Training my parsons jack russell to do simple tricks

[scruffythedog]

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Hey guys.

I recently took a big step of getting a rescue dog from our local shelter. I've always loved dogs and wanted one, so took the plunge. So far he has been good, he was already trained to go to the toilet outside etc when we got him.

Anyway, the last few weeks i've been trying to teach him simple tricks like sit, paw, fetch etc which has worked. I'm currently strugglnig to get him to lay down and roll over though. Any tips on this?

Also, I recorded a video of him earlier to show you what he can do so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Wg3dZsCUE

 

[gypsysmum2]

He is adorable!

To teach a down, first find a comfortable spot on a soft surface. Then, I would get a treat and put it right on his nose. Do not let him get it but lower it to the ground, letting his nose go down with it. He may keep bringing his nose up in the hope of getting a treat for sitting. Just keep lowering and leave the treat down low while waiting for him to figure out what to do. Here is where patience comes in, you just have to keep persevering until he drops down when you immediately release the treat while he is lying down. Some dogs take longer than others to figure out what we want. Lying down is also quite a vulnerable position for a dog and some of them will resist it until they trust that nothing will happen to them.

Terriers like to tunnel so really resistant dogs can sometimes be persuaded to lie down by being lured under our knees while we sit on the floor. As he gets the idea lift the knees higher until you dispense with them entirely. Do this as quickly as you can otherwise he will only respond when you are sitting on the floor!

Try not to add the word to the action until he has grasped what you want. In the case of the down command, do choose your word with care. If you tell your dog to get down when it jumps up then you need another word for lie down. You could use "lie" or "flat".

As with all training the more the dog enjoys the experience the more likely he is to cooperate.

Once he is sitting and lying down in one spot you will need to "generalise" it by moving around the house and garden and practising. Try not to keep repeating the word as he will learn to wait for the second, third or fourth command. Just say the word and withhold the treat until he does what you are asking. Remember that dogs watch our body language much more than they listen to us so he will be responding as much to that as the word you use. Try to remember what you were doing with your hands and body position when you taught him.