# Tricks for training small dogs without breaking your back



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

In our dog class today there were several small dogs. In some exercises people actually sat down on the floor to give treats and interact with the dog. I did do it one time but, hey, my hips did not appreciate it on that hard surface. I longed for a small stool and wondered if the instructor would approve of me leaning a foldable camp stool against the wall to use on occasion. Probably not...

When I am at home, I give quick treats while Dakota and that is not too bad for my back. I have a small stool next to the computer that I have taught him to sit on so I don't have to lean over and we do some training (look at me, shake, leave it, etc). It is funny when I am typing on the computer and he is on the floor chewing on something, then all of a sudden I notice him sitting quietly on the stool waiting for me to notice him. Then I grab the kibble I have in a container and we do some exercises.

I know I am going to have to suck it up for classes and either bend over a lot to treat or sit when my back starts complaining (then listen to my hind end start complaining), but are there any tricks for teaching a dog at home that small dog owners can suggest?

I am wondering about getting a target stick. There are some with big balls on the end and some with small balls. Which is better? 

Is it ok to put peanut butter on the end of a target stick.

Is there any device for giving treats when they are laying down so that you don't have to bend over?

I love the fact that I can pick up Dakota. I cannot pick up either of my PWDs, but I don't have to bend over to treat the PWDs either. So there are pros and cons to having a small dog and a bigger dog. I just need to learn to adjust to the smaller size of a miniature poodle.

Any suggestions are appreciated.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Gee, I don't know, I always teach my girls while sitting on the floor. I sat on the floor in class too. I have to remind myself to practice from standing up once they know it so that they will perform in real life situations!
Why do you want to give him a treat while laying down?


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Gee, I don't know, I always teach my girls while sitting on the floor. I sat on the floor in class too. I have to remind myself to practice from standing up once they know it so that they will perform in real life situations!
> Why do you want to give him a treat while laying down?


Treat him for laying down which means I bend over more. Boy, I wish sitting on the floor was comfortable for me. It would make it easier. Maybe I need to practice doing swats.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

MiniPoo said:


> Treat him for laying down which means I bend over more. Boy, I wish sitting on the floor was comfortable for me. It would make it easier. Maybe I need to practice doing swats.



Why can't you sit, not squat on the floor? You want to start out very close to him, build duration, and then very gradually get further away.
If you clicker train, you can be standing and he will know the treat is coming, and what it is for and you can just toss the treat because he doesn't have to stay after the click and he can go get it if your aim is not good. When you start to work on down-stay, you want to sit down close and increase his duration before you start walking away again. Then you will work on getting further and further away, and you can click and toss the treat when you come back, or when he gets there when you call him to you. The last thing you will do is practice going away, coming back and treating, and going back out again without his breaking the stay. For that you will have to bend over and hand it to him.
The hardest part for me was teaching the heal with treats. I just couldn't get the peanut butter on a spoon to work because she kept jumping up at it instead of walking, so I had to come to a full stop to bend over to treat her. So it is still a work in progress. Especially since it is so crowded here that 3/4 of the time she has to either walk in front, behind, or to my right side. Lately though, smarty that she is, I have noticed that when the street is clear, or we get to a wider area where people are more spread out, she automatically moves to a heal without my asking. Who knew that a poodle would watch the foot traffic like that!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

There is - or was - a gadget like a long tube that pops out a treat from the end, but I don't know how well it worked. I know exactly what you mean - I was on Arimidex when training my first pup and could barely move, and still occasionally have days when getting up off the floor without a chair or something similar for leverage is an undignified struggle! I have got fairly good at dropping a treat in the right place right under the nose, and actually encourage mine to stand on their hind legs to take a treat when they are not in a stay, as long as they don't actually have paws on me (everyone else asks them to jump up with paws, which makes it extremely difficult to train them not to). A long handled wooden spoon makes a good target stick - my problem was how to hide it when I wanted concentration on me, not the spoon. In the end nothing worked as well as flexibility exercises, and think how good for you the bending and stretching would be!


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

For many clicker training things like down you drop the treat by him not hand it to him. I love Sue Alisbys Training Levels. Even my bouncy idiot brown dog now walks into his class and immediately lays down waiting for the next thing we are going to do... 

Oh the link just leads to her site because it is fascinating reading and the links to her training levels is easy to find.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

First, I think Timi might be the perfect little poodle. My admiration for her beauty and intelligence has no bounds. Dakota keeps trying to walk in front of me when he is distracted outside and Timi is reading traffic flow to know where to walk. She is amazing.

My problem is I have arthritis in both shoulders making it hard for me to get up off the floor when sitting. And yesterday when I did sit on the floor my hips started hurting. My older sister just had a hip replacement and I am starting to worry if I will need the same treatment in the coming years. I need to start exercising more to strengthen my legs. So actually getting down on the floor is a big deal for me. I can walk fine, just not able to sit on the floor.

Has anyone worked with a target stick with their dog? I like the idea of extending my reach even if I can't put a treat on the end of it.

I will definitely check out Sue's website.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

MiniPoo said:


> First, I think Timi might be the perfect little poodle. My admiration for her beauty and intelligence has no bounds. Dakota keeps trying to walk in front of me when he is distracted outside and Timi is reading traffic flow to know where to walk. She is amazing.
> 
> My problem is I have arthritis in both shoulders making it hard for me to get up off the floor when sitting. And yesterday when I did sit on the floor my hips started hurting. My older sister just had a hip replacement and I am starting to worry if I will need the same treatment in the coming years. I need to start exercising more to strengthen my legs. So actually getting down on the floor is a big deal for me. I can walk fine, just not able to sit on the floor.
> 
> ...



I understand, getting up isn't as easy for me as it used to be either. Here are a couple of ideas.
1) Clicker and toss treats( sorry but I really love the clicker for initial training)
2) can you do some training sitting on your bed with him?
3) not sure what the technical name is, but one of those reaching sticks designed for a disabled person to pick things up at a distance. I have one for my high kitchen cabinets, and you would be surprised what small delicate things you can pick up with them - you could totally hold a treat in one.
4) yes, what is wrong with bringing a stool to class?! If you used a wheelchair they couldn't deny you access, and not allow you to train from the chair, so how is a stool any different?


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

And thank you, 
Timi isn't quite perfect yet, but we are getting there!


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

All good ideas, TP. Also I might talk to Jodie the instructor and see what she says.


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## Tabatha (Apr 21, 2015)

In our puppy class, we had a woman who had a physical disability and was always supplied a chair without question. Why not??


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## shelhey (Jul 16, 2014)

I have very stiff muscles and joints and cannot kneel on my bad knees so getting on and off the floor is embarrassing for me, as it's not a fast process. I get so stiff after only a couple minutes. My plan is to have one of my children with me at every class! They need to be more involved anyway. Lol at home I sit on my ottoman. I say "yes" and toss the treat. I'm thinking about switching to the clicker.


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