How can I teach my rottweiler

[WhenEnoughIsEnough]

To lay? And speak?

He is 12 months in 2 weeks and he is such a good boy (most of the time) he has been brilliant to train and does all the other commands we have taught him and he picked them really easily but I cannot for the life of me teach him lay or speak.

I have tried techniques from books and from the internet to no avail.

Anyone got any advice or tried and tested ways?

And Val? Is that you?

“he will stop on command he is told shhhh and he stops but then will begin again so it's not a consistent stop.”

So could you give him something else to do at that point? Using his mouth and away from the window?....

It’s ‘off’ for jumping up and ‘down’ for lay down. This is where you have gone wrong a bit

“As soon as he's got his head down as far as it will go he then just lifts it up and looks at me as if to say well ate you going to give me the treat then?”

And if you start again without giving him it?

I’m just curious tbh, lol

I think you’d probably get there faster working like you were clicker training but using whatever cue it is you use to tell him he’s doing what you want so just waiting for him to lie down and rewarding it.

exLtEveDallas She isnf barking for the dun of it you know, she is juat alerting you to wveey possible threat and yes the blackbird on the fence is a threat see you have an intelligent dog. Either mine is very stupid or very intelligent I've not quite figured it out yet.

tabulahrasa I have tried giving him a chew toy but he will juat drop it amd then bark some more. If I give a treat I feel that I might juat be reinforcing the barking behaviour.

If I don't give him the treat and start again the circle will just continue. He is juat so strange that he won't pick up lay down. I don't understand it. I suppose I could try to 're start clicker training and see if he will pick it up this time.

Denadre I'm not sure I could change the commands now it would just confuse him.

“I could try to 're start clicker training and see if he will pick it up this time.”

You could... but I mean, the clicker just marks the behaviour, it’s more precise, but you’ll already be using something to tell him he’s right... yes or good boy or whatever.

For lying down you don’t need something really precise as he’ll just be lying there so you’ll have enough time to say something.

“I have tried giving him a chew toy but he will juat drop it amd then bark some more”

I’d go for something more.... um, killable with mine, lol, something he can rag or tug - that channels his frustration when he’s a bit aroused like that.

not sure how this works with a big dog but for pups and down i would get them to sit and then have a treat in my hand....shown or hidden depending where we are in the training
i would cup their behind in the other hand with a slight downward hold to stop them standing (which is where i envisage the issue with your rottie :o ) and then take the treat down to floor level....

now at this point some dogs will only lie down if you put the treat toward them and some will do it better if you take the treat outwards...either way keep it at floor level

If he lies down regularly can you just catch him at it?? ...timing is everything here, issue the command as he lies down and then reward, again you have to be quick off the mark so they associate the deed with the word and the treat and obviously keep at it for a good while and then see if you can get the deed from the word

I love rotties, all the ones I have known or met have been adorable oafs!

Valahalla knows her stuff. If you're still struggling, perhaps you could post a video of you trying with your dog and see if anyone can spot anything?

What treats are you using when you are teaching a down? Are they high value (sprats, cheese, ham, sausages etc.) or boring kibble?

Valahalla is an idiot!!!!!! I said try from a sit most dogs will find this hard. Try from a STAND sorry I blame the football celebration for my stupidity!

exLtEveDallas no unfortunately I am not the original Val but the name must live on in The Dog house.

The treats i am using are either cut up dried sausage or cut up bacon pieces. Ive even tried with chocolate drops (this was the only treat that workes whwn training him recall)

Thanks for all the advice on this thread there is loads of great advice. I will persevere with the training and will update when he has mastered it (you might be waiting a while)

Let us know what is not working and we can tweak things a bit - there are different dogs and different techniques to suit them all .

I guess the doggy chocolate drops ? maybe try a bit of cheese or chicken see which is he favourite.

Me - I would lie down for a grape!

Thanks Valhallagonebutnotforgotten i will try to identify why he's being ignorant not getting it.

Yes the dog choclate drops. Although he often eyes up the dcs chocolate buttons luckily has never got hold of one though.