Taking too long? Close loading screen.
April 29th
When you’re training your puppy, one of the first commands you’ll likely try to teach them is the “down” command.
Fortunately, teaching your dog to lie down doesn’t have to be hard. You just have to be patient and consistent as you train your dog.
Here are some simple steps for how you can teach your dog to lie down.
This is one of the most important steps when training your dog. When you’re trying to teach your dog the “down” command, make sure that you find a quite, distraction free environment.
For many dogs, sitting is much easier than lying down. So that’s how you should start their training. Ask your dog to sit, waiving a treat in front of their nose. You should also move your hand down, so that they
If your dog responds to the “sit” command, then try to lure them to the ground with a treat.
Many dogs won’t get it right away. And that’s ok! Training will take time, and you’ll have to repeat the exercise many times before it becomes second nature for your dog.
Once your dog responds to the “down” command, you’ll want to test them by making the exercise harder.
First, start by making them lie down for increasing periods of time. Start with a few seconds, and then work your way up to a few minutes.
Then, you’ll want to teach your dog to lie down from far away. Slowly increase the distance between you and your dog. This is great for when you are in public areas, and want to communicate with your dog from a distance.
You’ll also want to make sure that your dog listens to the “down” command when distracted. Try to add distractions to the training, such as toys or other people. This is often the most difficult part of training, and it often takes quite a lot of repetition to get right.
Dog owners often ask for the most effective way of training their dog. The answer? Start young. Training dogs is much easier when they are young, as they are more responsive and learn more quickly.
Training usually goes smoothly for most dog owners. But it can take time, and you may run into a few issues as you try to teach your dog to to lie down. Here are some of the most common:
Dog Won’t Always Lie Down
Many dog owners are able to teach their down to lie down, but notice that their dog doesn’t always obey. The main reason for this? Not enough practice. Keep at the training, making sure to do a little every day.
You’ll also want to make sure that your dog is comfortable lying down. Sometimes, dogs with thin fur won’t like to lie down on cold or rough surfaces. This might explain why your dog isn’t always listening to you.
Dog Only Lies Down Part Way
Another common issue that people have is that their dog won’t lie down all the way. This is especially common with puppies.
A good way of addressing this problem is by using treats. When you lure your dog down, make sure you bring the treat fully to the floor, and keep it out of reach until your dog is lying down.
Still looking for the right puppy to train? We have puppies for sale across all the best breeds. We have everything from maltipoos to goldendoodles, so you can find your dream canine companion.
More Puppy Insights
Find the Perfect Puppy
