Teaching To Lay/sit?

[Guest Lygracilux]

Fusion has learned a lot in the past year, however he is a very simple hound.

He knows his name, come, go lay down (on the couch or in his bed depending upon the room we are in), Cookie, Stay, and lots of other little things hes picked up just by living in a home.

 

I've been trying to teach him to lay down, so I can teach him to sit from there.....yeah he doesn't like being told what to do very much. He eventually just gives up and jumps up on the sofa and lays down there and doesn't move. Even with high value treats.

I've watched YouTube videos on how to get your grey to lay...but he just doesn't get it.

 

Any pointers or tips on how to teach to lay or sit?

 

Thank you!

[Guest MurphysMom]

I have no advice because Murphy and I are in the same place as you and Fusion, so I'm looking forward to seeing what people say!

[a_daerr]

I'll try to get a video when I get home later, because this seems like a really long-winded explanation for something that's relatively simple...

 

Take a really high value treat in your hand, put it at his eye/nose level, then bring it down slowly to the floor. If you're lucky, he'll understand immediately and lie down. Some will continue standing, but follow the treat down with their nose. If he does the latter, put the treat in your closed fist, and hold it there on the floor. If you have to, sit down on the floor yourself, treat in your fist, extended toward him. Just wait and give him some time to try and get it. He might nose your hand or paw at it. If he does that, ignore. Eventually, he should just give up and lie down on he's own. Once he's down, open your fist and reward! After doing it a few times, you can start pairing it with a word command, like "down." Then gradually, you can jackpot the treats and phase them out.

 

Hope this makes sense!

[locket]

For the sit, we used the tuck and fold method! Basically, I had one arm in front of his chest and then with the other I pressed behind his knee. Then congratulate "sit" and give cookie with first hand.

Took us 2 weeks of unconsistent training to teach

[TXRedbo]

I'll try to get a video when I get home later, because this seems like a really long-winded explanation for something that's relatively simple...

 

Take a really high value treat in your hand, put it at his eye/nose level, then bring it down slowly to the floor. If you're lucky, he'll understand immediately and lie down. Some will continue standing, but follow the treat down with their nose. If he does the latter, put the treat in your closed fist, and hold it there on the floor. If you have to, sit down on the floor yourself, treat in your fist, extended toward him. Just wait and give him some time to try and get it. He might nose your hand or paw at it. If he does that, ignore. Eventually, he should just give up and lie down on he's own. Once he's down, open your fist and reward! After doing it a few times, you can start pairing it with a word command, like "down." Then gradually, you can jackpot the treats and phase them out.

 

Hope this makes sense!

 

We did this and it worked(ish)! We used this method while pushing (gently!) on his hind end so that he would understand what he was supposed to do. If we didn't push, he would just dip his head and shoulders all the way down and put his head down sideways. Hilarious but not what we wanted. After a couple of days of this, Redbo understood that "Down" meant all the way down (lay) and now he actually sits!

 

Unfortunately, after all that, he doesn't really pay attention if we say "Sit" unless we actually have something in our hands. If we don't, he just looks at us like, "Yeah right, Mom and Dad." But if we do have something in our hands, we don't even have to say "sit," he just will do it on his own. I don't think we did it right .

[Guest WildSparkler]

We got Sit before we could get Lay down. To get to lay down we had her follow the in our hand as a_daerr explained! To sit we would gently push down on her behind while I brought the treat back to her a little bit. Roxy would only ever sit on carpet though, she would never sit on hardwood or tiled floors;) She is a very treat motivated girl, though, especially for cheese:)

[Guest Lygracilux]

I'll try to get a video when I get home later, because this seems like a really long-winded explanation for something that's relatively simple...

