Dog Training Lesson 6 : Lie Down

Next in line of the dog training lesson is teaching your dog to lie down. From my past experience, asking your dog to lie down is especially important when you have a guest coming in to your house, during that time you could ask your dog to lie down and that make guest feel more comfortable and safer to walk past your dog. 

This dog training lesson is relatively simple when your dog has mastered or rather familiar with the command sit. The dog training lesson should be done at a none-distracting environm

ent (refer to the Dog Training Lesson 5 for examples of suitable places). The dog training is as follow:

1. Start by asking your dog to sit down. 
2. Next, present your hand with a treat just under his nose and move it straight to the ground. At the same time, give the command "DOWN". Imagine that there is an invisible string attached to your hand and your dog's nose, as though you are pulling his nose to the ground. Verbally encourage him. At the moment he lies down, praise and give him the treat. 
3. REPEAT ten to fifteen times. (Do not be lazy!!)
   
4. When you are 80% sure your dog willl lie down whenever you present the hand signal along with the command "DOWN", you could add some distractions and distance during the training.
5. The NEXT LEVEL in this dog training lesson would enable you to command your dog to lie down when you are at a distance away with some distractions around. Repeat step 1-3, but during each training, gradually increase the distance where you are standing.
6. Also, during each dog training lesson, try to increase the time of your dog is in a down position. You could start on with a few seconds, then gradually increase to 5 minutes.
7. Finally, you should also try to bring your dog to places where there are some noise or distractions and repeat the same dog training. Whenever he is distracted, interupt him by giving signs such as "NO" or "OPPS".

The GOALS which you should achieve during this dog training lesson are:

• Getting your dog to lie down in a proper way. (Observe that your dog SHOULD NOT lie down as the dog in the picture on your left)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
• Getting your dog to lie down on your command, no matter where you are or how the environment is. (However, bare in mind that do not treat your dog as a "toy" by asking him to lie down for no reason ==> It would be very ANNOYING to the dog)