The Long Down
Like the long sit, the long down is performed as a group exercise, meaning that at the judge's discretion, you and all other handlers must wait for the dogs to perform the long down. This exercise occurs immediately after the long sit. Your rottweiler must lie quietly next to other dogs that are also performing the long down. You must put your rottweiler into a down while he is in heel position and give him a stay command. Then you turn and walk to the opposite end of the ring, where you stand while the judge times the long down. The dogs must lie quietly for three minutes.
Dogs that break the long down receive no points for that exercise. As the time nears three minutes, the judge will tell the handlers to return to their dogs. At this time, you must return to your rottweiler, walk around him, and stand next to him so that he is in proper heel position. The judge will tell you when the exercise is complete.
Once you start stacking up the titles, you'll need to learn how to write your dog's name. Obedience titles — CD, CDX, UD, and UDX — appear after the dog's registered name. OTCH appears before the dog's registered name.
Teaching the long down requires that your rottie know down and stay. Build up to longer stays, but do it while staying close to your rottie. As he becomes comfortable with the longer stays, gradually lengthen the distance between you and your rottie.
If, at any time, he becomes nervous or starts breaking his stays, drop back to a previous distance where he didn't break his stay and practice with that for a while before increasing the distance again.
