As you all know my boy Anton is 9 months old, just.  I've just started to do heelwork to music with him but I have one big problem.

I'm trying to get him to do the crawl in the down position, the problem is, as you may have guessed, I'm rather daft with my dogs and my Ickle Man (as he prefers to be called) and I lie down and give each other kisses and hugs.  So now when he lies down he rolls on his side and puts his paws around my neck and gives me a kiss.  How do I get him to go back to lying down in the more upright position??? :d

Now I told you all not to laugh, this is a serious question :d

  dont no !!!!!  and saying nothing    

I don't know how you are putting him into the down.  The easiest way for an upright down is to put the dog in a stand, not a sit, put a treat on his nose and take it down slowly between the front legs towards his chest until he goes down.  He should be upright at this point, then slowly move the treat forward on the floor, he should then creep forward.  Just one movement forward, give the treat and slowly build up the distance.

It is a bit difficult to put into words, a couple of things to remember don't laugh if it all goes wrong, just put him back into the stand and start again. Also, keep the movement of the treat smooth and even in speed.

Good luck
Sandra

Ok i might be totally wrong hear but...when you give him the command 'down' is this when he thinks its kiss and cudle time?

Try teaching him the down like how sandrah says and use a different comand that doesn't mean "give me a kiss"

That way an upright down may have the command "lay" but a side down may have the command "down"

Just a suggestion if it is right:) I'm probs wrong tho arn't i!?

Rox

Clicker training is great for 'fine tuning' this sort of move..

Thanks everyone.  I'm going to start clicker training in the New Year.  I'm going to a Mary Ray event in Manchester on Sunday, where we are going to be trained.  Don't know whether to take my Ickle Man or Carina my 3 yr. old.  They've only been going heelwork to music training for a few weeks now so we're not very good, but we are good entertainment value though!! :d

excellent work managing to get dogs to do anything like that,I'm totally in awe,maybe we'll see you on telly some time,sandra.

Ooooooooo!! you lucky thing. Have fun :-)
                                                Anne
                                                  

If my dogs had a different handler maybe, but with me around no chance :d

That will be brilliant.  I went to one of her evenings where she demonstrated with her dogs earlier in the year it was great.  Would love to go to one of her workshops, will have to look out for one a bit further south.