Teaching a dog to lay down is one of those things that can sometimes be a struggle for
them to learn. But today, I'm going to show you five different ways to come at the problem
so you can make it happen. Ian here with Simpawtico Dog Training, and before we get into lay down
strategies, please make sure you are subscribed so you never miss any of our videos. Also,
if you're new here please give us a thumbs up and check out our other videos for training
tips, product reviews, and more. Now, teaching a dog to lay down is one of those basic behaviors
we strive to teach every dog in the first few weeks that we have them. It’s one of
the three basic positions along with Sit and Stand. And it's a wonderful way to settle
a dog down or to have them Stay for an extended period. Laying down is a little special, though.
Most dogs will pick it up right away with a basic lure-reward-training routine. But
other dogs can struggle with the concept. Certain breeds such as Boston Terriers and
Yorkies for example seem to generally just be totally baffled with down. So, to help
you out here are five strategies to teach down to your dog:
STRATEGY #1: LURE REWARD TRAINING. This is the most straightforward method, and it's
the first one you should try. All lure-reward trained behaviors follow the same 1234 formula:
Request, Lure, Response, and Reward. In this case, that looks like this: Say "Down.”
Use a food reward to lure the dog's nose down between the front paws. The dog should collapse
into a laying position. Immediately praise and reward the dog. Most commonly this is
started from a sit position since half the dog is already in the right place. That's
ok to begin with, but as soon as you can get ten in a row, start trying it from the standing
position. Your dog should be able to lay down from either sitting or standing without any
unnecessary steps. Although lure reward training is the first thing you should try, sometimes
it takes a little bit more to crack this nut. That brings us to...STRATEGY #2: BUILDING
from a BOW. This is lure reward training too, but we're taking a different approach on the
luring bit. Stand or kneel to the side of your dog and, using the food lure, move in
between the front paws at an oblique, 45º angle. The point is to get them to go into
the same position as a play bow. Once you’re getting the bow consistently start dialing
it in. Build repetitions. Then, start pausing between the front feet. It won't take long
for the bottom to just plop down. Praise BIG when you get it. Then build more repetitions
on the full down. On a side note: you could make this "take
a bow" and then shape it to be "Down," and still have both of them available as behaviors.
STRATEGY #3: SHAPING from the NECK. Sometimes, a dog won’t be able to figure out what the
expectation is and will give up quickly. If luring doesn’t seem to work to get the dog
all the way down, break the behavior down into smaller pieces. Perform the luring action
as before but reward initially for just lowering the head down to get it. As consistency builds
ask your dog to go further and further with it until they go all the way down. This is
a time consuming method that can take several days, but I've done it before with stubborn
dogs. When they finally lay down, boy you’d better make a big fuss about it! STRATEGY
#4: ALL or NONE REWARD TRAINING (aka the “BATHROOM DOWN”). This is the easiest of all the methods
because you don’t really have to do much. Get about 20 or so food rewards and something
to read. Pick a small room such as a bathroom or even a walk-in closet and close yourself
inside with your dog. Have a seat and start reading. Pay no mind to your dog, just do
your own thing. Your dog will eventually get bored with sniffing the corners and lay down.
Immediately praise this behavior, and toss a treat so that the dog has to get up to get
it, thus setting them up to do it again. As the dog catches on and starts offering the
behavior to get a reward, it will be a simple thing to transition over to putting the behavior
on request (or what we call “putting it on stimulus control”). Simply say "Down"
right before they do it, and reward them. Piece of cake. Be aware that once you leave
the space you've done this in your dog may need a bit of coaxing to realize this works
everywhere. At this point simple lure reward training should work now, to get over the
hump. STRATEGY #5: SHAPING by BRIDGING. This is the last resort because it’s the most
difficult to do and the most time consuming. Essentially you will use a food reward to
lure your dog to crawl under a bridge. This could be a stool, your leg or bent knee, an
end table...it just depends on the size of your dog. Make sure that you mark the behavior
as soon as the elbows and belly touch the floor. Gradually shape this behavior by removing
the bridge little bits at a time. Raise your leg or knee higher, or remove the stool or
chair. Incidentally this is how I taught down to my Boston Terrier, Bobo. Once he got the
idea, it was easy to get rid of the bridge and use lure reward training to improving
his performance. Now he's so good he's perfectly prompt, precise, and polite. If you're struggling
with Down, here are some other aspects you should consider: If you're having trouble,
check the floor surface. Some surfaces weird a dog out and they resist laying down on it.
Maybe it's too slippery, or uncomfortable, or just plain unfamiliar. Try a different
place, or have the dog try it on a blanket, a towel, or a bath mat. Once they get the
idea, transition to other surfaces with lots of practice, and praise. Also, think of ways
you can set yourself up for success. For example you could practice down after a long walk
or after play time. These are instances when the dog is more inclined to lie down anyways
to rest. Don't forget to start phasing out the food lure as soon as possible. Once you've
got lay down pretty well dialed in, get that food lure out of your hand and into your pocket.
Remember: a lure is given to cause a behavior. Once the behavior is happening reliably we
don't need it. A reward, then, comes after the behavior like magic. It's not guaranteed
or promised. In contrast, a bribe is used before the behavior to coerce them to perform.
This is not how it's done for the longterm. It's all about repetition, clear goals, and
consistency. FINALLY: As always, be patient, and be encouraging as they figure it out.
Remember teaching your dog things is a team sport. You're both working together. You'd
cheer your kid on if they made a goal in soccer. Do the same for your dog when they hit a new
accomplishment. Show enthusiasm and encouragement. You can do a lot, when you do it together!
So, good luck nailing this if your dog is having some trouble. Relax, and don’t give
up. It will get there. Questions for you: Which one of these approaches stood out to
you the most? What tips do YOU have? And what are some other training conundrums you’d
like me to help you with? Let’s connect in the comments below. Please thumbs up this
video if you learned something useful and as always, keep learning, keep practicing,
and I'll see you soon. Thanks for watching.