis) and Liberty (golden retriever)

Linda Wilson (arthritis) and Jesse (black lab mix)

Mike Landwehr (spina bifada) and Buddy (chow/newfoundland)

Jim (chemical exposure) and Nancy (spinal stenosis/lupus) Martindale and Patch (jack russell puddin)

Blake Gigli (spinal cord injury T12) and Bridgette (golden retriever)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED
How to use this book effectively

CHAPTER 2: APPROPRIATE PRAISE
The critical importance of praising your dog

CHAPTER 3: FOOD AS A TRAINING TOOL
The importance and correct use of reward

CHAPTER 4: BEHAVIOR
Understanding your dog; looking at some problems

CHAPTER 5: EQUIPMENT
A look at various tools to help you train your dog

CHAPTER 6: COMMANDS
How to give commands convincingly

CHAPTER 7: ATTENTION
Teach your dog to look at you, bond with you, obey you

CHAPTER 8: SIT
Teach your dog to sit on command

CHAPTER 9: DOWN
Teach your dog to lie down on command

CHAPTER 10: STAY
Teach your dog to remain in the sit or down position until released

CHAPTER 11: STAND
Teach your dog to stand on command

CHAPTER 12: RANDOM RECALL
Teach your dog to come to you when you call

CHAPTER 13: CONTROLLED WALK
Teach your dog to walk beside you under control

CHAPTER 14: WAIT
Teach your dog not to run out of the door or jump out of the
car except on your command

CHAPTER 15: LEAVE IT
Teach your dog not to touch food except with your permission

CHAPTER 16: AND YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE FINISHED
Now you can consider whether you would like to train your
dog to the next level Service Dog

Ten years ago, Stewart and I witnessed a dream come trueTeamwork was published. We had been working on it for several years, trying to make it the best possible training manual for people with disabilities. We knew that no book like it existed, and we knew that if we made it clear and easy to follow, there would be an audience for such a book. Ten years later, thats still true. Teamwork continues to help people with all kinds of disabilities learn the joy and satisfaction of training their own dogs as companions and helpmates.