Stand from Down
Positions · 10 steps · by Push Drop Stick
Your Dog will learn to stand up from a down for a hand signal and the verbal cue 'Stand'. This rounds out Your Dog's ability to move between all the positions on cue. Once they can, put it all together with puppy push-ups, mixing sit, down, and stand in any order: rapid position changes are a brilliant way to burn energy, sharpen cue response, and warm up muscles before a walk.
Train Down from Sit and Stand from Sit first. You will need soft treats for luring.
Training steps
Follow lure 1 inch up and forward
Setup: Your Dog is lying down.
Hold a treat in front of Your Dog's nose and slowly pull it 1 inch above and away from them, prompting them to follow it. As soon as they do, give them the treat. Pull the lure up and forward, away from Your Dog, not straight up. If they rock back into a sit, you are lifting too vertically; draw it forward so they come up onto their feet.
Success: Your Dog lifts up and forward to follow the lure.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Follow lure 3 inches up and forward
Setup: Your Dog is lying down.
Hold a treat in front of Your Dog's nose and slowly pull it 3 inches above and away from them, prompting them to follow it. As soon as they do, give them the treat. Keep drawing the lure forward, away from Your Dog, not straight up, so they rise onto their feet instead of rocking back into a sit.
Success: Your Dog lifts farther up and forward to follow the lure.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lift hips off the floor
Setup: Your Dog is lying down.
Hold a treat at Your Dog's nose and draw it up and forward, away from them, so their hindquarters lift off the floor. The instant their hips come up, give them the treat. Keep the lure moving forward, not straight up, so they rise onto their feet instead of rocking back into a sit.
Success: Your Dog lifts their hindquarters off the floor.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lure from down into stand
Setup: Your Dog is lying down.
Hold a treat in front of Your Dog's nose and slowly pull it up and away from them, prompting them to stand up to follow it. As soon as they do, give them the treat.
Success: Your Dog stands.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Bury the lure
Setup: Your Dog is lying down.
Bury the lure in your prompting hand by pressing it against your palm with your thumb. Lure Your Dog into a standing position, then give them a treat from your opposite hand or treat pouch (do not give them the buried lure).
Success: Your Dog stands.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Large hand signal
Setup: Your Dog is lying down.
Prompt Your Dog into a stand by repeating the luring motion with your hand (palm facing them), but without a treat in your hand. Wait to see if they stand. As soon as they do, give them a treat from your opposite hand or treat pouch.
Success: Your Dog stands.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Medium hand signal
Setup: Your Dog is lying down.
Prompt Your Dog into a stand by making a medium-sized hand signal and wait to see if they stand. As soon as they do, give them a treat from your opposite hand or treat pouch.
Success: Your Dog stands.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Small hand signal
Setup: Your Dog is lying down.
Prompt Your Dog into a stand by making a smaller hand signal: show them the palm of your hand (fingers pointing down) from beside your body and wait to see if they stand. As soon as they do, give them a treat from your opposite hand or treat pouch.
Success: Your Dog stands.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Add the verbal cue
Setup: Your Dog is lying down.
Say the verbal cue 'Stand', pause for 1 second, then prompt Your Dog into a stand with a small hand signal if needed. As soon as Your Dog stands, give them a treat from your opposite hand or treat pouch.
Success: Your Dog stands for a verbal cue.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Only the verbal cue
Setup: Your Dog is lying down.
Say the verbal cue 'Stand' and wait to see if Your Dog stands. Do not use the hand signal. If they stand, give them a treat!
Success: Your Dog stands for a verbal cue.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Nice work! Your Dog can now stand up from a down for a small hand signal and for the word 'Stand' alone. That completes the set: Your Dog can now move between sit, down, and stand on cue.
To make it rock solid, proof it: restart the plan on the proof steps, or play the goal games you just earned, in new places and around distractions.
Ready for more? Stand Stay holds this stand for grooming and vet visits, and Lie on your Side adds a relaxed trick on top of Your Dog's down.