How to train a dog to lie downWhy should you learn how to train a dog to lie down? The down position is a good position to leave your dog in for a period of time, such as when you need to leave the dog while you talk to someone or attend to something. It's a comfortable position for the dog so they are less likely to get up and wander around than if they are left in the sit position.
Sometimes people have a bit of trouble learning how to train a dog to lie down but it's really not that hard. It's just a progression from the 'sit' position and you should have no trouble teaching your puppy this position after you have read this page. On this page: How to train a dog to lie down How to train a dog to lie downBefore you learn how to train a dog to lie down, it's a good idea to train a dog to sit first. See Training a Dog to Sit. Before we start on how to train a dog to lie down, make sure you have your treat or reward ready and your clicker with you if you are using one (or your marker word). You can find out about rewards at Puppy Training Tips and about clickers and marker words at Clicker Puppy Training. Step 1Begin with your dog in the sit position. Hold a food treat just in front of your puppy's nose and move the treat straight down to the ground, between the puppy's front paws. Hold the treat down on the ground. The puppy's nose will follow the treat and he will lie down. As soon as he is in the right position, click/mark and give him the reward. Make sure you give him the reward right where his nose is, down on the ground – don't lift your hand up again to give the treat. In other words, reward in position. Give lots of praise if he gets it right. Sometimes, a dog will be able to bend its neck right down to get at the treat, without actually lying on the ground. If this happens, move the treat straight down as described above, then move it along the floor a little in front of the dog. The dog's nose will follow it and, sooner or later, he'll have no choice but to get those front legs down on the ground. As soon as he is in the right position, click/mark and give the reward and heaps of praise. Keep practising this in short bursts of only a couple of minutes. Step 2 - Adding the verbal cueOnce your puppy has mastered the basic position, you can start to add the verbal cue. Some people use the word Down and some say Drop. I prefer Drop as it is shorter and sharper. I reserve the word 'Down' for when I mean 'Get down off the sofa' or 'Get down from the bed' or just 'Down!' if the dog is jumping up. But it's really up to you – just make sure you pick the word you are most comfortable with and that you will say consistently. Remember that one word is better than two, so say 'Down' not 'Lie down'. Repeat the exercise but as you move the hand say Drop! or Down!, briskly and brightly (remember you don't have to shout or growl!). Click/mark and reward as soon as he is in the right position. Repeat until the hand movement and the verbal cue are happening together. Step 3 - Adding a hand signalOnce your puppy has the down or drop position working well, start to fade the lure – that is, hide the treat in your other hand while you move your hand from in front of the dog's nose to the floor. Use your cue word at the same time. Your puppy will learn to follow the hand, not the treat. Practise this a few times. Now you've taught your puppy the hand signal for 'Down' or 'Drop': a hand moving quickly from their nose to the floor. Eventually you will only need to make quite a small hand movement towards the floor and your puppy will hit the deck! Here is a handy video that shows how to train a dog to lie down by using a clicker and rewards.
How to train a dog to lie down from standMore training at PuppyPrimer.comOnce your puppy has mastered the drop/down from a sit position, you can try the same technique to lie down from a stand. It's quite handy to know how to train a dog to go from a stand to a drop without having to go through 'sit' first. Next stepsYour next step after learning how to train a dog to lie down is to practise going from a sit to a drop, then from drop to sit. Then it's time to move on to learning how to train your dog to stand - the last of the three main positions it's handy for your puppy to know. See Training a Dog to Stand.
Return to top of How to Train a Dog to Lie Down Go back to How To Train A Puppy |
