Having problems with the down commands. I have been doing what Ed says to do on the puppy dvd, however, my Levi just keeps standing up and trying to get the treat. I have even pushed the treat in between his legs trying to get him to lay down but he just stands and trie to figure out how to chomp it out of my hand. I put him in a sit then I try to get him into the down..he just stands back up and trys again. Any ideas?

I wonder if the experts here on the forum started out like me...asking so many questions, driving the regulars crazy, lol

hi Robbin,

Maybe your timing is out and he's not getting the association between laying down and getting the treat? Timing is critical!

Also you may just be expecting too much from him at this stage, how long have you been trying to train this?

Ed mentioned in another post to train with markers. I know this works very well as I used it and it should speed up the pups learning, particularly if you train him BEFORE feeding (in other words when he's hungry).

Keep following the video and read the article/podcast on how to train with markers and you'll get it eventually.

HTH

John

Try training after he's eaten or when he's tired to reduce some of his focus on the food. Little hungry hippos follow the food everywhere in stead of paying attention!

Use the food lure to control where his body weight is when he follows it with his nose. By moving it forward towards you, to put his weight on his front feet and he will walk towards you, or by pushing it away from you, which will place his weight on his haunches and he will sit. When he's sitting down, bring the lure down but keep pushing back slightly so he will resit standing. Exaggerate for the first few times.

If this doesn't keep him from standing, hold the treat on the ground under your hand and let him sniff(some will dig at it) until he lays down then lift your hand and let him have the treat. Most will lay down from frustration or to get lower to try to reach the treat.

After he knows the basic position take the food lure away and use only your hand for the signal/lure. Hide the treaty behind your back. Using a verbal "ah-ah" corection (hardly a correction but more of a detterant) if he stands to discourage him from standing helps.

Alison Voore

I don't know anything about marker training...never even heard of it until I got here. Hoping to get Ed's Basic dvd so that I can educate myself on it. Until then, I'm clueless.

Ed has a podcast on how to begin: http://www.leerburg.com/dogtrainingpodcasts.htm

The marker lets the dog know the exact behavior he was doing that earned him the reward, making him repeat it to be rewarded again. Timing of when you say the marker is important so you don't mark the wrong behavior, since he will repeat it, instead of what you really want. Better the timing, better & faster the learning & training. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy, fun and your dog will understand better.
"Clicker training" is a type of marker training, except "clicker training" doesn't believe in anything except positive reinforcement only and don't use any punishment ever. This is not a realistic type of training since a dog can learn better if he know what he did right AND wrong. You can use a clicker as a marker, but it can be a pain to carry. Your voice (marker training uses the word "yes" as the marker) goes everywhere.

Robbin, try this: have your pup stand (or sit, whatever), hold the treat on the floor and move it back between his front legs. When the pup stands and backs up trying to get the treat, keep your treat-holding hand on the floor and push it backwards, so the pup has to back up with his nose on your hand.
Slowly keep pushing the hand back between the pup's legs and the pup will eventually lie down.

It worked perfectly for my pup - couldn't get him to lie down using any other method. Of course you say YES! and feed the treat as soon as your pup lies down.

Good luck!

Oh and once you get the down, continue to cue the command by dropping your hand every time you ask for the down. Your pup will follow your hand and "down" much more quickly.
Once his downs are perfect (in a few months, probably) you can start to eliminate the hand signal and give the command while standing straight.

I had problems with Jäger and "Down". He'd sit and when I lured him down with the food his butt went up as his nose went down. Someone told me to have him sit, then, with the treat in my closed hand lower it from in front of his nose to the ground.

It worked like a charm.

Hi Robbin. Good for you training these puppy basics with food treats early on!

I would suggest eliminating the "backup" option. (without any need for correction) At his young "size" - your foot would work (and I am NOT NOT suggesting you kick your pup - not at all - just eliminate the option of moving backwards), a cabinet would work or a wall would work. You can do this without your pup feeling "cornered" in any way. Just eliminate the option to back up. Then work the sit, and then right away the down, then reward. (with the verbal reinforcement of course - for us that's "Sitz" and "Platz.") Once backing up is removed politely from the equation, I suspect you might have an easier time moving quickly from the sit to the down. Once your pup clearly understands that down is a pleasant thing (get reward) you could then move on to trying this without the "backstop."

Just an idea..

Beth