The answer
Yes, but on film it is taught as a separate skill, not a harder version of the ordinary down. The ordinary down, as dogs learn it, has a hidden step: the dog comes to you and lies down in front of you. A down in motion is the dog dropping where he is while you keep walking. King's trainer explains the difference at the second owner lesson - 'a lot of times when a dog hears down he will um he'll come to you right and down' - and warns on an evening walk that 'most of the time they get confused the first time I do a down in motion. Because they feel like they're supposed to keep walking with me.'
Where it is worked, it is worked where it matters: at downtown crosswalks and on a nature trail with King, where early reps take several cues and a 'no' before they land.
Dolce adds the far end. Before walking off to the truck and leaving her in a remote down, her handler predicts from experience that a dog who breaks a distant down 'tend[s] to come all the way to you and down instead of staying where they're at', which is why the e-collar is on - to reinforce the down further out. She then held the whole time, and he said so.
Three more dogs fill in the middle. Max's handler works a down in motion from the heel in a store, says it 'took a little time', and Max is getting it. At Marvin's go-home lesson the finished skill is shown to the owner: heel, then 'down while you're walking you don't stop walking and you keep going'. Thor's handler re-tests a proofed down while he moves - 'it's very tempting. That's why you've got to proof it for movement.'
Not on film: the teaching progression from scratch, or whether a separate cue is used; all three dogs get their ordinary down word.
Angier K9 is a family-owned, play-based Board & Train serving Angier, Raleigh and the Triangle, with three full owner lessons.
What to do
If your dog comes to you when you say down, that is normal; a down where he drops in place is a separate skill. Expect confusion the first times you try it while walking, and treat it as something to teach, not disobedience (watch 06:21).
What the trainers say
I've been working on his down in motion.
Because most of the time they get confused the first time I do a down in motion. Because they feel like they're supposed to keep walking with me.
into a down the other one that i've worked um a lot on is being able to do a down in motion
But we worked on those crosswalks, so like doing a down in motion versus doing a down like where he has to come around and like down in front of you.
That's why I started teaching him like a down in motion
Although, normally I've found in my experience that when they get up and they're far away,
They tend to Come all the way to you and down instead of staying where they're at
Yeah, and then you just like down while you're walking you don't stop walking and you keep going.
down in motion at max okay good boy come on and he's been getting it took a little time
All right, see, it's very tempting. That's why you've got to proof it for movement.
How it looks, dog by dog
King
Built across the last weeks of his program: explained on an evening walk, worked on a nature trail ('I want to see to it that he has a good down in motion') where reps take repeated cues and a 'no', and at downtown crosswalks. In a later session a down that comes out right is named 'The down in motion that I was looking for.'
On film
down down down no down come on okay good boy good job king you're gonna have a nice down in motion
The down in motion that I was looking for.
Bullet
In a store the handler remarks that Bullet had been coming in on the down, and that this is why he started teaching a down in motion - so he can hold Bullet where he is while he keeps walking.
On film
where while I'm walking I can stay down and hold down and stay where he's at
Dolce
He names the expected failure - she comes all the way back and downs at his feet - and has the e-collar on to reinforce at distance. She held throughout.
On film
but I'm gonna have the e-collar on her so that I can reinforce the plots more far if I need to.
Okay, good girl. So that was actually perfect. She stayed there the whole time. So no issues at all with that. Good girl. Come on
Max (Goldendoodle)
On a field trip to Bass Pro Shops the handler cues Max into a down from the heel, with an 'uh-uh' when he does not drop, and explains that he has been working on a down in motion with Max - it took a little time, and he is getting it.
On film
there's fish oh there's a big fish dude max heel max down uh-uh down so i've been working on a
down in motion at max okay good boy come on and he's been getting it took a little time
Marvin (Giant Schnauzer)
At Marvin's go-home lesson the finished version is shown to the owner on video: walk him in a heel, cue the down while walking, and do not stop - keep going. Kelton calls it a fun trick that just looks cool.
On film
It's it's a fun trick because it looks it just looks cool
Yeah, and then you just like down while you're walking you don't stop walking and you keep going.
Thor
In a play session the handler re-tests a down he had proofed earlier, now with himself moving. Thor is tempted to get up, which is the stated reason the down has to be proofed for movement.
On film
The question is whether or not it's still good the way I proofed it the other day.
All right, see, it's very tempting. That's why you've got to proof it for movement.
Why it works
Stated: dogs read down as 'come to you and down', and when the handler moves they think they should keep walking with him (watch 03:33; watch 06:26); at distance, a dog who breaks tends to return and down at the handler (watch 11:27). Inferred: the return was rewarded as part of the original down picture; nobody on film explains how it got attached.
Questions owners ask
Why does my dog come to me when I say down?
King's trainer says that is what a lot of dogs do; dropping in place while you walk is a separate skill he worked on.
On film
when a dog hears down he will um he'll come to you right and down uh versus downing where you
What is it for?
On film: crossings and obstacles - King at downtown crosswalks, then into a heel across; and holding a dog in place at a distance, as with Dolce at the truck.
On film
and then being able to go from that to walk in a heel across the crosswalk and
The lesson
The goal
Teach a down in place while the handler keeps moving, distinct from the come-in down.
Learn first
The drill
As worked with King: cue down while walking; if he keeps coming, repeat the cue and mark 'no' until he drops where he is; praise (watch 30:50). Take it to crosswalks, then heel across (watch 06:09).
Watch out for
- Reading the first confused reps as refusal
- Expecting it without teaching it separately
Check yourself
What do most dogs do the first time you ask for a down while walking, and why?