How to Train Your Dog to Perform the Down Position

Call it 'Down', 'Drop', or 'Lie', this is one of the more advanced basic commands.

Put yourself in the following scenario:

You and your dog are enjoying a walk on a beautiful spring day. He ambles off-lead, sniffing the grass as you stroll along a woodland path. The trees start to thin and you emerge back out onto the sidewalk just as the dog spots a cat on the opposite side of the street. He darts off, racing straight for the road as a car sweeps round the corner. Horrified, you realize he's about to run straight into its path.

What do you do?

Simple! Taking a good lungful of air, you holler "Down". He drops to the sidewalk, giving you time to run over and grab his collar.

Your dog is trained to "Down".

The 'Down' command has two important assets. One, it requires to dog to stop moving, and two, it takes more effort to rise from down than sit, hence putting you in control and buying time.

Teaching a dog to lie down gives your great control in a whole variety of situations. It involves the dog transiting from a sit, standing position, or even running, to lying upright on the ground waiting for the next command.  

From lying quietly at a cafe to dropping down instead of running into a road, this is a great skill to teach. Indeed an emergency 'Down' could even save his life. And once he's mastered 'Down', you can further improve his obedience by adding distance (stepping away from him) or time (having lie for timed periods)

The 'Down' position is deceptively difficult for some dogs to master, so be patient with your pooch (as with any training exercise.) Remember, if he is struggling, end the session on a positive note and start again later. Training should always be fun, so give him marks for effort and be happy that he gave it a go.

You will need:

• Tasty treats: Dogs learn best when good actions are rewarded. Choosing a tasty treat the dog will work for is half the battle
• Clicker (optional):  Some owners prefer to clicker train, as this makes marking the desired behavior super easy.

Start your training in a quiet location away from distractions. It's also helpful if you are familiar with the principles of reward-based training, and the dog already knows how to sit.

Always make training sessions fun, so be extravagant with praise when the dog does as commanded. However, if the dog is struggling to concentrate or seems confused, bring the session to an end.

Daily training is essential, with three, five to ten minutes sessions per day being preferable to one 15 to 30-minute session.