Premier MannersMinder Instruction Manual page 34

Chapter 8: Game 3 – Down Stay
Note that if your dog is really short so that he
wants to get up to look at you during this exercise,
you may have to go back to giving treats more
frequently for 5 trials now that you're sitting at
this new height. Make sure that you give him
treats right as you're starting to stand up so that
he concentrates on the food rather than on your
change of height.
If he doesn't have a problem with this height
change, then resume with the plan by giving treats
every :05 seconds, starting at :05 seconds.
From here on, at the end of one minute you will
vary the routine so that Fido doesn't just learn to
tell time and automatically think he should get up
after one minute or doesn't learn that every time
you stand up or approach it means to get up. So
sometimes after a minute, give 2-3 treats from the
MannersMinder randomly and sometimes walk up
to him and give 2-3 treats from your hand at
varying intervals. Sometimes walk up and give
a treat as you start to walk away. Remember to
always call him off or target Fido to leave his rug.
If he gets up before you call, then put him back
on his rug and tell him down and then give him a
treat for staying down.
Step 4: Repeat as with Step 3 but now the Treat
Rate is :07 seconds with the first treat coming at
:07 seconds. Repeat 5 times in a row. At this stage
dogs may start to prefer staying on the rug over
targeting. This is why a good targeting response is
important. You may need to review
targeting at this point. If you are having problems,
go to troubleshooting.
Steps 5: Repeat as with Step 4 but now the Treat
Rate is :10 seconds and then give 2-3 more treats
afterwards at a variable interval. When Fido can
repeat 5 trials in a row, go to Step 6.
Step 6: Repeat as with Step 5 but now the Treat
Rate is :15 seconds and then give 2-3 more treats
Step 3: Treat Rate :05 seconds.
Repeat 5 times in a row.
At the end of one minute,
vary the routine so that Fido doesn't
just learn to tell time and
automatically think he should
get up after one minute.
Checklist
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Step 4: Treat Rate :07 seconds.
Repeat 5 times in a row.
Checklist
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Step 5: Treats every :10 seconds.
Five correct trials in a row.
Checklist
❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏
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