Teaching The Drop Command On The Run

[Sayreovi]

Have to agree with CTD, you wouldnt reward a stay by calling the dog then rewarding it. You will be rewarding breaking the stay rather then the stay itself.

I havent taught the drop when they are running free but have with the recall and drop, and i trained them so their drop was fast and consistent and then moved to calling them and making them drop, once they had i would go too them and reward for the drop. This would be the same way i would teach the drop when they are running around well until i get a firm grasp on how to train in drive better lol

[sidoney]

Ultimately you can chain behaviours where the cue to come becomes a reinforcer for the drop that precedes it, but I would not start out this way and I wouldn't regularly do it this way either.

[whatevah]

Yep when I say to Moses "drop" as soon as he drops, I say "YES" or I might click, then I throw the reward. Forgot about that part. The other week when I did some filming for an add, one he had done his stuff, my release word was "go have a rest" and the dog switches off. Someone commented on it, and I couldn't even remember what I said, I just do it automatically. I actually did delay the yes word, because he got so excited he wouldn't go all the way down and actually would do a bow. I got a bow on recall at one stage. LOL )

[sidoney]

LOL that would be funny.

A bow was part of the "trick" training for flyball intro recently, but I decided to not do that part, as I didn't want any hesitation in the downs for agility. I didn't want the dog having to spend any time thinking, do I bow or down.

[Seita]

Oh sorry I misread your post! Could you try practice drop at a distance in the backyard, say you're hanging out the laundry ask him to drop and then go over and reward him for dropping.. and just get him doing it well there before moving to say the front yard and then out on the street. Also maybe don't give him the command when you're out in public if he is not likely to do it thats just wasting a command. Get it 100% at home first and then outside in low distraction - the whole time before distance before distraction thingy again! This is the method I used to teach my last dog to drop from a distance, just random commands in the backyard and go over to her a praise her and do that a few times each day and build it from there. I appologise again for not reading your post properly the first time!

[KismetKat]

Have to agree with CTD, you wouldnt reward a stay by calling the dog then rewarding it. You will be rewarding breaking the stay rather then the stay itself.

*slaps hand to forehead*

Thanks guys!

Yes she does get a 'good girl' for the drop, but heck, that's not in the same league as a food treat is it? :D

Thanks for all the tips and advice - will let you know how we go.

[Sayreovi]

If you havent started already i would recommend training with a clicker for this exercise, it is much easier then saying yes and the dog knows exactly what it did when the click sounded so they know the reward is for the behaviour they gave.

[KismetKat]

Given how unco I am I think clicker training might be a disaster :D

also the dog is well over 2.

We've had some practice with me running to give her treats and the good news is (given she prefers hand signals) is she is responsonding well to voice alone.