breaking the long down - Page 2

Simple

If you dog is breaking the long down when you are at a distance, you have not taught this lesson in full properly while on lead at 6"s, 1 ft, 3 ft.   Try something indoors, something simple like having your dog lay on a "down" while you spend 20 minutes preparing it's meal and are right there to watch. Then, try with 2 dogs, or 3 dogs. Start with 1 minute if you have to and just with the one dog to see if "distractions" or just the specific dog is the problem.

Once your dog can "down" for 30 or 40 mins while you watch a t.v. program and have phones ringing, doors knocked on, kids screaming, dogs barking and doesn't break the "down", the 3 minute long down should be easy.

One way I work multiple dogs on this is while I'm "scooping". I will have 1 or multiple dogs on a "down" while I'm in the area and distracting them. Anyone moves, I'm right there and reinforce the command and restart it. Works good at the dinner table too

TRU

All good suggestions above. I would add one more, don't LET the dog make a mistake. It should be on a long leash for now and someone else can handle it if need be. Secondly, going too long in expected time, especially with distractions introduced, or just going too long period can burn you. Remember too that this is an exercise that essentially kills drive. So I do it with young dogs when they are already tired from other work and or play. Each dog is different. Some will do this task easily, others are tough to proof. But you are half way there at least.

The funniest long down I ever saw was when males and female placement was separated and both places designated under a tree. During the long down for one male a squirrel came down the tree trunk where the females place was and off to the races the dog went after the squirrel. Before the handler could die of a heart attack, the dog actually chased the squirrel back up the tree and then calmly returned to his designated spot and sat, waiting for the handler (and hoping like heck I think that the squirrel would reappear).

Good luck.

One thing I have found that works for fixing the issue of the dog getting up to greet you is when you are training dont always come back to the dog.  Walk back to him halfway, stop, then back up again.  When you go to him dont always walk in a straightline.  Go to the left then right walk in circles.  Then when you finally get back to him, dont pick him up.  Tell him platz, then walk away again.  Do all this over again but in shorter increments and then when you come back to him wait 10 seconds or more before he is allowed to sit.  Dont let him anticipate.  People commonly rush these excersise  Take it slow in training that way the dog gets used to waiting to be told what to do not guessing it.  If the first thing you do when you get next to him is tell him to sit and then give him food or a ball of course he is going to get excited the closer you get and he will continue to have these problems.

Shawn