First and foremost, down is DIFFERENT from stationing. Stationing = all 4 feet on an object such as a mat or dog bed. To prevent any confusion, teach your dog down on a regular floor surface so that your dog doesn’t come to understand it as having to lay down on something, like a mat. We want our dog to understand that down means down no matter what they are standing on.
How to Teach:
- Start with your dog in a sit or stand.
- It doesn’t matter which position you start with, but you’ll want to teach your dog to down from both a sit and a stand eventually so they understand the down cue from both positions.
- Using a lure put a treat right on your dog’s nose and slowly bring that treat to the ground. Mark (click) when their belly hits the ground. Give your dog the treat on the ground.
- Once your dog is successfully following the lure with a treat, try luring them with an empty hand. Mark when their belly hits the ground and give your dog a treat from your treat pouch.
- If your dog is successfully following your empty hand down every time, start fading how close to the ground you bring your hand and how far you bend over while giving the signal.
- Once your dog can follow your hand signal with you standing upright, you can add the verbal cue.
- To teach your dog the verbal cue, first say the cue ‘down’, pause, and then give them your down hand signal. When they lay down, mark (click) and give them a treat.
- Once your dog is responding with a down to the verbal cue you no longer need to follow it with the hand signal; Cue ‘down’, pause, your dog lays down, mark and give them a treat.
- Teach your dog a new hand signal (a raised hand like you’re asking a question in class) by raising your hand over your head, pause, and then say down. When they lay down, mark (click) and give them a treat!