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How To Train A Dog To Down Part Two — Create The Cue
In the first part of this how to train your dog to down series, we established the movement of Down using the food lure. The only words said were your conditioned reinforcers, “Yes” and “Good” and your release word (“Finish”, “Break”, etc). “Down” was not yet said.
Now that your dog is familiar with the desired movement and the “L” shape your hand makes, let’s attach the cue, “Down.”
Helpful Hint
Before you add the cue, “Down”, your dog should be comfortable following a food lure to get into Down, preferably from both Sit and Stand>>>In other words, your dog shouldn’t have to Sit in order to Down.
You can find out how to do this at feetandpaws.com/how-to-teach-a-dog-to-lay-down-establishing-the-movement
How To Train A Dog To Down Trainer Tip #1
Make sure your hand with the treats is closed into a fist so your dog doesn’t see the treats. We want to lure, not bribe, which would only promote your dog not listening to you unless they see their reward.
How To Train A Dog To Down Trainer Tip #2
Don’t repeat the cue!
You can and should repeat your secondary conditioned reinforcer, “Yes”, as often as your dog earns it by getting closer to the goal of laying down, but don’t repeat the cue, “Down”.
If your dog doesn’t Down when you ask them for it, either:
- The word “Down” has no meaning to them yet and repeating it doesn’t do any good…Imagine if I said “Bleepblop” to you…over and over again…does it make sense the third time, or if I said it slower or louder? Exactly.
- Your dog knows what behavior you’re asking of them when you say, “Down”, but the situation is too difficult for them (too many distractions, you’re too far away, etc). I could complete a geometry problem in a quiet classroom, but not out at an amusement park, at least not without a lot of practice. Help them by creating a gradual progression of difficulty over time, going back to an easier situation if they are struggling.
Reminder When Training A Dog To Down
There are two starting positions when teaching a dog to lay Down: Sit and Stand. The shape of the lure for each position is an “L” but the starting position determines in which direction you draw the “L”.
SIT
STAND
How To Train A Dog To Down From *SIT* Step-By-Step
Train Dog To Down Part Two Goal: Your dog follows your food lure and moves from Sit to Down while you say, “Yes” as they begin to lower to the ground, “Down” right before they fully lower to the ground, and “Good” the second they completely lower to the ground, followed by a treat or piece of kibble, then “Break” and a tap on their shoulder.
Tools Needed:
Patience
(Small) Room with little to no distractions
Time (provide your dog with as many short training sessions as they need)
Their kibble or small, soft treats prepared into pea-sized pieces
Treat pouch
Non-slippery surface
Your dog’s leash
Words Used: Conditioned reinforcers, “Yes” and “Good”, “Down”, and their release word (“Finish”, “Break”, etc)
Step One
Tip: Read through all the steps before beginning. Prepare a handful of pea-sized treats or kibble, and place them in a treat pouch or small bowl. Go to a small, quiet room with your dog that has a non-slippery surface (carpet, yoga mat, etc). Bait your hand with several treats/kibble or your dog’s kibble, sit on the floor or in a chair either in front or to the side of them, and then bring your closed, baited fist, palm down, to your dog’s nose. Say, “Yes” the second they look at your fist.Step Two
With your dog’s nose as a magnet to your baited fist, begin to slowly lower your fist toward the ground immediately below their nose. Say, “Yes” as their nose follows your fist*. If your dog is hesitant, say “Good” then give them a treat for even looking down or lowering their head even slightly. It helps to present the treat in your flat palm so they have to lower their head to eat it. *You can repeat “Yes” often…be liberal with it to help your dog know they are on the right path.Step Three
Continue to lower your closed, baited fist toward the floor, repeating “Yes” as your dog lowers their head. If your dog doesn’t have any touch sensitivities, you can bring your other hand to their shoulders and begin to scratch them. This massaging can help relax them into a down. You are NOT pushing them down into position.Step Four
Once your dog’s nose has followed your closed baited fist to the ground, begin to slowly draw your hand AWAY from their chest along the ground, encouraging them to walk their front feet forward. Say “Yes” as their nose follows your baited fist.Step Five
Continue to draw your hand AWAY from your dog’s chest along the ground, saying “Yes” and massaging their shoulders as needed. *NEW* When it appears that gravity is doing its thing and your dog is about to completely lower to the ground, say “Down” once. The second your dog’s elbows touch the ground, say “Good” then give them a treat…or two or three…individually so your dog doesn’t think it’s just one treat. Your dog will think, “Wow, I get a lot of yummy food when I’m on the ground like this!”Step Six
To start establishing your release word* and build a bridge to Down-Stay, say “Break” or whatever you’d like your release word to be, and tap your dog’s shoulders. *NEW* Notice I haven’t said, “Stay”, yet. This will come in part four of this blog, “How To Teach A Dog To Down-Stay”. *The release word tells your dog they are done working and are free to do as they please…as long as it’s not a bad or unwanted behavior. They should not break a position or behavior until they hear this word, so when you are first teaching them a new skill, the duration should be short (1-3 seconds) to increase the likelihood they won’t break before you release them.Down From Sit Lure At A Glance
A nifty gif to show you the “L” shaped lure of the Down From Sit, drawn at your dog’s pace (their nose is a magnet to your baited fist), along with the words, “Yes”, “Down”, “Good”, and “Break”. Even if you are at your dog’s side, this shape stays the same, with you drawing your baited fist away from your dog’s chest along the ground in the “L” shape, and not toward yourself like when you are in front of them.How To Train A Dog To Down From *STAND* Step-By-Step
Train Dog To Down Part Two Goal: Your dog follows your food lure and moves from Stand to Down while you say, “Yes” as they begin to lower to the ground, “Down” right before they fully lower to the ground, and “Good” the second they completely lower to the ground, followed by a treat or piece of kibble, then “Break” and a tap on their shoulder.
