I used Todd's method on my GSD. A local trainer showed me the method and I decided to use it. I was called some choice names also. But it worked fine. And there was never any pain or any forcing the dog into the down.

For pet downs, and to teach the dog to "fold" into a down (I don't like them stretching forward into it), I usually teach as follows -- also I typically don't do down until the dog is doing a stand in motion. I tend to teach things to moving dogs. Once they are moving, it's easier for me to continue the motion rather than battle a "braced and ready" dog.

Stand -- dog moving roughly in heel, handler swings right hand and right side of body over in front of dog. Keep some forward tension on leash so the dog doesn't sit, swing away, etc. Eventually the hand only moves and is a signal. Dog is used to me coming in front of him now while moving and doesn't back off, or move out of the way. I proof/reinforce stands by pushing on withers and back, so it would be hard to down my dog that way without a lot of confusion.

Down -- dog moving roughly in heel, pivot in front of dog, smoothly, and swing right hand from above on top of head. Push back -- NOT down, back -- and keep forward tension on the leash. Lean into the dog, and follow him down while he folds. At that point I don't keep them down at all -- they fold, I spring backwards and praise like wild with lots of jumping.

I increase the amount of time they stay down before the release pretty small increments. The release is the reward.

If you make them fold, and it's not so hard if they are moving forward when you start pushing them back from the stop/top of the head, take it slow. That's different muscles they are using, especially in the lower back. They get sore if they until they're used to it.

Granted, this is for dogs that don't have issues and aren't gonna come up the line at me, but that's not usually an issue at that point. I also do cookie downs (puppy in sit, lure against chest and moved down so they curl their head into the chest and down).

Typically this gets me those bouncy downs where the really slap the ground with their chests and fly up on the release. Very active downs <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Ok. My dog knows basic obedience and follows commands really well, but I think she is a bit confused with sit and down. She will sit very nicely, before I even get the whole word out, whether in motion or not, but, here's the problem:

I tell her to sit. She does. I praise her and tell her how good she is. But then she'll lie down as if she thinks that sitting is not what I want her to do. I'll tell her "no, sit" and she'll jump back up into a sitting position, but if I don't give her a treat (just verbal praise and maybe petting) she'll go back into a down again. I don't use treats for training, but I do make her sit before she gets them or her food.

When I tell her to down, she'll sit. I say "no, down" and she goes all the way down. She obviously knows what it means, but maybe she thinks she has to sit first? I don't know.


I've scheduled a private lesson with one of the local trainers to help work on her little bit of leash aggression, so I'm going to ask about this when I go, but it isn't for another week or so and I wanted some opinions from you guys first.

Same thing with my dog. Of course it was my fault, not making commands different enough or not praising at the right moment(or both). Few steps back to sit only did the trick for me. When sit meant sit (why does this sound familiar? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) i went to down again. Also in training session i have been told to work with sit first and towards to end of session with downing the dog. Anybody care to comment on this?

Just bumping this back to the top in case someone has any suggestions...

I have started different aproach now, though my dog knows what down or as i say it 'lezi' means, it is not quick and it does not happen every time. Soooo, after reading some Konrad Most i tried some oldschool and boy did it work, not only downs but recall too because as Most puts it that are exercises to be trained in pairs (one big compulsion/other release with big praise).

Someone allready described this method; you push dog into down position with your hand and give 'down' command at the same time, second the dog goes down pressure stops. Than comes release with BIG praise. Boy that was one bouncy dog today <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Just to say that i would not even consider that method with my other dog that shuts down when i raise my voice.