10 Minute Obedience by Amy Dahl

Author:Amy Dahl [Dahl Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781607556756
Publisher: Willow Creek Press, Inc.

When your dog is relaxed, gently place him in the “down” position.

As soon as you get his elbows onto the ground, tell him “good” in a warm, but calm voice, and gently release him, saying “OK.” It is fine if he gets right up. As always, we will build duration after getting him comfortable with the beginnings of the exercise.

If your dog resisted a little bit, but you did a good job of praising and letting him up as soon as his elbows touched, you can expect him to improve with repetition. He will notice that things get better—he gets released—as soon as he allows you to place his elbows on the ground.

After placing your dog “down” just once, continue your walk for a short time (ten seconds to half a minute). Repeat the sequence. After placing him in the “down” position about five times, with short walks in between, review another exercise briefly, then repeat the “down” and walk sequence about five more times.

Continue including the “down” exercise in your training sessions in this manner until your dog is willing and relaxed about letting you place him in a down, and does not seem anxious to get up. Now start to delay the “OK,” remembering to praise as soon as you get him on the ground. As when you were first working on “sit,” pet and praise your dog gently while he is in the lying-down position, but cease this attention when you give him the “OK” release.

Do not make your dog stay in position too long. Four or five seconds is about right for most dogs. Keep practicing at this level and, as with the “sit,” you will probably notice your dog beginning to melt into a “down” position as you get ready to place him. See if you can prompt him to lie down with gentle downward pressure on the lead close to his neck. Do not get into a pulling match. If he resists, more pulling will create more resistance. Go back to placing him as necessary.

Most likely, you will be able to decrease and eliminate physical manipulation just as with “sit,” or more easily. A downward hand gesture with the right hand, the intuitive traditional signal for “down,” will help.

Once he is going down without your touching him, begin work on “stay.” This should be easy, as he learned “stay” in connection with “sit,” and lying down is a more relaxed position for most dogs. Within a short time you should be able to get him to lie down and stay for as long a time, with you as far away, as you’ve practiced on “sit.”

Many dogs, once they start relaxing on the “down” exercise, don’t get up immediately on being released. A good solution is to follow a down-stay with another exercise. Return to your dog, standing so that he is at your left side. Pick up his lead, say his name and “heel,” then step forward a few steps, sit him and praise

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