How to Teach Your Dog to Lay Down Using The ‘Down Command’.

Now that you can get your dog’s attention by calling his/her name, it’s time to add a reason with what’s a very basic but important dog command, and that’s getting your dog to ignore what’s going on around him/her and lay down in what’s often referred to as a ‘Sphinx position’.
Having control of your dog is not only a responsibility for all dog owners, but also how the strongest bond is formed. Owners of larger breeds need to be even more observant with who’s around when their dog’s off the leash, so it’s important that if you anticipate a potential problem, you can call your pooch to lie down, and they will obey your command without hesitation. It could also save their life.

This basic obedience training article for dogs will teach you how to train your dog to lay down using the ‘Down Command‘ by applying positive reinforcement training techniques.

The following list is what we recommend you have handy for this dog training command session:

• Small sized, soft treats that are very tempting
• Clicker
• Collar
• Training Leash, 5-10 Metres (16-32 Foot)
• Small quiet space with no distractions

If you don’t have, or prefer not to use a ‘clicker’, you can substitute it by using the word ‘yes’.

Dog training essentials available from Ezydog Australia

Steps to Teaching the ‘Down Command’

When teaching this basic dog training command, I will assume you have already taught your dog to sit. If not, read teaching your dog the sit command.
The reason for this is, we’re going to transition the dog from sitting to laying and not going directly down from a standing position.

1/ In a quiet room inside attach your longer training leash and grab a handful of treats.

I suggest ‘starting inside’ because there are less distractions, allowing your dog to concentrate on you. Outdoor noises and smells are intriguing to an inquisitive pup, even to an older dog, new to that environment.

2/ Start by standing about 2 metres away but infront of your dog. Using your happy voice, have your dog sit infront of you.

Your furry friend should be looking into your eyes, eagerly waiting to please.

3/ With a flat palm facing your dog and treat between your thumb and first finger, place that hand just below your dog’s nose. Move your hand slowly down to the floor in a straight line, so that your dog follows it with their nose.

4/ Once on the floor, slowly move your hand along the floor away from your dog towards you, making sure he/she is still following your hand with their nose.

5/ As soon as your dog lies down, mark the moment with your clicker, or say ‘yes’ then while offering the treat, praise him/her with lots of ‘good boy/girl’ remarks followed by hugs and rubs.

Those observant dog owners would have noticed no voice command has been introduced or given… yet.

6/ Once your dog has the idea of lying down, repeat with the reward in your left hand, so that they are learning to perform this behaviour with a hand signal alone.

7/ If your clever pooch is reliably performing the ‘down position’ when you move your hand down to the floor, we can introduce the verbal ‘Down Command’ given just before the hand movement.

What you’re effectively getting your dog to do here is associate the learnt hand signal with the verbal command. He/she is now learning to perform the behaviour on a verbal cue.
At this stage too, I would take off the leash.

8/ After you a few repetitions, start to reduce the hand movement, so that your dog is learning to lay down when you say the word ‘down’.

9/ Now, repeat without using the hand signal, just use the ‘Down Command’.

You will have to wait a few seconds for your dog to lie down each time, before praising and rewarding their behaviour with a treat. If your furry friend doesn’t lay down on command only yet, they’re not ready for the hand signal to be removed altogether, so be ready to back up the verbal command ‘down’ with the hand signal, to ensure your dog is still performing the down position with both.

10/ After practicing this basic command indoors, once he/she has it ‘down pat’ (yeah pun intended) you can move outside in the garden to practice with some extra distractions.

11/ Repeat, and keep repeating this process, moving further and further away from your dog each time.

12/ If you’d like your dog to stay lying down for longer, or atleast until you’ve given him/her another command (such as ‘Come’ or ‘Heel’) keep the verbal praise going, but withhold the treat for 5 seconds before rewarding and saying ‘yes’. Repeat this a few times before increasing the time to 10 seconds.

13/ Now, if you’d like your clever pooch to go to the ‘top of the class’, you can teach him/her to remain lying down when you are short distance away from them.
Start taking a step or two away from them, immediately returning to reward them in once in the ‘Down’ position. Next, keep moving away, 2 metres at a time.

To make this command really useful, re-teach in a variety of different environments until your dog understands that the word ‘down’ means the same wherever they are, and that they should stay in the ‘down position’ until released with another command.

Summary of Teaching Your Dog The ‘Down Command’

Remember consistency, practice and patience are the keys with all dog training. It’s also important not to keep repeating the command. You should aim to say it once to have your four-legged friend lay down on command, however close he/she may be to you.

Some dogs are more difficult to teach than others, because their bottoms pop up as their heads follow the treat down. If this happend, teach under a coffee table, or under your bent legs when sitting on the floor.

Some dogs that aren’t overly motivated by food treats (rare) will almost certainly take to cooked chicken pieces. However, I would strongly suggest finding a commercial option that works because apart from the expense, chicken is messy and doesn’t last very long out of a sealed container in the fridge. There are many brands and flavours to choose from these days, and many are made with healthy natural ingredients. I would also suggest using and rotating several different types, so your dog doesn’t become used to just one.

As I mentioned above, using a training leash of between 5-10 metres is ideal. These leashes are used extensively for ‘track and trace’ dog training disciplines so are readily available.
Most pet shops, which you can find near you, listed on Pet Directory will have these in stock.

It’s worth noting that the longer leash isn’t to reel your dog in if they ignore you, but to control the situation. As you walk, simply gather up the leash, getting closer to your dog. Slowly give your furry companion more distance each time, before calling their name and commanding them to lay down.
This command is ideal to use when out for a walk and people with other dogs are approaching, especially smaller dogs if your dog is larger. The ‘submissive’ position will be less intimidating.

Having trouble, or have a question about getting your dog to lie down when commanded?
Leave a comment for ‘Bear’ below and he’ll be happy to answer it for you, especially if you get his attention by using his name.

We at PetsBook also recommend getting out with your dog and join a training course.
Pet Directory has many local dog training businesses listed near you with experienced and accredited dog trainers ready to help you with dog obedience and dog command training.

» List of Dog Training Commands

Bear

Hi, I’m Bear, the Training Manager at PetsBook. With over 20 years experience using positive reinforcement dog training techniques, I’m proud to have the opportunity to help you develop a stronger bond with your fur baby, by teaching you useful commands with obedience training.