You can do a great deal to teach your dog to lie down (also called the drop)
even before formal training begins. Whenever you see that your dog is about to
lie down, say, “down”.
The secret to doing this effectively is in the timing. You must give the
command to “down” as soon as you see that your puppy or dog is about to lie
down. If you observe your dog, you will soon pick up tell tale signs that will
tell you that your dog is about to lie down.
If your dog has already lain down, then giving the command will not be
effective. Giving the command too soon and you run the risk of being fooled
into thinking your dog is about to lie down, when in fact it was not about to
do so.
Formal teaching or training a dog to lie down, or drop, is best started after
the dog has learnt to sit.
Again a treat is a great aid in teaching your dog to lie down.
First command your dog to sit. Bring a treat placed in your hand, in front and
slightly below your dog's nose. Move the treat away from your dog and obliquely
down to the ground. If done correctly the dog, from the sit position, will
follow the treat and move into the down position.
Remember the treat should be positioned just in front of your dog's nose and
moved away as he moves his head towards it. You will by the movement of the
treat cause your dog to lie down.
Say “down” as soon as your dog starts to extend his legs into the down position.
Normally the dog will be able to follow this training quite easily. If he
doesn't, examine your technique for potential errors. Are you moving your hand
too quickly or too slowly? Perhaps your hand is too high causing the dog to
stand instead of lying down.
With a limited amount of practice, with careful observation as to how your dog
reacts you should soon develop an effective technique for your dog.
I have found that the most effective position for positioning the treat in the
hand is by holding the treat with the thumb against the palm, as far to the
center of the palm as I can. I then ensure that the palm is mainly facing
downwards towards the ground. This means that the dog will be more prone to
follow the hand in his attempt to obtain the treat, than would otherwise be the
case if the treat was on top of the hand and easily available to the dog.
As soon as you feel that your dog has got the idea introduce a hand signal with
the command down. This is slightly more difficult, as, because of the hand
signal, you will have to dispense with the moving of the treat to encourage him
to lie down.
However if you have done a good job with the previous training you will find
that it will no longer be necessary. Your dog will lie down simply because he
wants the treat as reward and he knows that he needs to lie down to receive it.
Standing in front of your dog, command him to “down” or “drop” (whichever
command you prefer) at the same time show the hand signal. Whichever command
you choose, be sure, in future, to only use that command.
What hand signal you use is a matter of preference. I move my right hand with
an open palm facing down and lower the hand as I give the down command.
Extend the dog's training so that he will respond to the “down” or “drop”
command with the hand signal only. This is really a lot easier than it seems
and requires only a little further training.
If you feel that you will need more help to train your dog
or puppy, there is a book that I wholeheartedly recommend. What I like about
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Recommended Reading on Dog
Training, House Training, Care and
Behavioural Problem Solutions.
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