Teaching Down - Phase 6 (Adding Duration)
Phase 6: Add Duration
Timeline: Weeks 5-8 (4 weeks total)
Goal: She holds the down position for extended periods (2 seconds → 10 seconds → 30 seconds → 60+ seconds).
When to Start Phase 6
Only begin after she’s responding reliably to verbal “down” cue (Phase 5 complete).
She should be downing 8-9/10 times on the verbal cue with no hand signal.
Duration Progression Overview
| Week | Duration Goal | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Week 5 | 2-10 seconds | Time only, you’re right next to her |
| Week 6 | 10-30 seconds | Extended time, reduce treat frequency |
| Week 7 | 30-60 seconds | Add mild distractions (your movement) |
| Week 8 | 60+ seconds | Time is solid, ready for distance/bigger distractions |
Critical Marker Difference
Use “GOOD” Not “YES”
- “YES” = excited marker that makes her want to pop up and come to you
- “GOOD” = calm marker that means “keep doing what you’re doing, more is coming”
- Reserve “YES” for when you’re RELEASING her from the position
Week 5: Time Only (2-10 Seconds)
Goal
She holds down for 2-10 seconds while you stand still right next to her, no distractions.
Training Protocol
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cue “down” | She downs | - |
| 2 | WAIT 2 seconds | She holds down | “GOOD” (calm marker) |
| 3 | Feed treat between her paws | She stays down | - |
| 4 | WAIT 2 more seconds | She holds | “GOOD” + treat |
| 5 | Release (“break”) | She gets up | - |
Total duration: 4 seconds (2 sec + treat + 2 sec + treat + release)
Progression Through Week 5
| Days | Duration Goal | Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | 2-4 seconds | Wait 2 sec → treat → wait 2 sec → treat → release |
| 3-4 | 4-6 seconds | Wait 2 sec → treat → wait 2 sec → treat → wait 2 sec → treat → release |
| 5-6 | 6-10 seconds | Wait 3 sec → treat → wait 3 sec → treat → wait 3 sec → treat → release |
| 7 | Test 10 seconds | Wait full 10 seconds, treat at 3, 6, 9 seconds, release at 10 |
Key Points
Feed Treats IN POSITION:
- For down: Between her front paws (not above her head - that makes her sit up)
- Goal: She learns “staying here = treats keep coming”
Start Small:
- 2 seconds feels ridiculously short, but it’s building the foundation
- If you start with 10 seconds right away, she’ll break position and learn that’s okay
- Build gradually so she succeeds at every step
If She Breaks Position:
- Don’t reward
- Reset and try again with SHORTER duration (make it easier)
- Only increase duration when she’s succeeding 8/10 times at current level
Success Metric for Week 5
By end of Week 5, she holds position for 10 seconds with 2-3 treat deliveries, 8 out of 10 times.
Week 6: Extended Time (10-30 Seconds)
Goal
She holds position for 10-30 seconds. You’re still right next to her, no distractions.
Training Protocol
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cue “down” | She downs | - |
| 2 | WAIT 5 seconds | She holds | “GOOD” at 3 seconds (verbal only, no treat yet) |
| 3 | Feed treat in position | She stays | - |
| 4 | WAIT 5 more seconds | She holds | “GOOD” at 3 seconds |
| 5 | Feed treat | She stays | - |
| 6 | WAIT 5 more seconds | She holds | “GOOD” |
| 7 | Feed treat | She stays | - |
| 8 | Release (“break”) | She gets up | - |
Total duration: ~15 seconds
Progression Through Week 6
| Days | Duration Goal | How Many Treats |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | 10-15 seconds | 2-3 treats |
| 3-4 | 15-20 seconds | 3-4 treats |
| 5-6 | 20-25 seconds | 3-4 treats |
| 7 | 25-30 seconds | 4-5 treats |
Key Points
Reduce Treat Frequency:
- Week 5: Treat every 2-3 seconds
- Week 6: Treat every 5-7 seconds
- She’s learning to hold longer between rewards
Use Verbal “GOOD” Between Treats:
- Say “good” calmly every few seconds even when you’re not giving a treat
- This keeps her engaged and reassures her she’s doing the right thing
- Helps bridge the gap between treats
Variable Duration:
- Don’t always go to the max duration
- Mix it up: sometimes release at 10 seconds, sometimes 20, sometimes 30
- This prevents her from anticipating the release at a specific time
If She Gets Wiggly:
- She’s not ready for that duration yet
- Go back to shorter durations for another day
- Make sure you’re feeding enough treats to keep her motivated
Success Metric for Week 6
By end of Week 6, she holds position for 30 seconds with 4-5 treat deliveries, 8 out of 10 times.
