how can I teach my puppy to sit,down,etc from distance?

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Cassidy's Mom

From his description, I don't think stay is the problem. It's not that the dog gets up from a down and follows him when he walks away, (which would be a stay issue), it's that when he gives the down command and the dog isn't right in front of him, the dog comes to him before complying with the command rather than doing it right there. At least that's how I read his posts.

I agree that having a solid stay will help you teach distance commands because you can get the dog to stay where he is while complying with other commands such as sit, stay or stand. But this sounds like it's about generalizing the down command so that the dog understands he's to lay down immediately, right where he's at, rather than coming to his owner first.

I can see both sides of it. For me personally, this is a stay issue, because the dog was put into a stay and not released from it by the handler prior to moving from the spot he was in. So although it may simply be confusion on the dogs part in regards to where he's supposed to "down," there wouldn't be any confusion if the stay was solid enough that he knew that he was told to stay, and thus should not move.

My dogs, when taught to stay, are to assume they are in that spot until otherwise released. So if they got up to follow me immediately that would simply indicate a more serious problem in the training/communication vs a dog that waits a few minutes then gets up. Either way, they broke the stay.

[VChurch]

Make it easy for the puppy.
I'm working on this too with Minna. She has a solid sit-stay and down-stay command; even outside she'll stay and allow me to walk 30 feet from her. And in the house she'll allow me to walk out of eye-sight and won't move -- granted I don't stay out of sight for too long, but she's doing well with it.
So for her commands. I'm starting to increase distance with her and work on the same commands. She does the same thing as yours does with wanting to get right in front of me to lay down. BUT, her "lay down" hand command is WAY stronger than the verbal; so she actually will obey that one (hand command..not verbal) even with distance added in. I'm having to work on making the verbal command stronger for lay down. Even a guy in my puppy class was impressed with how strong her lay down hand command is.

[Kaidsmom]

Kaid can sit and down at 30 ft on command. The way that my trainer taught me to teach it is by using a tie out stake...the one with the ring on it to hook the cable or latch. We ran a long line through it and gave the command I am holding the other end of the lead so he can not walk toward me and because it it tethered to the ground a slight pull to gently lead him to the right direction.

Oh and this is all vocal. And now he does this without the lead and tie.

[doggiedad]

i taught my dog sit, stay, down, stop, come
and heel with hand signals. i can pat the bed
to get him to jump on the bed. i quess
patting the bed is a hand signal.
so far my dog only reacts to the signal given.

Originally Posted by Mrs.K

I would be very careful with hand signals. I used to teach with hand-signals they can pretty much bite you in the behind if you do it wrong. Been there done that.

I used a handsignal to get yukon into the downstay and they were so solid that whenever I reached for a treat in the treat-pocket he went into the downstay.

So be careful what signals you use.

[doggiedad]

you don't have to use hand signals. my dog
will listen with verbal commands or hand
signals. i'm not in the ring so maybe it's different.

Originally Posted by Uniballer

The other issue with hand signals is that while you can use them without penalty in AKC obedience, they are considered handler help or additional commands in schutzhund and result in point deductions. So whereas if you are headed to an AKC UD title the dog must know them, if you are headed towards a high scoring SchH3 you must fade them out of sight. Train accordingly.