Text by: David Harris
Video and Training by: Cindy Jacobs
Featured puppy: Gus von Prufenpuden
www.vonjacobs.com
In day five of the puppy training vlog, Cindy teaches Gus the down command. If your puppy is targeting your hand properly you will have no problem getting him to follow your hand, and go down. The most common mistake people make while working on the down is pulling the puppy forward while trying to teach the down with a sweeping hand signal that moves from the puppy towards you instead of dropping down. Instead, make sure that your hand signal goes straight from the puppy’s nose to its toes. Slowly at first and then a more normal signal can be developed as the puppy starts to understand what you’re asking of them. In the very beginning it may be necessary to reward the puppy just for lowering their head without raising
their butt off the ground. A key point of shaping techniques is taking a small part of a behavior and then building on it. In this video Gus goes down quickly without much encouragement, but your results may vary. Be patient. Go slowly and allow the puppy to get some type of reward for making an effort in the right direction. If the puppy gets no reward she may simply give up trying. So, just ask for a little head movement and then a little more and very soon you will see that the puppy is easily and willingly going all the way down. As the puppy learns that the downward motion of you’re hand is a signal to go down you can introduce the verbal command you want associated with this behavior. Down in English, Platz in German and Gamungaha in Swahili 
A favorite saying of mine is “The fastest way to train a dog is slowly“. I don’t suggest you skip steps here. Take your time. Develop excellent communication. Keep working on your conditioned re-enforcers “That’s It and your Clicker” and keep working on building motivation to please. Make your training sessions short, happy and always try to end them on a high note with the puppy making positive movements in the right direction.
Puppy training is fun. If you’re not having fun, if your puppy isn’t having fun then you’re rushing things and skipping steps. Back off and go for a walk with your puppy. This is no time to lose your cool or try to force anything on your puppy. Never train with your puppy if you are distracted, watching T. V. working with the other dogs, watching the kids or generally to busy to give the puppy all your undivided attention. Your puppy is trying to learn, it is not fair to him to not give him your full attention at this point.
Remember that teaching the puppy to target your hand is critical to speeding up the use of shaping techniques. If your puppy isn’t targeting (following your hand) then you will have little success with the methods portrayed in these videos. Go back and work on this step if you’re having problems getting the puppy to sit, down, sit up or come. Not targeting, not having motivation and trying to move the puppy forward too quickly are common reasons the puppy would not be doing well at this point in the training.
As always please feel free to ask questions and please enjoy your puppy and have fun.
Click here to view Day Five of the PuppyTraining Vlog .
David Harris
9 responses so far ↓
1 Amy // Feb 26, 2008 at 9:58 am
This is so much fun! Anika now has sit, shake, spin, come and down and a squeak for speak and a semi roll over. As soon as I get the food out, she starts running through her entire repertoire.
2 Cindy Jacobs (Cyd) // Feb 26, 2008 at 10:08 am
Amy, I know what you mean, David still needs to view and post day 6..I did attempt roll over, but went to heel but explain why. That should be up today. Puppies are so much fun, they learn so fast at this age.
3 David Harris // Feb 26, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Glad you having fun with your new puppy Amy. Lots more to come that is for sure. No lack for food, prey or play drive in these pups and they seem very hard natured mentally. So, looks like were off to a good start with them.
4 Amy // Feb 28, 2008 at 10:47 am
What is the best way to discourage the pup from biting me and grabbing my clothes?
5 David Harris // Feb 28, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I would suggest having something for her to bite beside you ready to give her before you let her out of her crate. A rag on a rope would do fine. As soon as she comes out of her crate focus her on that rag instead of you. Get her outside and leave her alone to do her thing. You may have to arrange a tie out for her even in your fenced yard for the time being. At some point she will propably have to be corrected, but for now it is best to just distract her from biting you.
6 Amy // Feb 28, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I’ve tried that. I will actually have a toy in my hand and she will go for my arm! Also tried “ouch” and tried saying “no” while closing her mouth (which just makes her mad)!
7 David Harris // Feb 28, 2008 at 5:15 pm
As the breeder of this particular monster puppy I can’t help but smile when I hear the news of her madness. But, I do understand what it feels like and how frustrating it can be to be eaten alive by a puppy. I am going to post an article on this subject that you might find helpful. Until then ask your husband if you look good in leather!
8 Amy // Feb 29, 2008 at 10:05 am
I know we will get through this stage as we did with the last two pups, but while the other two were tenacious, this one is extremely so. Once she is focused on doing something, she doesn’t give up!! We are either feeding/training, actively playing, outside, or in the crate. The only down time for this dog happens in the crate.
9 David Harris // Mar 7, 2008 at 2:29 pm
That is why Crates were invented. If you were not trying to raise a perfomance dog you could easily get her under control with obedience training. But, for now you just have to play with her until you’re wore out and then crate her butt until you’re ready for round two. She is going to be awesome!
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