# Lay down command



## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

I am teaching Ruby (11 wks) a few commands and she picks them up so quickly. I was trying the lay down command on the kitchen floor and it would not work. I moved her to a rug and she did it instantly. We keep practicing and she won't do it on a tile floor. Is that just temporary when she is learning or will she eventually learn to lay down on tile or wood floor which is in the majority of my house?


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## DixiesMom (Feb 5, 2009)

Reba will not "down" on a cool surface, if it's warm outside she will obey every time, but if the ground is cool or wet, forget it. It's the same at training class, if the floor is cold, no dice, but if it we have the mats down she is golden. They are smart pups, who would want to lie on a cold floor.

BTW--When I was training for a competition that I was not sure about the matting situation, we went to the park and worked on sits and downs in the cold mud until she understood that no matter where we were, if I told her down, I expected her to obey. Of course she and I were then rewarded with a warm bath.


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## JillandDan (Sep 8, 2010)

We were having this issue with Holley and she needed to learn to lay down on a different surface other tahn rug because at class the floor is not carpeted. She would not do it. The trainer said this is common with Vs. He told us to put a towel/mat on the kitchen floor and get her to lay down on that first. Then after a few times, remove. It worked wonders for us. She still hates it but is much better. Now in class she must lay down on a mat to teach them to do this if we go to someone's house. They know to lay down and settle there. I purposely bought a yoga mat because it wasn't something plush and comfy. She immediately lays down and goes to hip on it. The change is incredible.


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## SandraDee (Oct 19, 2010)

Scout will not lay down on any hard surface, and it takes a lot to get him to even sit on a hard surface. Guess he has a sensitive little bum 

I have had two other V's growing up that were like this as well. Couldn't ever get them to the down position on anything other than carpet.


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