8. Drop On Recall

When your dog is ready for the DROP ON RECALL, put her back on leash and face her at its full length. Call her by name, command "Come!" then follow with "Down! Good Girl!" Don't let the dog get up too much speed before you drop her. Give the command without bending your body, and DON'T YELL! If the training for DROP IN THE DISTANCE has been adequate, you should have little trouble with the DROP ON RECALL exercise. However, if your dog con­tinues toward you after you give the command (and you had better be prepared for this), run forward, bump her nose gently with the palm of your hand, using a backhand motion (like that used when playing tennis), making the correction with as little hand motion as possible. After the dog lies down, pat her.

Practice a series of "drops." Call your dog, run backward, and, without leaning forward, tell her "Down!" After she is down, call her, run backward, and drop her again. Do this first by command and then by signal, following each drop with praise. Try the exercise off leash.

Keep your body upright. Use the same calm voice you used when the leash was on, and give the same type of signal. If you yell or make frantic motions, your dog may think she has done something wrong and will try to dart away.

The distance you stand from your dog is gradually increased. She should also be made to drop at various distances from the spot where she is called. If you make your dog lie down in the SAME spot each  time, she will very likely anticipate the command and drop before she is told.

In practice, alternate the DROP ON RECALL with a straight RE­CALL and with the DROP IN THE DISTANCE. This will teach your dog to wait for commands, and not to act when she hears your voice. When training, give the command quietly. Signal the drop without too much violence.

DROP ON RECALL failures can usually be traced to yelling at the dog, thus frightening her, and to excessive body motion, which is confusing.

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