 

Take a really high value treat in your hand, put it at his eye/nose level, then bring it down slowly to the floor. If you're lucky, he'll understand immediately and lie down. Some will continue standing, but follow the treat down with their nose. If he does the latter, put the treat in your closed fist, and hold it there on the floor. If you have to, sit down on the floor yourself, treat in your fist, extended toward him. Just wait and give him some time to try and get it. He might nose your hand or paw at it. If he does that, ignore. Eventually, he should just give up and lie down on he's own. Once he's down, open your fist and reward! After doing it a few times, you can start pairing it with a word command, like "down." Then gradually, you can jackpot the treats and phase them out.

 

Hope this makes sense!

 

 

Yeah a video would be awesome!

 

I think I got the idea though. Pretty much, just a lot of repeating and patience with this one haha. Maybe I need something more high value as a treat, like hot dogs or something really smelly haha.

 

Ill try this today after work! Thanks.

[Guest xengab]

The video was very cool.

Edited September 23, 2015 by xengab

[Guest Lygracilux]

I've been using the tuck/fold method with my hound, I can now push lightly on his butt and he will sit down. BUT he then leaps into the air when I tell him to come.

I've tried to get him to sit before crossing roads and ppl give him a weird look because of the leap at the end. LOL Yes this is the same dog who WONT jump into a car.

 

HE still wont sit when I say the word. Treats are given, pats are given, but he wont do it without me touching his butt to give it a light push.

He will go down, when I say down, but that too ends up with a dog leaping in the air.

 

He's 3yo so not a puppy, has abit of energy to spare compared to other greyhounds.

 

 

Hahaha Im just imagining this and cant stop laughing.

 

See if I "force" push Fusion in any way, he gives me a cry like I've just cut off his foot or something.

[NeedlenoseJake]

We tried most methods with Jake, even with the help of a trainer, and he wasn't getting it. Finally, I held a bowl of cereal milk (a favorite treat) in my hand and sat down by his bed. I wouldn't let him get at it until he layed down. It was probably like 20 minutes! When he finally layed down it was because he gave up I think. The next time, it took 10 minutes, then 5, and after that he got it. He still really only lays down on a bed and with treats, but that's because we aren't diligent in training. Good luck!

[RachelV]

I used a slightly modified version of what everyone else has mentioned. My Arya did not seem to understand that method and would quickly give up and walk away. (She is not at all food motivated and so even high-value treats like cheese would only hold her attention for 2 minutes or less.) Instead, I sat on the edge of the sofa or a chair with my knees together in front of me, forming a sort of bridge underneath my legs. From here, I would show her the treat and lure her under my legs. At first, I just rewarded a slight crouch to get the treat, but then made her crouch deeper and deeper (luring her farther underneath the "bridge") for the reward, eventually having to go all the way under my legs to get the cheese. Once she clearly understood this procedure, I slowly weaned her off reliance on the leg "bridge" by first removing my legs once she was all the way down, then while she was in the process of laying down, etc. Below is a link for something really similar to this with lovely pictures to assist. Maybe your hound would do better with something like this? Good luck!

 

http://neversaynevergreyhounds.blogspot.com/2009/07/greyhound-downs-101.html

[3greytjoys]

Teaching Greyhounds "down" is often quite simple.

Be ready with treats.

Watch for dog to do the action naturally (e.g., dog getting ready to lie down after standing for meals or potty breaks).

Capture the dog's natural movement giving it a verbal cue name "down" and immediately provide treat + happy verbal praise.

Practice only when the dog offers the natural movement during the next days/weeks, etc.

 

A few cautions (and please see link below):

Dogs should not be physically forced during any training.

Many dogs will bite a human if trying to push down on the dog's rear end or physically forcing tuck and fold, etc.

 

Naturally, many Greyhounds only stand, lie down, walk/run. Greyhounds' bodies are not built to sit comfortably. Please do not expect a Greyhound to hold a sit for any lengthy time. You may notice Greyhounds' hind legs shaking if doing a straight sit (vs.side sit), or they may need to stand due to sitting discomfort. (Greys are not built like other breeds who can sit comfortably for longer periods.)

