Training for dog to jump up on table? - Page 1

I have run into a challenge with both Cirberus and Max.  Neither dog will jump up on the agility table.  I have tried treats; putting them up there myself with lots of praise and rewards once they are there; getting up there myself to encourage them to come to me......  Nothing.  
 
We have "touch" down great.  I can get them to "touch" anything.  Max is doing well to jump "over" something too; Cirberus, not so good yet, but she is not as quick to catch on as Max...so just more time here.

Bench work is ok, but again, neither dog will get up on the bench by themselves.  Once I have put them up there, they do well with the commands.

Any suggestions?  If this does not make sense, let me know and I will try to explain what I am looking for.

For Cirberus, it could be a confidence issue, as we are stuggling with that again.  With Max though, confidence is not showing to be an issue.

Have you tried starting out with a very low table (obviously I don't know
how high the one you are trying with is, but they seem to vary a bit;  can you
try the 3 or 4 inches high type, if yours is higher, and work up to it ?)
Or start with getting them to stay on a flat piece of board on the ground,
and work up to getting it gradually higher, as they prove they can stop on
the target for a while.  Just put it up in very small stages at a time, using
blocks of wood or bricks etc.

hmmmm.  Let me work that out.  All of my agility equipment is make shift with what I have around the farm.   

Table is an old covered well with 2x10s covering it; maybe about 2 - 2 1/2 feet tall.  Bench is a pic-nic table.   

I will try something shorter.

I have used the "up" command.  They have been trained not to get on the furiture without permission.  They "ask" and I say "ok." 

Maybe the furiture is the key though.  Use the "getting" on it as a command.  

Thanks.  I will think this out.

I would start with a pallet and one a piece of plywood on top.
Paint it with any old paint laying around add some sand while it's wet and then add a second coat of paint after it dries. This will be your "Table top".
Start with the pallet laying on the ground. Teach them to get up on the painted surface.
In agility there is always texture to the surface of the table, teeter, a frame  and dog walk.
Even just walk them across it a few time so they get comfortable with the feel of it. Once they will happily get on the board start asking them to down or sit.
Vary it so they don't sit or down automatically.
Once they will go to the table on the ground then start raising it up.
Use cinder blocks, more pallets hay bales what ever is handy and stable. Work until the dogs are happily gett up on a table 24" or so since most shepherds are getting on a full size table.
If you must when you start just hvve them walk on the plywood on the ground.  
Make it fun and lots of great treats or super fun toy games.
Best of luck.
Fry

i have never had a problem teaching dogs to jump up on anything.  usually a couple of hand pats & they hop right up.  sooooo..........
i have to wonder about a couple of things:
is the table in question stable?  animals have a very good sense about things like that.  if they are unsure of the table's stability,
they might be reluctant to jump on it.
their hips would be the second question.  are hips and elbows both up to the task?  are the dogs overweight, making it hard
for them to jump?
dogs jump up on stuff all the time.  even timid dogs.  that leads me to think it is a physical problem rather than a psychological
one------either the table or the dogs themselves.
pjp

I did not know about the need for texture.  I will do that to the ply-wood this weekend when I paint it.   I started this week with the building up suggestion.  It is going well.  Both dogs are up to about 5 inches.  We could move faster, but between the weather and work; my time has been a bit limited this week.

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The platform that I was trying to get them on is stable.  It does not move at all. The sides are made of cement and the top is made of very thick wood from an old see-saw.  We made sure it was very stable when we built the lid, as it is an old well and we needed to be sure nothing would fall in.

Not sure what the deal is.  Both dogs are more than willing to "touch" by putting their front paws up on it.  Both will lay 1/2 their body on it.  Neither one will take it to the next step and jump up.  I can get them to jump up in a car or truck, which is the same height or higher.  I would expect if it was a physical issue, they would not jump up into a car.  I really think it is some kind of mental block for them both.

For some dogs, there is a mental difference between jumping onto something with a physical "back", like a couch or a car seat, and jumping onto a table, which is open on top. Something like a couch requires less control and awareness to jump into because the dog is able to check itself against the back of the couch if it overshoots the jump. Your dogs could be worried about this. If that is the case, best to start from the ground up as several have suggested.

Hmmmm.  That is a thought.  They can have less control by jumping up on something with a back.  They are really just puppies, no matter how big they are, so self control is still the lesson.

Thanks.