training

[Timber]

Timber is nearly 5 months old. He knows sit and stay, and we are working on stand. I know he still has to finish stand, then down and come. The problem is, we were working on down a while ago, but he never got it, so I moved on the something else. We have been working on stand for 3 or 4 weeks, and he still doesn't listen all the time. Help! Time is running out!

[Heather]

Down is a hard one because from what I have heard, it is a submissive position. So, you may be able to get your dog to do it at home, but around other dogs might be an issue.

I had a hard time teaching Beanie, so my trainer suggested the following. Use a leash, hold leash in right hand and place your foot on the leash, the dog is on your left. Make him sit, them use a food lure and place it on the groung-still in your hand, don't let him get it. If he won't go down to get the treat, pull the leash until and give some pressure. He will eventually go down.

This worked well for me, though I find if I don't practice it at least every other day, he 'forgets'.

[dox_no3]

Here's another tip. We got this one in puppy kindergarten.

The way the trainer taught us was to have the dog sit facing you, give the command "down" and lure him down with a treat hidden in your hand. You let him smell your hand and then take your hand slowly straight down to the ground. If the dog doesn't lie down, you slowly pull your hand away from him. (I've also heard some people say to push your hand towards him but I haven't tried that.)

Also, because down is a submissive position, for small dogs, you sometimes have to start them out on an elevated surface.

We started Bugsy on the couch and he learned the command after a few tries. He will do it now for treats on the ground but only for a treat so I can say he knows it but doesn't do it. <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm35.gif" border=0>

Good luck.

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Julie & Bugsy
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<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by dox_no3 on November 05, 2000 at 06:09 PM</font>

[Krista]

Okay this is going to sound silly to you guys, as there is no method to this madness.

I tried those methods described below, but Rudy just would not go down. Our trainer tried them too -same response. He could jut his neck forward to follow the treat without lying down. If you put your hand on his rump and tried those methoed, he would just keep scooting forward anyway. I was feeling like a total faiure.

I felt like begging him to lie down. Then, I just kneeled in front of him and had him sit, then I sweeped my hand toward the ground and tapped it several times while I said down. ( I had a treat in my other hand). BINGO -he laid down. I have no idea why that worked. I showed the trainer, and he tried it too. Rudy laid down again! The Trainer just laughed and said this was just more proof that different things work for different dogs.

It worked for Roscoe too. Like I said, I have no reason for it, but it worked for me. Now I can just tap the floor and they lie down. Silly isn't it...

Keep trying! You'll find something that works! Try to work on it for a few minutes several times day. You'll get there!

[Timber]

I have decided to skip stand and down for a while to focus on come. I am only training stand because I will show him in junior showmanship, or maybe I will just have him always stand while he has the show lead on. How important is down, really? Is the command nessacary? Thanks.