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yipyap · 09-13-2013, 10:19 PM

Don't worry, if she is doing "Down" with a bit of trouble at first, then she WILL be able to do it after more practices. Just be consistent with your method and word.
My Yorkie pulled a bit of a surprise in his little 6-dog group at the Pet Smart Store obedience class. We did "Sit" in the class, and I thought it would be So Easy for Taffy since I had already worked on Sit with him at home, and he would do it for me with no problem...SURPRISE! He hated the "cold linoleum floor" at the store! The Store's Trainer said some dogs who learn commands on a comfy home rug or a grassy yard may Not like a new, cold, hard surface. So, we would Finally get him to sit flat on his little tushy for a "treat", but this was after he would "hover" his butt 1/2" over their chilly floor...as if he was going "to die" if he had to put his butt on that cold linoleum! We were all trying not to grin because it WAS funny to watch Taffy trying to avoid touching their floor with his little behind. We also took the doggies outside to the real Grass area next to the store. If I said "Sit" out there, he would do it with no hesitation! Later, the class started to work on "Down", and I thought that Taffy would really refuse to lie his tummy on their cold linoleum floor. WRONG again!..He would lie down faster than any other dog in his class. Even the trainer was surprised! She said usually "small dogs" did not like "Down" in a group class as that position made them feel more vulnerable near the bigger dogs in class. We figured he had enough tummy hair, so the linoleum floor didn't bother him! We also noticed that he only seemed to "like" just one other dog in his class, "Missy". (She was an older Bassett Hound female -- a "mom figure" for Taffy who was @ 8 months old.) The rest of the dogs he either ignored or stayed away from, but he did like the other "people" we met in the store. I've heard some people say Yorkies can be "snappy" around strangers; not Taffy! He wanted to get a pat on his little head from everyone he met, and then he wanted to lick the person's hand as well. He happily greeted everyone from toddlers to older senior citizens! Our trainer said I as fortunate that Taffy was "well socialized", she also said some small breeds did not always react that well and some get "nippy" around strangers. So, the class was quiet
an interesting learning experience for me. I have even gotten my hubby to use the correct terms at home! One point the Trainer was firm about: The trainer said Do Not say the word "Down" when you have a dog trying to crawl onto someone's lap, you should say "Off" for those situations! She said it confuses the dog to say "Down" when You Do Not Mean to "lie down on the floor or ground"! She told us to listen to other people using "Down" with dogs...she said many are not using the word correctly, and it just confuses the dog! She is right! I catch my husband saying "Down" when he means "Get Off Me". NOW, I ,will have to retrain my hubby--Ha!! HE will be harder to train than Taffy!!

09-13-2013, 10:19 PM	#6
yipyap Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA., USA Posts: 173	Lay down command Don't worry, if she is doing "Down" with a bit of trouble at first, then she WILL be able to do it after more practices. Just be consistent with your method and word. My Yorkie pulled a bit of a surprise in his little 6-dog group at the Pet Smart Store obedience class. We did "Sit" in the class, and I thought it would be So Easy for Taffy since I had already worked on Sit with him at home, and he would do it for me with no problem...SURPRISE! He hated the "cold linoleum floor" at the store! The Store's Trainer said some dogs who learn commands on a comfy home rug or a grassy yard may Not like a new, cold, hard surface. So, we would Finally get him to sit flat on his little tushy for a "treat", but this was after he would "hover" his butt 1/2" over their chilly floor...as if he was going "to die" if he had to put his butt on that cold linoleum! We were all trying not to grin because it WAS funny to watch Taffy trying to avoid touching their floor with his little behind. We also took the doggies outside to the real Grass area next to the store. If I said "Sit" out there, he would do it with no hesitation! Later, the class started to work on "Down", and I thought that Taffy would really refuse to lie his tummy on their cold linoleum floor. WRONG again!..He would lie down faster than any other dog in his class. Even the trainer was surprised! She said usually "small dogs" did not like "Down" in a group class as that position made them feel more vulnerable near the bigger dogs in class. We figured he had enough tummy hair, so the linoleum floor didn't bother him! We also noticed that he only seemed to "like" just one other dog in his class, "Missy". (She was an older Bassett Hound female -- a "mom figure" for Taffy who was @ 8 months old.) The rest of the dogs he either ignored or stayed away from, but he did like the other "people" we met in the store. I've heard some people say Yorkies can be "snappy" around strangers; not Taffy! He wanted to get a pat on his little head from everyone he met, and then he wanted to lick the person's hand as well. He happily greeted everyone from toddlers to older senior citizens! Our trainer said I as fortunate that Taffy was "well socialized", she also said some small breeds did not always react that well and some get "nippy" around strangers. So, the class was quiet an interesting learning experience for me. I have even gotten my hubby to use the correct terms at home! One point the Trainer was firm about: The trainer said Do Not say the word "Down" when you have a dog trying to crawl onto someone's lap, you should say "Off" for those situations! She said it confuses the dog to say "Down" when You Do Not Mean to "lie down on the floor or ground"! She told us to listen to other people using "Down" with dogs...she said many are not using the word correctly, and it just confuses the dog! She is right! I catch my husband saying "Down" when he means "Get Off Me". NOW, I ,will have to retrain my hubby--Ha!! HE will be harder to train than Taffy!!