Teaching the command "Lie!"
It will be very suitable for you if you teach your cat to lie down after your order during the process of brushing, veterinary’s visit and just if you want to surprise your friends or relatives.
The simplest way to start teaching is the following one. Make your cat sit down, take the delicacy between your fingers. Show the delicacy to your cat then slowly move it down. In the ideal case the head of the cat will follow the delicacy. As soon as your hand touches the table begin to move it slowly away of the cat. You have to move your hand like the letter “L”. If everything is OK, your cat will follow the delicacy and take the lying position. At the moment when your cat lies praise it and give the delicacy to it. Repeat the exercise for some times and the cat will remember it.
The alternative method of teaching this command is that you must take cat’s front paws up and then move the cat down and make it lie down. Holding the both paws at the same time you must hold the finger between them - it will serve as a connection in the process of passing the pressure from one paw to another. As soon as the cat lies praise it and give the delicacy to it, as usual. Soon your cat will understand what you want.
Common problems of teaching the command “Lie!”
Cat stands up instead of lying
Your cat is so flexible that it can stand up without any moving from its place. It’ll help her to move its head down trying to catch the delicacy but not to lie.
If it happens, stop the exercise. Put your free hand on cat’s back and with the help of the other hand which is holding delicacy make the cat lie down. Don’t snatch the cat and don’t press on the back because it will cause only resistance. Let your hand just lie there as a reminder.
As an alternative you may use the method of moving up front paws. Use any method which may help you to reach the success. However don’t forget to pet, praise and award the cat for every good action. Soon it’ll understand what you want.
Cat moves its head down but doesn’t lie
A usual case which happens on the first stage of teaching the command. If the cat moves its head down but doesn’t lie don’t worry. Do the following. When the cat moves its head down give the delicacy to it. Next time try to make it move the head down lower before giving the delicacy to it. Continue doing of the exercise and in one or two lessons the cat will lie down as a real champion. Always remember that it is not a competition. So it doesn’t matter how many lessons you spend - three, five or ten. What’s the difference? Praises, patience and gladness are the keys for success!
A cat refuses to lie down
It’ll happen if you try to force the cat to obey. You shouldn’t press on its shoulders - it won’t help. Don’t make your will fight with your cat’s will. If the cat is angry stop the lesson. Indeed, you want it to think these lessons are interesting. Be sure that the lessons are always laconic and lively. Spend your time for that! Award the cat for every successful action even for the little one! Soon it will relax and lie down. But if it won’t? Does it really matter? Have a break and then start your lessons again in some days or in a week.
Using the special training table
While teaching such commands as “Sit!” and “Lie!” the special training table may be useful. It may be not a special one, you may take the old computer desk. Trunk, card-desk, big box - all these things are suitable. The main is that you mustn’t disturb it when it climbs on these things. If you use the same table for training every time cat will soon understand that the time it spends on that table is the working time. When the cat understands it the teaching will go on faster.
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