Aha! Aiming for his chest works well particularly if after he’s in position I don’t lower the treat all the way which keeps him from flopping down. Uh, also I need to be seated on the floor in front of him....if I’m standing he drops into a down very very quickly.
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jlbernard
Mar 22, 2020
Laura,
Try holding the treat right in front of her nose, then pushing it under her chest as you lower the treat to the ground, only go half way and click any position that even starts to look like a play bow! Alternatively, if you can capture the play bow she does when stretching or playing (ie click then feed, when she displays that behavior) you will find that she starts volunteering that behavior more often. Once she starts volunteering that behavior you can add a verbal or visual cue just before she does the behavior. Do this enough times and she will get the connection between the cue and the behavior.
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yakersynge
Mar 22, 2020
Both of these have always been difficult with Luka. I don’t know if it’s just because he’s a small dog, but his rear hits the ground so quickly after his elbows that I think he doesn’t differentiate the play bow from a down. (He does do those play bows when stretching or playing.)
Aha! Aiming for his chest works well particularly if after he’s in position I don’t lower the treat all the way which keeps him from flopping down. Uh, also I need to be seated on the floor in front of him....if I’m standing he drops into a down very very quickly.
Laura,
Try holding the treat right in front of her nose, then pushing it under her chest as you lower the treat to the ground, only go half way and click any position that even starts to look like a play bow! Alternatively, if you can capture the play bow she does when stretching or playing (ie click then feed, when she displays that behavior) you will find that she starts volunteering that behavior more often. Once she starts volunteering that behavior you can add a verbal or visual cue just before she does the behavior. Do this enough times and she will get the connection between the cue and the behavior.
Both of these have always been difficult with Luka. I don’t know if it’s just because he’s a small dog, but his rear hits the ground so quickly after his elbows that I think he doesn’t differentiate the play bow from a down. (He does do those play bows when stretching or playing.)