Lie Down, Small Dog 'L' Pattern Alternative

[DavidByer]

I have 2 dogs that I'm working with. The L pattern works very well for the large dog, but since the small dog

(pug) is so low to the ground she doesn't actually have to go 'down' to follow the treat. Any ideas on how to train the small dog to lie down? She does

sit very well.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hello David,

Welcome to the forum!

Little dogs can sometimes be a little tricky to lie down. The "L" pattern should technically still work for a small dog, the only difference is that the "L" drawn would be slightly shorter, that is both the vertical and horizontal line. You can try to draw an "I" instead if that helps.

 

With some dogs, I have had success having the owners sit on the floor and form a "bridge" with the bent legs under which the dog is lured into a down. You can also try luring under a foot stool. Then, the use of legs or foot stool needs to be faded by first luring next to the stool/legs and then gradually more away from them.

 

Alternatively, you can try using capturing. A guide on how to capture a down can be found here:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/clicker-training/

 

Best,

Adrienne