My mum taught her poodle an instant down and she picke it really well, was a rescu dog as well and not young.
Do you know the best way to train it? We've got down but can't do it without the hand pointing yet.

My collies are stickers as well!! I took Siren on her own the other day and could not get rid of her!!

The collie Whippet cross is a hunter though.... again - speck in the distance...usually 1/2 way don a rabbit hole!

I tried the instant down... it's not happening - he runs up happily wagging his tail and THEN does the down straight in front of me to make sure I've seen it! At least the intention is good!

He's a collie cross and he's in no way a velcro dog - but what he does have (apart from in the woods when everything goes out of the window) is his own little mental radius where he's happy to wander mooch and chill out nearish to me (it's about 20/30m away) - for when I want him near I'm trying to actually teach him the command for "hang around near me I want you where I can grab hold of you if I neeed to" type thing. Of course he goes to woodland and the only trace you get of him is the rustling through the undergrowth before he reappears covered in stuff it's better not to wonder what it is.

Whistles are brilliant - I'm working on training mine to recall to a whistle and he WAS good (before he completely forgot his manners being away overnight - grrrr)!

As for leftovers - if it's something I've cooked that I know what's in it he can have a bit, if it's something bought in full of rubbish and additives - he's out of luck!

... u havnt taught an 'instant down' imo... your dog does not know what down means otherwise he would do it
(ie he thinks it means come to u and down) work on it..its a fun one and a very handy command.

i also have a 'stay by' command too

Cut me some slack - we've only had the guy a month and a half Very very hard to do when you've got him in steamroller of eager to please overdrive. Considering he's a rescue dog that we don't know the past of - he's done brilliantly to get to where he has - didn't need the nasty comment about what was a lighthearted remark

I'm surprised so many actually favour left overs lol.
Think I'm deffo gonna try a whistle, havn't used a clicker so far, only treats and Milo's done really well, so training to the whistle with food shouldn't be too hard.

how was what i said nasty?

it wasnt meant to be taken that way.

but u said u 'tried' the instant down..i was merely pointing out that you had not taught your dog that.
....cut me some slack

Do you know what your dog is crossed with?
and how he came to be in a shelter?
Just out of interest.