Teaching "drop"

[InspectorRex]

Okay now that I have the Collies back in "obedience mode" I am wondering what method ppl find easier to teach "drop" to adult dogs;

from the SIT position; if so how do YOU do it;

from the STAND position; if so how do you do it?

These are the only 2 Collies we have ever had that I never taught drop to as pups for numerous reasons so i am keen to find out from others what they have tried and has it worked. Both girls are food orientated.

Colleen

Edited November 9, 2008 by InspectorRex

[Luke W]

Okay now that I have the Collies back in "obedience mode" I am wondering what method ppl find easier to teach "drop" to adult dogs;

from the SIT position; if so how do YOU do it;

from the STAND position; if so how do you do it?

These are the only 2 Collies we have ever had that I never taught drop to as pups for numerous reasons so i am keen to find out from others what they have tried and has it worked. Both girls are food orientated.

Colleen

Same way for both...

Really, really easy.

Like this:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=0I0O6ktNJuA

Fade the food as quickly as possible (treat from the other hand).

The stylise the empty handed lure into a hand signal.

Edited November 9, 2008 by Luke W

[InspectorRex]

Thanks for that LukeW- that is howI have always taught the Drop but these two girls are very smart and will either get the front end down okay and then I have to physically push their bums down or sometimes they will get their bums down and I have to physically place the front end in the down .

[Luke W]

Thanks for that LukeW- that is howI have always taught the Drop but these two girls are very smart and will either get the front end down okay and then I have to physically push their bums down or sometimes they will get their bums down and I have to physically place the front end in the down .

Keep the treat in your hand until they get their bums down. Be patient! You can keep your hand on the floor, palm down, with the threat underneath. Eventually, they should put their bumbs down, simply because it's uncomfortable to remain in the 'bow' position for too long!

The other trick is to slowly move your hand (on the floor), back between the dogs front legs toward it's chest. It's naturally reaction will be to fold back into a down.

Edited November 9, 2008 by Luke W

[InspectorRex]

Thanks Luke. I suppose I am a bit impatient having trialled a Collie successfully to CDX . I expect the girls to do it straight off

I will give what you have suggested a go and let you know how we travel

Cheers

[ness]

Hmm I haven't watched the clip but if you want a drop for obedience you want a foldback drop as its neater and therefore better taught from the stand.

[InspectorRex]

Have not heard the expression"fold back drop" in all my years of trialling Ness.

Can you please explain? Much appreciated

[laffi]

Have not heard the expression"fold back drop" in all my years of trialling Ness.

Can you please explain? Much appreciated

At the end of the clip Luke W posted, the little dog is folding into a down from stand (his elbows touch the ground before the bum).

[Tiggy]

I was also told to teach a 'fold back' drop from a stand for trialling.

[BigBen]

That's a terrific video... unfortunately Ben doesn't even want to watch it

[Luke W]

BTW - The video is Dr Ian Dunbar - he's great!!!

[4 Paws]

I feel your pain here's a link to a thread I started a few weeks ago as I was having trouble with my foxie dropping.There may be a few suggestions in it that may help

http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=149645

[InspectorRex]

Ian Dunbar is wonderful. I used to have his videos then a "friend" borrowed them and never returned them

[TerraNik]

The fold back down is also called a sphinx down... It's much more efficient and you end up (usually) with a straighter down as well. Essentially the dog goes from a stand and moves their body backwards and down (keeping feet still) into the down. If you were to slow motion it while you're luring, you would see their front go down and then their butt fall to the ground between their legs. Does that makes sense? I tried to find a video on YouTube but my internet is playing up and everything is taking FOREVER to load!

I teach the down/drop using both methods. I start off with the sit if they are having trouble being lured, but once they have kinda got it I move to stand-->down. If they get the stand-->down initially, I don't ever teach sit-->down.

Edited November 9, 2008 by TerraNik

[Gayle.]

but these two girls are very smart and will either get the front end down okay and then I have to physically push their bums down or sometimes they will get their bums down and I have to physically place the front end in the down .

Hahaha, Benson has learned another command.....me growling "ALL THE WAY!!!!" when he pulls that stunt.

I taught both of them to drop from a stand, just by luring down with food then treating once they are actually in the drop position.

[claireybell]

With the bigger dogs at club (collies and stuff) they also teach the owner to sort of squat and put one leg in front of themselves. The treat is on the opposite side of the leg so that the dog has to come under the leg to get the treat which naturally pushes them into the drop position. They use this method on dogs that just wont drop. I've not had to do it myself but just tried it out on the puppy and she got the hint pretty quickly. Maybe once they've mastered it this way and know what the word means you can then do the fold back?

[charli73]

At obedience school we were always taught to teach your dog to frop from stand not a sit, only because if you need the dog to drop quickly ie. when running towards you over a road with a car approaching and you yell drop by the time they sit then drop it willl be too late...

Just what we were told but we taught our dog from stand as it was easier to get her to drop...

[leopuppy04]

Okay now that I have the Collies back in "obedience mode" I am wondering what method ppl find easier to teach "drop" to adult dogs;

from the SIT position; if so how do YOU do it;

from the STAND position; if so how do you do it?

These are the only 2 Collies we have ever had that I never taught drop to as pups for numerous reasons so i am keen to find out from others what they have tried and has it worked. Both girls are food orientated.

Colleen

From a sit - as per Luke W/ Ian Dunbar's video

From a stand - I will actually lure the food backwards a little to between the elbows and HOLD it there - seldom do I need to use my hand to get the dog to down, but i may need to reward in increments.

I will only EVER teach a down from a STAND if doing obedience - gives you a lovely fast down. Teaching a drop from a sit as per Mr Leo - the drops can be muuuuch slower at times . JMHO and you do see it a lot in the general way people have taught them .

[InspectorRex]

Will give it a go and let you all know, thanks DOLers ;)

[Gayle.]

Dusty does the most graceful down I have ever seen. On our floorboards she simply lets her front feet slide forward and down, then her rear end just folds and melts onto the floor. It looks fabulous, but I doubt we'd find an obedience ring with floorboards for her to wow the judges with! LOL!