Help Training Stand From A Sit Or Down

[Sparden]

I'm after some advise on training my dog to sit or stand from the down position. I have tried a lure, although once he's in the down position he does not move until I give him the release command. His transition from sit to down is fine. He is slowly understanding the transition from sit to stand.

Any advise on luring, hand signals, or even perhaps training the sit command better so he knows sit means sit from any position?

Thanks.

P.S.

I just bought some steak and will be trying that out as my new lure.

[Kavik]

Susan Garrett has a video on how to teach the stand

https://www.facebook.com/SusanGarrettDogAgility?sk=app_102515556471926&app_data=3Alaska commented about 3 hours ago

[JulesP]

Make sure you keep the lure on the dogs nose. People often try and move the lure too fast. You might need to physically walk a step back too, the handlers movement often helps unstick a dog. Lots of verbal praise too as he thinks about moving.

[megan_]

If your dog is trained not to move until released then you need to give them permission to follow the lure - I had the same problem. I didn't like giving my dog conflicting info (you must never snatch food vs you get rewarded for breaking your sit). I use "the food hand" rather that luring (basically, lump of soft food, smooched in their face, they lick it, you say good then bring it up slowly, with the food in their face). The conflict still exists but I don't know another way.

Expect things to get a bit messy for a while - they might break before their release for other things - but let them figure it out.

[becks]

lure into the down, instead of giving a down command, then lure back up to sit/stand

or use hand touch if your dog knows this, instead of luring with a treat.

[corvus]

I just drilled the separate behaviours in different contexts and it didn't take long for them to pick it up. Helps to put them on a platform. Then they are limited by how much they can move and fiddle. I think it helps get them into the habit of smooth transitions. Kivi was a terrible fiddler going from sit or down to stand. He would always shuffle his hindquarters and swing out. Practicing against fences and on cement blocks seemed to make a difference.

ETA I trained stand as a movement out of sits and downs initially anyway. It can be a tricky concept for dogs, so I marked the movement INTO a stand rather than the stand itself.

Edited April 16, 2013 by corvus

[The Spotted Devil]

In terms of generalizing the sit try changing your position - sit, stand on a chair, lie down etc. Make it heaps of fun and highly rewarding. A stand from a sit may be easier to teach than from a down so get that solid first :)

[Kavik]

Kikopup also has a tutorial on YouTube for teaching the positions. While the video title says teaching stay, the first bit is how to teach sit, drop and stand and to be able to have the dog moving in between the positions. She uses luring.

Edited April 16, 2013 by Kavik

[Sparden]

Thanks to all those that replied. Training went a lot better today. Not using the command and just a lure made the difference.

[Erny]

lure into the down, instead of giving a down command, then lure back up to sit/stand ...

This ^. And break it down into tiny increments by (e.g.) letting him take the food reward for stretching forward with his neck; then for straining forward and part way coming off his elbows; for any even hesitant moves to come up out of the drop or sit position he's in. If you've taught your dog a word that tells him he's on the right track (e.g.. gooooood) use that for any hint that he might be thinking about coming up and forward into the stand to take the treat.

Sometimes, if the dog is really 'tight' in the sit or drop, using the lead under the belly to gently give an upward encouraging nudge/pressure, can be all it takes (along with the lure) to let the dog understand you DO want him to move from the sit/drop position into the stand.

Use times when he's volunteered to sit or drop of his own accord - perhaps when he's just lounging around at home - and present the lure hand with food to encourage up to a stand.