Passing obedience class...

Oscar and I have attended puppy class and now we are in his intermediate class. I'm a bit nervous because I cannot seem to teach him the lay down command. He is a pretty smart dog and he knows all his other tricks really well. I know that we will not pass the class until he can do this command without me putting my hand on the floor with a treat. The trainer explained to me that sometimes the short legged dogs have a hard time with this command and he might eventually get it. We practice every night and even at home he won't do it. Is there anyone with any advise for us. I really want us to pass the class.

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Comment by Beth on July 20, 2010 at 9:08pm: I have two questions:

1) How old is Oscar?
2) Does he seem to not really get what you are asking of him, or does it seem like he does understand it and just does not want to do it?

Comment by Bev Levy on July 20, 2010 at 8:51pm: I spent most of our classes kneeling on the floor holding Sparty down. That was when he was 6 months. He is 12 now and has a great "down" on command. Corgi attitude makes this command a little more difficult I think but once he "got it" he was good at it. Keep at it, persistence pays off.

Comment by Monica, Orion, and Laika on July 20, 2010 at 8:26pm: I did the "L method" where you present the treat at their nose, lower it, then pull it away from them so they'll lay down (making an L shape with your hand). Once they got that, I transitioned from the hand motion with a treat to the hand motion without the treat, to me just patting the floor, to me just patting the floor with a foot, to just the command and no hand/foot motions. So maybe if the issue is that he will do it with the hand motion but not the verbal command then you could try that. Laika (11 weeks) is at the foot tap stage so hopefully she'll know it just by command pretty soon. I started working with Orion at about 10 weeks and at 12 he could do it just with the verbal command. I know it helps if you use a super amazing treat that they'll follow everywhere and don't get all the time. That's what helped with the "turn around" trick because their nose was pretty much stuck to the super amazing treat.

Comment by Kimberlie on July 20, 2010 at 7:02pm: I can't help you there, but i can say your not alone, I have 2 weeks before graduation day, and i still have a hard time getting adora to do the down comman with out me bending over. My fingers are cross for you and oscar.

Comment by Theresa + Caitlyn on July 20, 2010 at 6:51pm: A dachshund handler once told me to train them on the table. You lower your hand below the table edge.