To get your dog to drop at a distance, you will first need to accustom it to dropping on the exact spot it has reached as you are giving the command. Because it will be used to dropping at your side, having learnt the “drop” in this position, when commanded to drop it will more than likely try to walk toward you: it will associate the “drop” with being close to you.
To help your dog make the transition easily from the drop beside you to the drop at a distance, start off by standing close to it, and having it facing you in a standing position and on lead. You can allow it to walk around if you want to.
You will need to use the command “Drop,” and give a hand signal as you do. Your signal may be one of your own choice, but it will need to include a slight movement of your right hand away from your body, then a slight movement upward, and then another down again, pointing at the ground. Reprimand with your one-word reprimand if your dog fails to respond and just keeps walking.
As you signal with your right hand, step forward immediately and gently push your dog into a “drop” with your left hand, praising it as you do. Then step back to where you started from. Allow 10 seconds to pass, and then say “Free,” and encourage your dog to move.
Repeat the “dropping at a distance” exercise several times. Then extend the distance until your dog is dropping anything up to about 50 feet (15 m) away. If the dog refuses to respond to your command and drop immediately, move rapidly toward it to place it in the “drop.” Be careful not to frighten it.
Once the dog realizes what you want, it will stop moving, and will eventually adopt the “drop” position every time you say “Drop.”
