Down: Adding Movement & Distance
PREREQUISITE: Your dog should be lying down for several seconds and getting up when you give him the release cue.
If your dog is not doing this, please do not proceed to the next step. Go back to the previous lesson on down and practice some more.
TOOLS:
- Treats
- Treat pouch
- Clicker
TRAINING ENVIRONMENT: Start in the least distracting (most boring) place in your home.
STEPS:
- Put your dog in a down.
- Sway back and forth a few times.
- Don’t move your feet yet.
- Click and treat your dog in place if your dog doesn’t get up.
- If he gets up start again and don’t move quite so much.
- Assuming your dog is successful, go on to the next step.
- Sway back and forth lifting your feet, but don’t move.
- Click and treat in place.
- Now lift one foot.
- Click and treat for success.
- Now move that foot so you are turning just a tiny bit from your dog.
- Click and treat.
- Very gradually increase the amount of movement, clicking and treating for success. Always treat in position!
- If you feel like your dog has reached his limit to the amount of time he can lie down, give him the release cue and take a break.
- If your dog gets up, always go back to the last step where he was successful and practice more.
- Gradually turn your back and walk away from your dog, practicing one small step at a time.
HOMEWORK:
- PUPPIES: Practice three repetitions, three times each day.
- DOGS: Practice your stay minimum of ten repetitions, three times each day.
AT THE END OF THIS STEP:
You should be able to turn your back on your dog and take a few steps away.
TROUBLESHOOTING:
My dog got up.
You moved too fast.
- Go back to the point where he was successful and practice.
- After a few successes, try moving again.
- Break down your movement into smaller steps than before.
- You asked your dog to down too long. Remember how much time you have built on your stay. Don’t go past that time.
- Remember to release your dog before he hits his limit!