'easy' things to train a dog to do

Poor Jub isn't all that confident, but he's responding very well (if slowly ) to clicker training. The thing is that due to his size and general awkwardness and the lack of floorspace in our house it's difficult to teach him, well anything. It's difficult to explain; he doesn't jump (it's scary) he doesn't sit (it's uncomfortable) I can't lure him into a down (he just puts his head down ) and he is very slow to catch on to things. I try to take it nice and slowly with him but even when he understands one part making the connection to the next bit is very tough! It took me three months to teach him his 'touch' command, bless him
At the moment we are doing heelwork, but he can't keep his eyes on me because the only place long enough to do it is the hall and he has to watch where he's going for half of the way or he will bump into something or fall over
So I'm thinking that once (if!!) we get the heelwork down we can try some small, simple things to boost his confidence. At discover dogs the other day Mary Ray said she trains her dogs to put their paws on their noses by putting a scrunchie on them, may be worth a try, but knowing him he will give me his 'i am suicidal now' look until i take it off
Any ideas of what to do? At the moment he can do touch (touch the end of the target stick or my hand) and wait (though this can mean 'stay there for a bit and wander off if you get bored'). I'm thinking next I'll try 'watch me' but after that I'm lost!!

Well, one that I did with Hoki when she wasn't allowed to move around (and is good for limited space) is teaching them how to cross their front legs while lying down.

Can he give a paw? (if not you would have to start with that!). If he can, just get him to give you his paw when lying down, but move your hand across so that his right paw is over his left (or vice versa). Keep you hand low, resting on his other paw. once he's used to giving you his paw at that sort of angle, start taking your hand away when his paw gets to it & then click when his paw lies across the other one.

hope that makes sense

Walking backwards? Dont know how big he is but if small enough have him walk forwards between your legs then when he has got the hang of that walk forwards and then take a step back, that usualy unbalences them and they take a step back - click the movment

Follow - walking behind you

I would keep trying with the down, either capture when he is naturaly lieing down or lure the head down and back slightly so he folds back
It took Ben weeks to get 'down' Mia who is scared of the clicker so I cant use it got it in 3 goes!!

What about 'go to your bed'
Target spots on the ground

You can even get indoor weave poles that can be good

And if you get stuck then try 101 things to do with a box and let him invent tricks (look on youtube)

How about a few basics?
Watch Me or Come or Away (go to a spot)
Or if he puts his head down when you try to do down you can turn that into a Bow. (BTW have you tried the `under the coffee table` method of teaching Down?)

go to your bed/mat is a very handy trick. High five is a good one as everyone always loves to see that, so it usually gives them lots of positive attention (start with paw, then move your hand to higher and more vertical positions when he understands what he should do. You can do it so that he just raises one paw off the ground or both so he is standing up right). "Take it" and "leave it" which are always handy, but can also be used as a game.

We also retaught some of the basic commands in Greek as a fun challenge. So when we do the doggie workout for meals she does all sorts of ups, downs, sits, and paws...even though its just the same trick with two commands (three if we do the hand signal with voices off)...she's so funny too, after 2 or 3 tricks she gets that look like "can I have it now?" and with each following trick she gets quicker and quicker because she knows that she'll be getting her meal soon.

i taught Tan 'over there' (to go where i point) by pretending to throw food then when hegoes loking fr it giving the command and throwing the food to him so he eats it where he's standing. you can teach find it by hiding bits of food, make it easy at first until he is ready to progress

I'll be starting with giving a paw then shouldn't be too dificult hopefully, he already whacks me with his leg when he wants fusses. Thanks

He's too big to get between my legs unfortunately I will try follow though. I have tried lureing him but he just steps back or goes round it it's such an effort for him to lay down because of his big long legs, he will do more or less anything but it!
Go to your bed could be good No idea what he'd make of weave poles though! I will look that up, thanks

I think I will try watch me for the next one, he is always staring at me so it can't be too hard right He pretty much has come, apart form outside of course I'll add away and bow to the list. I have tried that method if it's the one I'm thinking of but if he can't get to it with his head he gets bored and wanders off

LOL I can't imagine him up on his back legs, he is such a wimp like that worth a try though! he kind of does high fives but he hasn't quite got it that he's meant to aim for the hand Take it and leave it can go on the list too, thanks
So she's bilingual? wow!

Ahhh, that sounds like something he'll get he loves playing find it, he only sees the pont when its food though lol

thanks for the ideas everyone he seems to be picking up his heelwork quite quickly compared to touch, though he did trip over a pile of books my mum left on the floor tonight