This is what I am trying and i think she will slowly get it, I am starting it by waiting until she has her front paws on the bed then saying "Bed" and throwing a treat. Some times she doesn't see it though and gets off before she finds it but I hope eventually it will click and then i can wait until she has back legs on etc..

If that doesn't work then i will try leading her back there, this just seems more immediate and yes easier to not have to constantly get up! So I will see how it goes

Another way would be to throw a treat on the bed and before she has time to get off throw another one, this way she will quickly learn that there is no point in getting off. Why would she when it is raining food?

I would suggest you do not introduce any verbal command as yet as this only interferes with the learning process.

If your dog cannot see the treat then either change the colour of the treat or the "bed".

Ie throw cheese or chicken onto a dark bed or kibble onto a light one......... Also make treats LARGE to begin with and then reduce the size.

You can shape this so that the dog will try to work out what you want.

Thanks Smokeybear, at what point do i start to introduce the word and should I have a release word for when she can get off? Or should I just use "stay" (which she has pretty much got, just working on different situations, distance etc) to keep her there?

Also, I did start it when i was eating but i can see how that would make it even harder for her so i will train without instead.

She has either GOT the command stay or she has not.

This is how I train clients to train their dogs for the "go to bed" exercise.

Once you start training it properly (ie with no distractions eg no food) and then you start introducing another variable (the food) you will find that the dog will anticipate what you are going to do and go to bed automatically.

I would then start introducing the word eg bed.

I would NOT use stay as you are not in a position to prevent failure.

I use the word "settle" which means that a dog can do what it likes in terms of stand, sit, down but has to chill in a particular place.

HTH

In that case she has not got stay just yet

Thanks very much, very helpful, we're very happy to do the work it's just nice to know we're doing it properly!!

I did exactly what ClaireandDaisey said. I got my pup from when he was 9 weeks old to lye down away from the table and under no circumstances, does he get fed from the table.
Filling his food bowl 10 minutes before everyone sits down at the table gets the routine down with him.

Thanks Skippy440, I do think we need to be more rigid in our routine..at the moment our schedule is a bit all over the place but hopefully once it settles down she will take the hint.

The only problem I am having now is because we are training so much we are giving her lots of treats (breaking up larger treats/chunks of veg/kibble) she is going to the toilet loads more and now in the house! aghh...so i think i need to limit the training or try something else treat wise? maybe chicken scraps will be better for her bowels who knows! I don't want this behaviour to stick!

Why not skip treats altogether and use her daily ration of food? that way you are not giving too much food.

Simple

Nice to see you here and I'm glad you're finding it helpful
I ignore Axel when we're eating our food and he soon got the message. He will still take food if we leave the room (we're obviously working on this and trying not to leave food lying around)