Down Or Drop?

[Guest]

Hi,

I've just started puppy preschool with my Labrador and I forgot to ask what command to teach when she jumps up or when she is on furniture and I don't want her on it. Should I use ''down'' or ''drop''??? Is it also ok to let her know she can sit on our bean bag rather than on our couch? Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thankyou

[Nevafollo]

We have always used "off" as our command for the dogs to get off the lounge ect.

We used drop for obedience, for getting them in the drop position. We dont use down.

That probably doesnt help you much but its what works for us.

[tivins]

Hi,

I've just started puppy preschool with my Labrador and I forgot to ask what command to teach when she jumps up or when she is on furniture and I don't want her on it. Should I use ''down'' or ''drop''??? Is it also ok to let her know she can sit on our bean bag rather than on our couch? Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thankyou

We use 'OFF'... If she jumps on the couch simply remove her n place her on the bean bag, may take a couple of times for her to understand..

dont forget to reward for positive behaviour..

Others would have better advice though, good luck!

[Mym]

Let me know when you have a consistent command....it is the bane of my life that I keep changing some of my lesser used commands - often without knowing I am doing it.

Seriously think I have dog training dyslexia most days.

[Eliteview Aussies]

We have always used off for all of our dogs to get them off the couch or anywhere else they shouldn't be (my young one thinks its great to jump on the table) and then in Obedience we use drop as a command.

If you want her to sit on her bean bag try telling her to get on her bed. She will learn then that if you tell her to go to bed that she should get onto the bean bag.

[Kavik]

I also use "OFF" for get off the furniture and use "DROP" for lie down in obedience work.

[poodlefan]

I also use "OFF" for get off the furniture and use "DROP" for lie down in obedience work.

x 2

[Sandra777]

Hi,

I've just started puppy preschool with my Labrador and I forgot to ask what command to teach when she jumps up or when she is on furniture and I don't want her on it. Should I use ''down'' or ''drop''??? Is it also ok to let her know she can sit on our bean bag rather than on our couch? Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thankyou

It actually doesn't matter what word you use - as long as you use it consistently. I would tend to use down or off because that comes out more naturally... "drop" isn't the word most people use when they want something/one to get off something. Consistentency is the key, whatever suits you is fine.

I'd watch out for her sitting on "your" bean bag, it'll soon become hers! If you use the bean bag a lot I'd tend to get the dog her own bed and then when someone is actually sitting in the beanbag you can send the dog to "her bed", otherwise she will have no where to go and this could cause confusion for her.

[Guest]

THANKS everyone. I will use ''off!'' makes sense.

I'd watch out for her sitting on "your" bean bag, it'll soon become hers! If you use the bean bag a lot I'd tend to get the dog her own bed and then when someone is actually sitting in the beanbag you can send the dog to "her bed", otherwise she will have no where to go and this could cause confusion for her.

She does have her own bed - I will do that, and I think you are right she does think the bean bag is hers aswell!

edited to work out how to quote! Still did it wrong!

Edited September 9, 2009 by Guest

[ruthless]

I like how everyone has capitalised their "OFF"!

[Sandra777]

She does have her own bed, and I think you are right she does think the bean bag is hers aswell!

In that case if you are happy for her to always be allowed to sit on the beanbag (and I mean until she is old and grey and dribbly and smelly ) I would just ignore it when she does. If you praise her for it, she may start to think this is behaviour you want rather than behaviour you 'tolerate'. You want her to go to her bed when asked and should praise her for this, she can sit on the beanbag if no one else is doing so, but make sure she will get off on command too... As a general rule human beanbags are more comfortable than dog beds, and dogs aren't silly

[persephone]

'OFF!' with no 'please' attached

[SkySoaringMagpie]

I also use "OFF" for get off the furniture and use "DROP" for lie down in obedience work.

x 2

x 3

[TangerineDream]

OFF the furniture or people

and

DOWN in obedience,

DROP means do it right now (as in emergency)

[mr.mister]

With my previous dogs, I've used:

off: for when they jump on the furniture.

leave it: if they look like they're about to grab/chase something that they shouldn't.

drop: to drop whatever they have in their mouths.

down: to lie down.

[alpha bet]

I never overanalysis it.... if they get on the furniture.....

GEEETTT OFFFF THE BLOODY COUCH...... or what ever else comes out of my mouth....

sorry but the actual words dont matter it is the attitude the dog gets from me that counts.....

Oh yea.... to get them on the bean bag.... i just pat the bag and they scramble on..... if i dont tell em off they know their okay.....

Edited September 9, 2009 by alpha bet

[Monah]

OFF here too, drop for obed., give for whatever is in the little darling's mouths!, LEAVE IT! used mainly for when they decide to kiss frogs but comes in useful for other things, like, kitty litter

[corvus]

I use "off" for getting off the furniture, but use it so infrequently I don't think Kivi knows what it means anymore. He knows where he's allowed to be and when and rarely oversteps the boundaries.

Funny thing, I've always used "down" for a lie down command because my reasoning has been that I use "drop" to ask them to drop an object. Only, with Kivi I used "give" to ask him to drop something, and now drop isn't in use at all, except by OH who has been using it instead of "down" since Kivi was a puppy. I told him it was going to be confusing and we had a protracted battle of wills over it, which ultimately resulted in Kivi learning "down" and "drop" to mean the same thing.

I think consistency makes life easier with dogs, but considering how differently OH and I use our voices and our hand signals let alone the word we actually say, it's a good thing dogs are pretty good at figuring us out. For Kivi, hand signals were way more important than whatever word we used, and even now he doesn't always cotton on when you say something without the signal. But our new puppy Erik is very focused on voice and is already sitting reliably without a hand signal. Different dogs, different strengths and weaknesses. Best to get everyone in the family practising commands, though. That way they learn to generalise it a little so it means the same no matter who says it.

[Guest]

Thanks everyone - gives me a good idea what to do now and I will be well prepared for next weeks lesson!

OFF here too, drop for obed., give for whatever is in the little darling's mouths!, LEAVE IT! used mainly for when they decide to kiss frogs :p but comes in useful for other things, like, kitty litter

Interesting point about the FROGS! I had her outside with me late last night to do her business and she saw a cane toad - I think ''Leave it'' might be the next one I start on asap!!!

[milzi09]

I use 'off' for the furniture and anything I want them to get off. For laying down I use 'drop' and to give me something from their mouth I use 'give'.

However next time I'm going to use 'down' for laying down since whenever anyone else plays fetch with them when they ask for the ball they say drop - every time both dogs will drop with the ball or whatever in their mouth and look at them very confused when they continue to say drop, drop it, you stupid dog drop the ball etc. I can just hear it going through their minds 'what is with this stupid human, are they blind, I have dropped!!!!'

So the best thing I can say is use words that the whole family will use and agree to in order to avoid confusion and frustration - write them on the fridge if you have to!