 

Some retired racers should never be expected to sit, especially if they've experienced a previous injury that may cause discomfort/pain.

 

Please read this post about teaching Greyhounds several obedience basics:

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/308895-teaching-the-basics-fast/?p=5735329

 

[ramonaghan]

^^That's exactly how I taught Sweep sit and lie down...and roach on command. I just named and rewarded the action she was already doing naturally.

[muddgirl]

We finally got Sit with Buffy, who doesn't like to be touched or lured by the nose with a treat, by being extra vigilant and waiting for her to sit on her own (say, on the way to laying down). Then we'd quickly praise or click and treat. It worked surprisingly well.

[Guest Lygracilux]

Yeah that's what I'm going to have to do with Fusion. Tried the nose following and the bridge leg thing....he wasn't interested at all once he realized he wasn't going to get the treat by giving me the "eyes".

So ill just keep treats handy, and when I see him about to lay down, I will Que and treat.

thanks everyone!!

[KickReturn]

Sorry but unless I was dealing with natural sitter which is rare, I would never ask a greyhound to sit. Lay down has its uses though and makes a lot more sense for this type of dog.

Edited September 24, 2015 by KickReturn

[Guest GreyOrchard]

Sorry but unless I was dealing with natural sitter which is rare, I would never ask a greyhound to sit. Lay down has its uses though and makes a lot more sense for this type of dog.

 

I completely agree with you.

 

As for lie down, I often taught it to the dogs coming in to me by catching them as they were about to lie down anyway, and say "go lie down" a few times with it. Thus they began to link the action and the words. I would also use it at night when turning off the lights. Never had to make a training session out of it.

[SPDoggie]

We did the same, "catch them lying down and say 'lie-down'" which worked for our two. Neither sits.

We taught Ruby, "crate" the same way and she very dutifully will go into her crate with that simple command.

[Hubcitypam]

Absolutely never had a problem getting a greyhound to sit

 

Some sit with their legs swung sideways like a doxie and Buck used to sit in the yard for long periods of time of his own accord with both back legs swung forward on the outside of his fronts. He looked like a rocking chair. . Used to have a therapy dog book that showed 20 greyhounds in a row sitting with the caption "greyhounds can sit". Always taught sit first then went to down.

[Guest mmmberry]

We got Sit before we could get Lay down. To get to lay down we had her follow the in our hand as a_daerr explained! To sit we would gently push down on her behind while I brought the treat back to her a little bit. Roxy would only ever sit on carpet though, she would never sit on hardwood or tiled floors;) She is a very treat motivated girl, though, especially for cheese:)

 

Trixie is the same way about flooring. If I tell her Sit, she walks over to the carpet. Now I just walk over to the carpet before I tell her to sit. I feel she's trying to meet me halfway at least. I'm not perfect either.

[Guest OrangeCounty]

I think I have a rare greyhound...she sits all the time by herself and I've only had her a little over a week. She looks so uncomfortable doing it, but she does it all on her own so I'm assuming she doesn't mind it??

[Guest daytonasmom]

I managed to train Daytona to "shake" - lifting his paw and putting it in my hand for a treat. Well, he understands the lifting the paw part - after we do it a couple of times and the treats are gone, he will keep lifting his front leg to get more treats. It makes me laugh!! Teaching him anything else has been hard, since he smells the treat in my hand and wants it, and knows lifting his paw will get it LOL

[Guest goofydog]

I tried all the aforementioned tips without sucess. With Get Em I cheated and used a dining room chair with cross bars on the legs. Holding the high value treat and sitting on the floor with the treat under the chair. He would try the 'follow with the nose' but couldn't get close enough. As he started to lower his front half I would cue with the 'down' request. After a few short training sessions the light bulb went on! Then he realized good things come to those offer requested actions. As a disclaimer he didn't get this until he was 7 LOL!