Francis Bacon once said, "Nature to be commanded, must be obeyed." When it comes to training a dog, this saying is very wise indeed. Dogs, as a species, are accustomed to a hierarchy structure of command and leadership. That's the way they naturally function and would continue to function if we had not domesticated them to be pets. So they are accustomed to a structure where everyone-or every dog-has his place in the pack-from the alpha leader to the bottom or omega dog. When you teach your dog the "down" technique, you are asserting your place as the alpha in the dog's world.
The Down command also has practical rewards. When it relaxes in the down posture, the dog is not involved in knocking over furniture and small children. It can also be an introduction to natural subsequent behaviors such as 'rollover', 'crawl' and other enjoyable tricks.
You should use a straightforward approach to training a dog to obey the down command. First, watch for the dog's natural transition into a down position. When a dog relaxes, he will naturally go from sitting to lying in the down position. You want to watch for that point when the dog is sitting and then starts to go into that position by himself.
When this happens, you want to speak a specific command and use a unique hand gesture simultaneously. This gesture should be something you would not normally do, so you must make a special effort to do it. Every single time the dog goes into this position, you should clearly issue the command and make that hand gesture. Always use the same tone of voice.
After the command and as soon as the point of attainment of the behavior is arrived at, praise the dog profusely. At the outset, the dog will not have a clear awareness of why it is getting praise. In fact, this is not important. With the repeating of these exertions, the dog's behavior will result from the command. Remember, it is the productive behavior you are looking for.
Nearly all dogs will not perform the asked for behavior on a command the first few times it is tried. So, always be easy-going and clear and - above all - be consistent. As with any other type of training, it is essential to eliminate noise and motion types of interferences during the training period. Work at being alone with the dog and as far away from other voices as humanly possible.
Positive behavior can also be encouraged by taking a treat or favorite toy and putting that item near the tip of the dog's nose on the ground and then putting the dog into a sitting position. This is more likely to make the dog lie down by it.
Upon using several repetitions with the toy or snack, use a 'waving down' hand motion, with your palm towards the floor position. It's important to hold back from rewarding any dog with praise or a treat until the behavior is attained and entirely correct. On the other hand, if things don't go as planned, take care not to become upset with the dog.
Some dogs may also require the use of a collar and leash to help with the training session. For this purpose, use a very short-only 2 to 4 feet in length-leather or nylon leash on your dog. Place the dog in the sitting position. Then kneel down in front of the dog so you are facing him.
Now make the command and unique hand gesture you will use for this command while also moving the toy or treat from a spot near the chin of the dog down to the ground. At the same time, calmly and slowly pull down on the leash to nudge the dog into the downward position you desire. Do not jerk on the leash or punish the dog or give any negative feedback. Again, follow up with praise when the dog completes the desired behavior.
In those really hard situations where the dog does not heed the command at once, kneel down and put the lead underneath one foot and then slide the loop under the knee of the dog's opposite leg. Do this while facing the dog at a bit of an angle. Be sure to pull the leash loop with your other foot gently pulling the dog down. At the same time, you should gently take both the dog's forelegs and pull them towards you while you give the vocal command.
Even if you had to initiate the movement to get the dog in the correct position, give the dog lots of praise and attention. The key here is that you want the dog to always associate good and positive feelings-both his and yours-with this position.
The Down command also has practical rewards. When it relaxes in the down posture, the dog is not involved in knocking over furniture and small children. It can also be an introduction to natural subsequent behaviors such as 'rollover', 'crawl' and other enjoyable tricks.
You should use a straightforward approach to training a dog to obey the down command. First, watch for the dog's natural transition into a down position. When a dog relaxes, he will naturally go from sitting to lying in the down position. You want to watch for that point when the dog is sitting and then starts to go into that position by himself.
When this happens, you want to speak a specific command and use a unique hand gesture simultaneously. This gesture should be something you would not normally do, so you must make a special effort to do it. Every single time the dog goes into this position, you should clearly issue the command and make that hand gesture. Always use the same tone of voice.
After the command and as soon as the point of attainment of the behavior is arrived at, praise the dog profusely. At the outset, the dog will not have a clear awareness of why it is getting praise. In fact, this is not important. With the repeating of these exertions, the dog's behavior will result from the command. Remember, it is the productive behavior you are looking for.
Nearly all dogs will not perform the asked for behavior on a command the first few times it is tried. So, always be easy-going and clear and - above all - be consistent. As with any other type of training, it is essential to eliminate noise and motion types of interferences during the training period. Work at being alone with the dog and as far away from other voices as humanly possible.
Positive behavior can also be encouraged by taking a treat or favorite toy and putting that item near the tip of the dog's nose on the ground and then putting the dog into a sitting position. This is more likely to make the dog lie down by it.
Upon using several repetitions with the toy or snack, use a 'waving down' hand motion, with your palm towards the floor position. It's important to hold back from rewarding any dog with praise or a treat until the behavior is attained and entirely correct. On the other hand, if things don't go as planned, take care not to become upset with the dog.
Some dogs may also require the use of a collar and leash to help with the training session. For this purpose, use a very short-only 2 to 4 feet in length-leather or nylon leash on your dog. Place the dog in the sitting position. Then kneel down in front of the dog so you are facing him.
Now make the command and unique hand gesture you will use for this command while also moving the toy or treat from a spot near the chin of the dog down to the ground. At the same time, calmly and slowly pull down on the leash to nudge the dog into the downward position you desire. Do not jerk on the leash or punish the dog or give any negative feedback. Again, follow up with praise when the dog completes the desired behavior.
In those really hard situations where the dog does not heed the command at once, kneel down and put the lead underneath one foot and then slide the loop under the knee of the dog's opposite leg. Do this while facing the dog at a bit of an angle. Be sure to pull the leash loop with your other foot gently pulling the dog down. At the same time, you should gently take both the dog's forelegs and pull them towards you while you give the vocal command.
Even if you had to initiate the movement to get the dog in the correct position, give the dog lots of praise and attention. The key here is that you want the dog to always associate good and positive feelings-both his and yours-with this position.
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