How to Teach a Puppy to Lie Down

Teaching your puppy to lie down is an important step in dog training that you will find beneficial for years to come. Teach the technique as soon as your puppy learns to sit down consistently upon command. She should be able to sit and stay in that position for 15 seconds.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Start by filling your hands and pockets with plenty of small treats. Little bits of dry dog food or dog biscuits are good. You can also use special smells and tastes, like small squares of cheese to make the treats more tempting.

2. Ask your puppy to sit. The easiest way to train a puppy to lie down is to start from the sitting position. From there, it's a simple matter of encouraging your puppy to lower his shoulders to the floor.

3. Use a 1-word command. Many trainers prefer the word "down," since it sounds different from other dog training commands. Using more than 1 word per command can confuse your dog and make training her more difficult.

4. Hold a treat in your closed hand and place your hand just under his nose as he sits. When he focuses on your hand, lower it slowly to the ground, saying "down" at the same time. If he lies down, praise him and give him the treat. If his fanny comes up in the air, start over and try pulling your hand down and slightly forwards to encourage him not to raise his hind end.

5. Train your puppy to lie down over a period of time. Use the same method of encouraging and rewarding each time. It may take a couple of weeks of repeating the dog training every day to teach her what the command means.

Tips & Warnings

• Use only positive encouragement and rewards to train your puppy successfully.
• Hitting or yelling at a puppy who is not obeying will create anxiety in the dog and result in reluctance on her part to train with you.