Tools Needed: Patience (Small) Room with little to no distractions Time (provide your dog with as many short training sessions as they need) Their kibble or small, soft treats prepared into pea-sized pieces Treat pouch Non-slippery surface Your dog’s leash
Words Used: Conditioned reinforcers, “Yes” and “Good”, “Down”, and their release word (“Finish”, “Break”, etc)
Step One
Tip: Read through all the steps before beginning.
Prepare a handful of pea-sized treats or kibble, and place them in a treat pouch or small bowl.
Go to a small, quiet room with your dog that has a non-slippery surface (carpet, yoga mat, etc).
Bait your hand with several treats/kibble or your dog’s kibble, sit on the floor or in a chair either in front or to the side of them, and then bring your closed, baited fist, palm down, to your dog’s nose*.
Say, “Yes” the second they look at your fist.
*If your dog is sitting, walk around the room a bit to encourage them to stand, then proceed through the steps of luring down from stand.
Step Two
With your dog’s nose as a magnet to your baited fist, begin to slowly lower your fist toward the ground immediately below their nose.
Say, “Yes” as their nose follows your fist*. If your dog is hesitant, say “Good” then give them a treat for even looking down or lowering their head even slightly. It helps to present the treat in your flat palm so they have to lower their head to eat it.
*You can repeat “Yes” often…be liberal with it to help your dog know they are on the right path.
Step Three
Continue to lower your closed, baited fist toward the floor, repeating “Yes” as your dog lowers their head.
If your dog doesn’t have any touch sensitivities, you can bring your other hand to their shoulders and begin to scratch them. This massaging can help relax them into a down. You are NOT pushing them down into position.
Step Four
Once your dog’s nose has followed your closed baited fist to the ground, begin to slowly draw your hand TOWARD their chest along the ground, encouraging their bodyweight to shift backward. Say “Yes” as their nose follows your baited fist.
If your dog steps back instead of shifting their weight, begin again with a wall or other large, stable item (couch table, etc) slightly behind your dog’s rear so they don’t have space to step. You can also place them on leash, holding it so there’s only enough slack that they can shift backward into down but not the ability to walk backward.
Step Five
Continue to draw your hand toward from your dog’s chest along the ground, saying “Yes” and massaging their shoulders as needed.
*NEW* When it appears that gravity is doing its thing and your dog is about to completely lower to the ground, say “Down” once.
The second your dog’s elbows and rear touch the ground, say “Good” then give them a treat…or two or three…individually so your dog doesn’t think it’s just one treat. Your dog will think, “Wow, I get a lot of yummy food when I’m on the ground like this!”
Step Six
To start establishing your release word* and build a bridge to Down-Stay, say “Break” or whatever you’d like your release word to be, and tap your dog’s shoulders.
*NEW* Notice I haven’t said, “Stay”, yet. This will come in part four of this blog, “How To Teach A Dog To Down-Stay”.
*The release word tells your dog they are done working and are free to do as they please…as long as it’s not a bad or unwanted behavior. They should not break a position or behavior until they hear this word, so when you are first teaching them a new skill, the duration should be short (1-3 seconds) to increase the likelihood they won’t break before you release them.
Down From Stand Lure At A Glance
A nifty gif to show you the “L” shaped lure of the Down From Sit, drawn at your dog’s pace (their nose is a magnet to your baited fist), along with the words, “Yes”, “Down”, “Good”, and “Break”.
Even if you are at your dog’s side, this shape stays the same, with you drawing your baited fist TOWARD your dog’s chest along the ground in the “L” shape, and not away from their chest like in the down from sit.
Troubleshooting How To Train A Dog To Down
If your dog is jumping or lifting their front feet adjust the height and speed you move your baited fist.
- Make sure your baited fist doesn’t go above your dog’s nose level, which is when their eyes are looking to the horizon, not the sky. Of course as you lower your hand in the “L” shape, their gaze should lower toward the ground as it follows your baited fist.
- Slowly draw your baited fist from your dog’s nose at a snail’s pace, never having more than 3 inches between your fist and their nose.
- Put your dog on leash and tether it under your foot or a heavy piece of furniture so there is a small amount of slack. If your dog goes to jump they will get immediate feedback from the leash that jumping is not the desired behavior.
If your dog is licking, nipping, or pawing your hand:
- Maintain a 3-inch distance between your fist and your dog’s nose.
- Say, “Good,” then treat from your non-luring hand for the first sniff, lean, or step, before they make contact with your luring fist.
- Use lower-value food, like their kibble.
- Practice when they are less hungry and/or more tired.
Tried all these tips and still having trouble?
- Stop for the day, give your dog an enrichment activity, and try again another time.
- Revisit the tips and keep the next training session(s) short, focusing on keeping it fun and rewarding for your dog to follow your baited fist.
Need Help Training Your Dog To Down?
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