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Browse. Train. Reward with Better Than Ears.
DOWN AND STAY
To begin the "down-stay" exercise place your dog in the sit position. When he is comfortable, give him the command, "Prince, down!" As you give the command, push the dog down in one of the following ways: by stepping down on his leash and thus forcing his head down; by lifting his front feet up and forward with one hand while pressing on his back with the other; or by pulling down on his leash with one hand and pressing down on his hindquarters with the other.
When your dog is in the "down" position, make certain that he is laying comfortably on his stomach with front paws extended. Make him stay in this position for ten or fifteen seconds. Then, command him to sit by saying "Prince, sit!" As you give the "sit" command, jerk at the leash if the dog does not immediately obey.
When your dog begins to understand what is expected of him, accompany the "down" command with a hand signal. This is a downward motion of the right hand and is executed by starting the hand, palm down, even with your left shoulder and bringing it downward and outward until your hand is at waist level.
Now let's continue with the "down-stay" portion of the exercise. Put your dog into the down position as de-scribed. Then, command him to "stay;" give the proper hand signal (left hand in front of his nose) and take several steps forward (remember to start out on your right foot). Then turn and face your dog.
As in the "sit-stay" and "stand-stay," your dog must not move during the en-tire exercise. If he becomes uneasy, re-peat the "down and stay" commands. If he breaks and leaves his position, go to him immediately and return him to the "down-stay" position.
When your dog has completed the exercise without difficulty, take the leash in your left hand, walk around his left side, behind him, and return to your position at his right side. Then, command him to "heel," take several steps forward and praise him.
To really sharpen up your dog on the "stay" exercise and to make certain he will be steady in the competitive match, make certain that you practice him in places where there will be distractions. Have another member of your family walk by, run around him, or even play with a toy or ball a few feet away. Your dog will soon learn that he is expected to obey your commands, regardless of what is going on nearby.
Gradually increase the length of time you require the dog to stay in the "down" position. Continue practicing your other commands, too, so that you and your dog will be ready for the next lesson which will be on "Recall and Finish."
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