I train FEMA style directionals.

I start with an object the dog can get on - have used anything from a carpet square to those large wooden spools used for wire (pretty much a touchpad of some sort). For evals the dog needs to hup up on an object so I usually use the larger object, otherwise I really love carpet squares - easy to move, take along, whatever.

Get dog to jump up on it, mark, reward. When the dog will consistently jump on/touch the object, I start adding distance in. They seem to get the idea pretty quickly if there is a good reward (I use a ball or frisbee because I can mark and throw the reward to them)

When the dog learns the concept of "go out" (or whatever command you put to it) and does it with great drive, you can start fading out your touch pad.

For teaching downs, I ask for downs a lot in everyday life and mark/reward. I'll call a dog to me then tell them to down. I'll ask for random downs while playing ball.

I'm getting ready to get a SchH1 at an "away" trial, so I don't have the luxury of skimping on the send away at our home field. I tested the method (which I read in book) this weekend to see if I could send him away to a spot he had never been sent to, and it worked really well. So here's how I built up to it. Whether this works at the trial, I'll have to get back to you in November.

Where ever I went to train, I picked one spot to send him to. I put him in a stay and walked to the spot, showed him the toy, and set the toy down. I walked back to him, then gave him the send out command. Then I built up distance. Next, I put 4 toys in the designated spot and sent him to get each toy one at a time. (The theory is that by the 4th toy, the dog will have forgotten you placed it there).

Then I put him somewhere where he couldn't see me set the toy out, then brought him to the field and sent him to the spot. Then I started to do the recall from the down, with me standing on the spots. As we healed away from the spot, I dropped his toy in the spot. We would do something else like the dumb bell, and then I would do the send away. From then on, I would always send him to the spots after a recall from the down.

I started the send out 2 months ago and trained it a couple times a week. Since this weekend was the first time I had really tested the method (new spot without a toy), I dont know how long it really took for him to grasp the concept.

I also taught my dog the down separately from the send away. One way I did it was by pretending to throw the toy. My dog would go fly away in anticipation. When he turned to see where the toy was, I would down him.

I'm really enjoying the thread, as I get ready to REALLY start work on the send out with Koenig. We've played with it a bit, but as of right now have not put any consistent work into it.

Here is a video of Haydn's sendouts to a touchpad. We are practicing down away from sendouts at this point, though he downed nicely on the touchpad a couple of times. Like Jessica said, don't want him to slow down in anticipation.

The touchpads are supposed to be flat at this point.

Ana- those were beautiful!

Thanks everyone! I think I know what I am going to do now. My dog has very high drive (very annoying insane animal). I'm going to teach him to put his feet on half an old rug. Gradually increase the distance...he comes back to me for a tug reward marking when he touches the pad. Then separately teach the down in motion, then teach him when he downs he gets to go to the touchpad...etc.

Oh and cool video BTW.

 Quote: Ana Kozlowsky

Here is a video of Haydn's sendouts to a touchpad. We are practicing down away from sendouts at this point, though he downed nicely on the touchpad a couple of times. Like Jessica said, don't want him to slow down in anticipation.

The touchpads are supposed to be flat at this point.

I didnt see that video. Nice.

 Quote: Ana Kozlowsky

Here is a video of Haydn's sendouts to a touchpad. We are practicing down away from sendouts at this point, though he downed nicely on the touchpad a couple of times. Like Jessica said, don't want him to slow down in anticipation.

The touchpads are supposed to be flat at this point.

Nice job Ana and Hayden!!

I'm going to try to get a video of Kipp with send outs and downs when it quits raining in a day or two or three...

Hey guys my dog is doing great! He's already running across the yard to the mat and back and this is just for food. I'll try and post a video soon.