Phase 1-2: Introduce Lure & Build Speed
Timeline: Days 1-8 (1-8 days total)
Goal: Get Melon to follow the lure into a down position and build speed/reliability. By the end of Phase 2, she’s dropping into a down within 3 seconds.
Prerequisites
Before starting, make sure you have:
- High-value treats (small, soft, smelly)
- Quiet location (living room, courtyard)
- She’s standing or sitting in front of you
- 10-15 reps per session (Phase 1), 15-20 reps per session (Phase 2)
- 2-3 sessions per day
Phase 1: Introduce the Lure (Days 1-3)
Goal
Get Melon to follow the lure into a down position. She learns the motion = reward.
Training Protocol
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hold treat in closed fist | Sniffs your hand | - |
| 2 | Lower treat slowly straight down to ground between her front paws | Follows with her nose | - |
| 3 | Once treat reaches ground, slowly pull it toward you (along the ground) | Her nose follows, elbows start to lower | - |
| 4 | Keep luring until elbows + belly + hips all touch ground | She’s in full down | ”YES” + open hand, give treat |
| 5 | Wait 1 second | She stays down | Give second treat while she’s still down |
| 6 | Stand up, take a step back | She gets up (or cue “break” if you’ve taught it) | - |
| 7 | Reset and repeat | - | - |
The Lure Path
This is critical - get the path right and everything else is easy.
- DOWN to the ground (not forward first - that makes her walk forward)
- THEN toward you along the ground (this folds her into a down)
- Like an “L” shape: down, then back
Troubleshooting Phase 1
If she doesn’t lie down:
- Make sure treat goes ALL THE WAY to the ground
- Pull it slightly under her chest (toward her back paws)
- Be patient - some dogs take 20-30 seconds to figure it out
- If she stands up and walks around the lure, reset and try again
If she backs up:
- Lure more slowly
- Make sure she’s sitting first (easier to down from a sit)
- Practice near a wall so she can’t back up
Common mistake: Moving the treat too fast. Go SLOW. Let her figure out that lowering her body gets her closer to the treat.
Success Metric for Phase 1
By end of Phase 1, she follows the lure into a down position 8 out of 10 times within 10 seconds.
Phase 2: Build Speed & Reliability (Days 4-8)
Goal
She drops into a down quickly and reliably when she sees the lure. You’re still using a full lure (treat in hand), but she’s getting FAST.
Key Changes from Phase 1
- Increase reps to 15-20 per session
- Start varying her starting position (standing, sitting, facing different directions)
- Make your lure motion faster
- Give multiple treats in a row
Training Protocol
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hold treat in closed fist at her nose level | Sniffs hand | - |
| 2 | Lure straight down to ground (faster than Phase 1) | Follows immediately | - |
| 3 | Pull slightly toward you if needed | Drops into down | ”YES” the instant elbows hit ground |
| 4 | Give treat | She stays down | Give 2-3 treats in a row while down |
| 5 | Release (“break”) | She gets up | - |
| 6 | Reset and repeat | - | - |
Building Speed
- She should start dropping faster (3-5 seconds instead of 10)
- If she’s slow, make sure you’re marking the INSTANT her elbows touch
- Speed comes from clear timing
Vary Starting Position
Goal: “Down” works no matter what position she starts in
- Sometimes she’s sitting
- Sometimes she’s standing
- Sometimes she’s slightly to your left or right
Feed Multiple Treats
- Give 2-3 treats in a row while she’s holding the down
- This builds duration (she learns to stay in position)
- Feed treats between her paws (not above her head - that makes her sit up)
Success Metric for Phase 2
By end of Phase 2, she drops into a down within 3 seconds of seeing the lure, 9 out of 10 times.
Progress Checklist
- Phase 1 complete: Follows lure into down 8/10 times, within 10 seconds
- Phase 2 complete: Downs quickly within 3 seconds on lure 9/10 times
- Ready to move to Phase 3-4: Fade Lure & Add Verbal
Next Steps
Once she’s succeeding 8-9/10 times in Phase 2, move on to Phase 3-4: Fade Lure & Add Verbal Cue.This is where she starts responding to your hand signal instead of the visible treat.