Week 7: Mild Distractions (30-60 Seconds)
Goal
She holds position for 30-60 seconds while mild distractions occur. You’re still close to her.
Mild Distractions to Add
| Days | Distraction | What You Do |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Your movement | Shift weight, scratch your head, look around |
| 3-4 | Small steps | Take 1-2 steps side to side (not away) |
| 5-6 | Hand movements | Wave your arms, clap softly, gesture |
| 7 | Combination | Move, gesture, shift - multiple mild distractions |
Training Protocol
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cue “down” | She downs | - |
| 2 | WAIT 5 seconds, then add distraction (shift weight, take small step) | She holds despite distraction | “GOOD” + treat immediately |
| 3 | WAIT 5 seconds, neutral | She holds | “GOOD” |
| 4 | Add distraction (wave arm) | She holds | “GOOD” + treat |
| 5 | WAIT 5 seconds | She holds | “GOOD” |
| 6 | Add distraction | She holds | “GOOD” + treat |
| 7 | Release (“break”) | She gets up | - |
Total duration: 30+ seconds with 3-4 distractions
Key Points
Reward DURING/AFTER Distractions:
- If she holds position while you move = immediate treat
- This teaches “when distractions happen, holding position = big reward”
Keep Distractions Mild:
- Week 7 is NOT the time for big movements, loud noises, or other dogs
- You’re just adding small things: your movement, gestures, shifting
- Goal: She learns to hold position even when things aren’t perfectly still
If She Breaks During Distraction:
- The distraction was too hard
- Go back to easier distractions (just shifting weight)
- Build up more gradually
Start Reducing Treat Frequency:
- Week 1-2: Treat every 5-7 seconds
- Week 3: Treat every 7-10 seconds (but always after a distraction)
Success Metric for Week 7
By end of Week 7, she holds position for 45-60 seconds with 3-4 mild distractions, 8 out of 10 times.
Week 8: Solid Duration (60+ Seconds)
Goal
She can hold down for 60+ seconds reliably with mild distractions present.
What You’re Doing
- Same as Week 7, but she’s demonstrating it consistently
- Varying the duration (sometimes 30 sec, sometimes 45, sometimes 60)
- Building confidence in her ability to hold
Success Metric for Week 8
She holds down for 60+ seconds with mild distractions, 8/10 times.
Integration Into Daily Routine
Where to Practice Duration Daily
| Context | When | Focus | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal prep | Breakfast & dinner | 30-60 seconds | While you prepare her food, she holds down |
| Settle time | Evening | 2-5 minutes | She settles on a mat during calm time |
| Training session | Afternoon (3:45pm) | Current phase | Dedicated duration practice |
| Random throughout day | Whenever | Generalization | Quick 10-20 sec holds |
Troubleshooting Week 5-8
Problem: She Breaks Position Constantly
Solutions:
- You’re progressing too fast - go back to shorter durations
- Feed treats MORE often (every 3 seconds instead of 5-7)
- Make sure you’re using “GOOD” not “YES”
- Check that you’re feeding treats IN position, not making her move to get them
Problem: She’s Anxious/Stressed During Duration
Signs: Yawning, lip licking, whale eye, panting, whining
Solutions:
- Shorten duration significantly (back to 5-10 seconds)
- Increase treat frequency (feed every 3 seconds)
- Remove all distractions
- Practice in a place she’s very comfortable
- Build confidence with easier exercises first
Problem: She Anticipates the Release
What it looks like: She pops up at exactly the same time every session
Solutions:
- Variable duration: sometimes 10 sec, sometimes 30 sec, sometimes 45 sec
- Don’t always go to max duration
- Release is random, unpredictable - she has to wait for your cue
Progress Checklist
- Week 5: Holds 2-10 seconds, 8/10 times
- Week 6: Holds 10-30 seconds, 8/10 times
- Week 7: Holds 30-60 seconds with mild distractions, 8/10 times
- Week 8: Holds 60+ seconds with distractions solid and reliable
-
[ ] Ready to move to [[teaching-down-distance-distractions Phase 7: Distance & Distractions]]
Next Steps
| Once duration is solid at 60+ seconds (Week 8 complete), you’re ready for **[[teaching-down-distance-distractions | Phase 7: Distance & Distractions]]**. She’ll learn to hold while you step away or while bigger distractions happen. |
Back to the Hub
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