Several important things to note when teaching this:
- In the beginning keep a short leash with a little tension on it. Please rewatch the first video on the previous page. This helps stabilize the dog for the exercise and creates a little oppostion reflex when you put the article down. It is the most common handler error when using this method.
- In the video on this page, Cara downs nicely, but as you can see she is sometimes more interested in Donna's hand than in the article itself. This is a minor problem. In order to help avoid this from happening always drop the food on the ground under the article just as you take the article away (food held between your pointer finger and middle finger is easy to drop).
- At this stage do not feed the dog from your hand, i.e., don't pick up the article and then feed the dog. The food should magically appear on the ground as the article is picked up. As far as the dog is concerned -- at this point -- it's just there when the article is taken away.
- Do not ever put food on the article or under the article. Platzing by the article is what brings the treat - that is all the dog should ever know.
- You must do this exercise in many different places to get the dog accustomed to doing it anywhere. If not -- they may be easily distracted.
- Reinforce the "platz" command - after the dog is down on the article!!! Take advantage of the opportunity. It will come in handy very soon, when you toss the article and may have to ask the down to platz if it doesn't do it automatically (some dogs will and some dogs won't at first -- we will deal with both situations).
- If you use a clicker -- make sure your dog's butt is on the ground before you click. Don't mark the wrong behavior and create unnecessary problems for yourself.
..to be continued
|
