Distance Down/Emergency Stop

We just started this in training class. For Cain, being reactive, I feel that this command along with a really solid recall will be vital to ever getting him off lead.

We started learning "Stop", getting a dog to freeze in a standing postion. However our trainer explained that they used to train "Down" at a distance as the emergency stop command. However they said feedback from owners was that they didn't want the dog to go down, just to stop moving so they started training a standin "Stop" instead. However I and several others in our current class felt we would prefer the Down so we are doing that now. Personally I think Cain standing would be more likely to creep, I prefer Down.

Anyway we just started doing this but the last three days I've been training this really hard on walks. I've managed to have him off lead (in empty parks) or on a longline and have been working him by getting him to go Down when strolling back towards me. I also managed to get a few when he back was turned looking at distractions (as I imagine I'd probably need to use this most if he goes to run away from me). It's going to be hard as I might need to use this to interupt chase behaviour like "oh there's a jogger...". I want this solid.

Any tips on training this? When he is Down I've been clicking immediately, then he runs to me for his reward (a treat, or mostly his ball. I've been really making him earn his ball on walks now, doesn't get it unless he does something to earn it) Should I be letting him run to me for reward? Or should he stay down until I go to him?

He stayed in position until I clicked and techinically released him and he returned to me - so this is a good thing as I'd be using this to get control of him so having him come back is good. However I wander if that might encourage him to possibly break his down early? Should it be like a Stay where he doesn't move until I get to him? This is early so I'd like to get this point right before I train it wrong!

Also I'm being thinking that maybe I should put Recall and emergency Down on a whistle cue? He hears my voice all the time and I thought that he might respond more consistantly to a unique sound like a whistle....

Any tips appreciated

No tips of the other stuff but I'd say the problem with this is will you always have a whistle on you? A real emergency down is something you will hopefully never have to try but if he happened to run off from a regular walk, or out of the front door, or out of the car or similar, what if the whistle is in your bag somewhere, or tucked in a kitchen drawer?
I would say if you want it a bit different to regular commands then maybe really shout it in a firm (but not angry sounding) voice that you're pretty confident you could mimic in an emergency situation with a little bit of panic/worry happening

imo,even if u dont want your dog to know anything else the two most important things you can teach your dog that may save its life is a recall and an instant down(the later defo saved my lurchers life once)
.... to be fair...imo u need to work on the down and the instant down as the same thing,because they are.
so,i would go back to teaching down,if your dog truly knows down(down and dont move til i release you)then its sorted
do you have a release command?

Thanks Yup he definately knows down. We've been doing it for over a year before trying this. And so far he's done the distance down everytime I've asked him so I am confident it's solid, I knew it must be before starting this, as you rightly say I use a OK as a universal release command ie he sits before his dinner but can take it when I say ok. The other release I suppose is the clicker as it signals that he's completed the behaviour, which is why I didn't mind him breaking to get his reward as I had clicked - not sure if it the right attitude or not though?

Karly, I had thought the sane thing so I guess all I can do is
a) be in the habit of always having the whistle around my neck when I walk Cain
b) also enforcing the verbal commands too, so he will respond to two different commands (whistle/verbal) should something happen should I not have a whistle, like bolting out of the front door.
He already has and responds to a verbal down and recall so I suppose the trick would be to continue to reinforce them too???

I was taught to never call a dog from a down---always go to the dog and release it from next to it.

You can still click when you get to him.

Thats what I'd do, no chance of any mistakes and him breaking if he thinks he hears something.

Well done on getting as far as you have.

rune

Yeah, that was what I was thinking too. I think I'll adapt it now that I physically go to him and release him, seems safer to me.

I train a Stop (I don`t care if the dog sits or lies down) with a whistle.
I teach it by standing in front of the dog, raising my hand (with treat) and when the dog sits, I whistle once and treat.
Then I do it when the dog is further away, then when walking etc. Eventually I`ll throw a ball - or pretend to - and do it when the dog is far away.
I know some people use voice, but I don`t like to as shouts can be lost in the wind.Daisy responds to the hand signal alone if I haven`t used the whistle.

You just reminded me thats one I should be working on again

I was teaching it by shaping a down on a mat, then having them run along and drop on the mat - then phasing the mat out

You can increase the time by witholding the click

Personally I kinda use the clicker differently
I dont expect them to release position with the clicker - they only release on the OK
Thats because I always like to reward in position - and it means I can click and reward several times in position so they really get the point that nothing matters I want them to stay put until I release them

Not exactly how I do it - I shape onto the mat - but it gives you and idea of multiple click rewards - and how quickly the puppy found the mat a nice place to go to
http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup#p/u/133/tVGaslyGaG

I use wait, as it's a word my Dogs know means stop.
I don't have a signal for it as in most instances when I use it the Dogs are heading away from me.
I raise my hand for the instant down....I've taught this at speed now by throwing a ball & getting them to "wait" on the way to fetch it & "down on the way back.

I was taught to never call a dog from a down---always go to the dog and release it from next to it.

I tell my dog to down and sometimes I go to him, and sometimes he comes to me, and sometimes he is just released to carry on.

That way (IMHO) the dog is VERY focused on what is coming next (Which is what I want in an emergency AND in a competition, where my dogs go down at the end of a 200 yard sendaway and then get up and go somewhere else when redirected; or do distance control, or positions on the move etc)

As for teaching the emergency stop, well I do this when training pet owners to pass the Good Citizen Test.

I throw food to the other end of the hall, when the dog picks up his head and starts coiming back, I raise my arm and throw another bit to keep him out there. Eventually a dog will get the food and just turn and remain stationary waiting for the food.

I then put in a command, personally I PREFER to use the DOWN command (as I do for the position on the other side of the clear, long and scale jumps) why?

Because it is more stable, a dog is MORE likely to move when in the stand and even in the sit, but will stay down for a long time (IF you have of course got a long down NEXT to you).