How to Teach Dog to Lie Down on Cue– Teaching your dog how to lie down is as necessary as feeding him. Just consider how embarrassing it is when your dog is jumping up on guests, weaving between your legs and tripping you while you are cooking, or taking away napkins from people’s laps when they are seated at the dining room table. It all can be managed if your dog is well-trained lying down on cue. The best part is that a dog may be trained to lie down with just a verbal or physical command.
Read: How to Teach Puppy to Walk on Leash without Pulling
Your dog can learn other entertaining actions and tricks, such as “turn over” or “go to bed,” using the down cue as the foundation. It’s also the starting point for teaching your dog to lie down next to you when guests arrive or when you wish to take your dog to the patio of a restaurant. Your dog will quickly learn to lie down on cue if you use these quick and easy methods along with plenty of positive reinforcement opportunities.
The lie-down cue can be quite helpful whether you have a young puppy or an older dog who might use some new tricks. When you want your dog to lie down quietly and peacefully both inside and outside the house, teaching them to lie down will be helpful. Make sure your dog knows how to lie down on cue. Then ask them to begin by doing this. Make sure your dog understands you are holding a reward in your hand.
How to Teach Your Dog to Lie Down
Use the command frequently to make the dog understand the meaning of the command. It is quite helpful in a variety of situations to train your dog to lie down. The frequent use of the command makes the dog know that he is expected to lie down whenever this command is used.
1- Choose Some Tempting Treat
Luring behaviors is, in some ways, the simplest way to train them. This entails utilizing a reward or toy to get your dog into the desired position or action. For instance, if you place a treat close to your dog’s nose and then move it in a circle parallel to the ground, your dog will spin and follow you. Luring helps your puppy move in the direction you want them to go, but it’s vital to fade the lure as quickly as you can so your puppy will respond to your cues instead of waiting to see the lure, such as a hand signal or verbal command.
2- Use the Treat Near the Dog’s Nose
One treat in front of your dog’s nose will do to get their attention. The treat should then be lowered to the ground gradually. To help the dog stay focused, keep the treat right next to its nose. If you see that your dog’s nose is farther away from the treat than two or three inches, slow down and give them time to “catch up” to the treat’s movement.
3- Place a Gentle Hand on His Shoulder.
This ought to prevent him from standing up again and moving towards the treat. He ought to fall to the ground when you move the treat slowly down the surface. Your hand forms an “L” during the entire luring action.
4- Praise and Treat Them When they Lie Down
Say “very good” and release the treat as soon as your dog’s belly touches the ground. This will allow the dog to eat the treat directly from your hand. It can be really exciting when your dog finally lies down on its own. Nonetheless, try to restrain yourself at this point. Practice this step three times maximum while holding a reward in your hand. To keep your dog from becoming dependent on seeing the food in your hand, do this. It’s time to move on to the next stage once your dog has three consecutive times successfully followed the treat into the “lie down” position.
5- Experiment Without the Treats.
Do the same motion again but this time use an empty hand. Say “very good,” then take two treats and give them to your dog one after the other if they follow your hand into a down position. Your dog will learn that it’s worthwhile to lie down even if they don’t first see food in your hand by receiving two treats for doing so after following an empty hand into the position. If your dog does not completely lay down, you can start by rewarding and giving treats for intermediate actions, like the elbows touching the ground, and gradually build up to expecting a more fully “down” position.
6- Add the “Down” cue.
Once your dog has mastered the art of lying down, have them use the phrase “Down” each time they do so. [6] Since you will eventually educate the dog to lie down without any goodies and exclusively with one command, it is crucial to do this exactly every time.
- Issue a command to release To get him to stand up, you can say, “Alright!” or “Up!” and then clap your hands or advance a few steps.
- Repeat these actions as soon as he stands back up, 5–15 times after he understands them the first time, depending on how long he can focus. Thus much repetition at first will aid in his memory of the action to be taken.
Precautions Teach Your Dog to Lie Down on Cue
1- Don’t give training to your dog in a crowded place
It is not advisable to force the dog to lie down during the training phase while there is a lot of activity around, whether it be outside or inside. Dogs who are lying down are particularly vulnerable and can easily be stepped on or knocked over. When the dog perceives a situation to be dangerous when lying down, the dog may react violently out of fear.
2- Provide a comfortable surface to sit
You can provide them with a soft surface to lie on during training, such as a bathmat or towel. If they are still hesitant, see your veterinarian to see if this instruction is appropriate for your dog.
3- Never force the dog to follow your command
Never force your dog into a down position with your hands or a lead. One problem is that it isn’t particularly effective (most dogs will resist). Another is that you might unintentionally harm your dog.
4- Avoid repetition dog is not ready
If your dog doesn’t seem to get the instructions, don’t keep repeating them. Making the training session longer won’t help if your dog is having problems understanding what you want. Instead, pause after five to ten minutes, then resume your attempt later.
Conclusions
It will be helpful to teach your dog to lie down, especially if you want them to be quiet and peaceful both inside and outside the house. To begin with, confirm that you have taught your dog to sit. Start by requesting that they do this. Make sure your dog is aware that you are holding a treat.
It’s critical to end a training session before you both become frustrated, worn out, or bored. Don’t forget to let your dog be a dog as well.
This means that you should train your dog slowly and understand that certain characteristics and behaviors such as chewing, mouthing, and roughhousing are inherent to dogs. By not rewarding some behaviors, you may discourage them, but it takes time and persistence to do so.