Teaching your dog to lie down when asked is an important training skill — it's one of the six things you should teach your dog to keep them safe. Not only is it useful in preventing unwanted behaviors such as door dashing, but it's also a great way to increase calm, settled behavior from your dog. Show With a trained down cue, you can more easily enjoy sitting outside a coffee shop with your dog while they're settled next to you. Down is also helpful when teaching your dog other behaviors and tricks, such as go to bed or rollover. Training "Down" is Different Than Teaching Your Dog "Off"One common misuse of the word "down" that I hear when working with training clients is it being used interchangeably with the "off" cue. Clarity is essential when teaching our dogs verbal cues. Don't expect your dog to understand exactly what you mean if the word you use isn't consistent.
When you ask your dog to lie down, it should mean they move into the down position. Saying "off" for most dog owners means getting off a piece of furniture, stopping counter surfing, or stopping jumping, and is a different action than lying down. Whatever word you use for a cue, try to keep it as clear and consistent as possible so your dog can learn faster. That way, your dog can better meet your training expectations!
How to Train Your Dog to Lie DownWhat You'll Need:PetSafe Dog Training Treat Pouch
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Zuke's Mini Naturals Rabbit Recipe Dog Treats Teaching Your Dog to Lie Down on CueThe lure method is often the easiest for most dog owners to start with. A lure uses something your dog wants, like a treat or a toy, to guide them into the desired position. The motion you make when guiding your dog into a down will become smaller with practice and eventually become the hand signal for your dog's down. For most dog owners, this hand signal ends up being a point or flat palm down towards the ground. The goal is to fade out a lure and fade out food treats in your dog's training. FAQ: Should You Start Teaching Down With Your Dog in a Sit or a Stand Position?I like to practice both ways! By doing both, your dog won't get confused if you ask for a down when they aren't already sitting. It's also a great way to practice body awareness for your dog, as moving into a down from a stand is a different motion than lying down from a sit. It's also helpful to practice down from a stand position if you want to teach your dog the emergency down behavior (also called an emergency stop or safety stay). For dogs that already know how to sit, it's often easiest to start there. If your dog is in the process of learning to sit, you can begin from a stand position. Mix it up as you practice. Luring a Dog Into a Down Position (from a Sit Position)When practicing these steps, your dog should already be sitting. You can lure them into the sit or give them a verbal cue to sit if you've previously trained this behavior. Check out our article "2 Easy Ways to Teach Your Dog to Sit" for instructions and training tips.
Watch this video to see what luring your dog into a down from a sit looks like:
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