HACKER SAFE certified sites prevent over 99.9% of hacker crime.
Welcome, Guest
Username:
Password:

Please login to add/view friends online.


Quick Dog Breed Selector:
Quick Traffic Stats:
Visitors Online: 2,031
Today's Visits: 49,267
Yesterday's Visits: 120,740

Discussion Forums

Collapse Quick Menu

Message Central

Unread[0]
Inbox[0]
Trash[0]

Who's Online

akcbullies, azul, bunnybeetle, clay5, copleyqueen, david2132byrum, deanhostetter, digger, dsrtprwlr, ewep30, flowallace, fluffycharm, gilda, heatherfeather, irninja2, kadams, kathy62, klinemedix, lcme, lpn169, pen2, platcherspuppies, pocketbeagle, pope1982, pugfarmer, qualitychis, rainbowzoo622, rblcm, renorey, rlowry, robertw, sassyone, sissysmom, thegreatwhitegs, trisatinfarms

I need help with teaching the DOWN command.
He's just not getting it.
Found [8] Posts :: Page 1 of 1
<< Return to Dog Training Tips Topics
Rottluvr
Posted: 12:41:04 AM 8/17/2008
Harley is super smart and I think I may be a bit spoiled b/c of it. He has learned everything I've taught him super fast, often on the first try. He knows sit, come, stay and heel. He also knows leave it and go to bed(his crate). There are no obedience classes where I live so I've trained him myself using several resources. He knows "down," but everytime I want him to do it I have to put my finger to the ground and drag it slowly away from him while I give the command. I would like him to do this with just a voice command and hand signal. Any tips?

I am tentavly(sp?) planning on moving to a bigger city in the next year or two and plan on putting Harley in formal obedience classes. I would like to compete with him too; I think he would excel.
maxpup
Posted: 6:49:39 AM 8/17/2008
One thing we did with Max in his obedience class was working with treats...after you have him in the sit position, take a treat and start at his nose, slowly lower it to the floor as you are saying the down command. The class we went to is all positive reinforcement. Max picked it up in no time flat. He is black lab/rott mix. Once he is going down easier we started adding the hand signal with it. Now we tell him down and he just about hops into the down position. So cute...good luck. Hopefully others may have a better idea...good luck
Max's brother Elmo!
pyrmom
Posted: 7:03:02 AM 8/17/2008
Max, that's how I've always trained mine to go to the "Down" position. Works like a charm.
"Some days you're the dog; some days you're the hydrant". author unknown
dobielover1
Posted: 11:01:45 AM 8/17/2008
We taught down the same way, worked very well.
flipgirl24
Posted: 10:31:46 PM 8/17/2008
My dog had trouble with the down command but the trick that got her to do it was to lure her down with the treat, holding the treat with my palm up. Then when my hand got to the ground, I flipped my hand over the treat. When she laid down, I let her have the treat. A couple of young girls taught me this and it worked like a charm. Another thing I've read is to lure the dog down but move the treat between the legs and towards the tummy so he has to put his bum down and thus his four paws.
In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog. ~Edward Hoagland
sue
Posted: 11:12:37 PM 8/17/2008
Some dogs really have a problem with this one, heres a trick I give to owners for difficult dogs that are not getting it.
Go into a small room, shut the door, the bathroom is perfect casue you can sit on the toilet. Sit down and just wait till he lays down.Don't talk to him, make eye contact or touch him just freeze/sit there. As soon as he lays down on his own, come to life and tell him what a good dog he is, treat then ignore him again, till he repeats the down. Patience is needed here for sure.
After you get good at this one, start saying the word down as the dog hits the floor, praise and repeat, add the hand signal after a few sessions, remember to not give any attention for him trying to get attention from you, doing anything else like nudgeing your hand or something.
Sue
When I look up into the sky, I think to myself, Wheres the ceiling?
talktothetail@hotmail.com
Posted: 9:56:30 AM 8/19/2008
I have tried the lure method with my puppy and she gets it, but she won't go down if she doesn't see/smell the treat. I'd like to be able to do it from a standing position, without having to come down all the time. What is the hand signal that you guys are talking about? I'd love to know, so I can start using it in our training!
rainbowzoo622
Posted: 12:31:23 PM 8/19/2008
Canadagirl - All you have to do is gradually refrain from taking your hand all the way to the ground. As your hand gets farther from the ground, but you use the same verbal command, pup will start getting that the movement of pointing down is the hand signal, not the full lure to the ground with the treat. When he starts catching on, you can work your way up to pointing to the ground with your hand at waist height and without bending over, and pup will lay down. My pups now respond to very slight hand gestures, if I point down they lay down, if I point up they sit again.
http://www.dogster.com/family/614817
<< Return to Dog Training Tips Topics
 
Found [8] Posts :: Page 1 of 1


© Copyright 2003-2008 TerrificPets.com (a JCOM Designs, LLC company)

Dogs
 
Horses Cats