Francis Bacon once said, “Nature to be commanded, must be obeyed.” When it comes to training a dog, this saying is very wise indeed. Dogs, as a species, are accustomed to a hierarchy structure of command and leadership. That’s the way they naturally function and would continue to function if we had not domesticated them to be pets. So they are accustomed to a structure where everyone-or every dog-has his place in the pack-from the alpha leader to the bottom or omega dog. When you teach your dog the “down” technique, you are asserting your place as the alpha in the dog’s world.
Functionally, it is good for your dog to know and obey the down command. This can save your furniture from getting battered about and small children from getting knocked down. It’s also a good start for your dog to learn additional commands such as “crawl” or “roll over” or even tricks.
It is a good thing that such behavior is by and large quite routine to teach. That is why it is preferred to take advantage of such voluntary behavior whenever possible. This can be done by keeping an eye on the dog and reacting when there is a unambiguous change from standing to a sitting position orsensations4 from a sitting posture to a down position.
When you see this occur you should give a distinct and exclusive voice command and hand sign combination. Each behavior pattern should always be coupled with an exclusive hand signal that is not used normally throughout the day. It is also essential to use a clear, precise word and tone.
After you make the command and gesture combination, and as soon as the desired behavior occurs, give the dog lots of praise. Initially, the dog won’t really understand why he’s getting praised. But this is actually irrelevant. As you repeat this consistently, the dog will learn to associate the praise with his action following your command. And this desired behavior will be the link to that praise.
Almost all dogs will not perform the intended behavior on a command the first few times it is tried. So, always be even-tempered and clear and – most importantly – be persistent and consistent. As with any other type of teaching, it is necessary to eliminate noise and motion types of interferences during the teaching session. Try to be alone with the dog and as far away from other people and animals as possible.
Positive behavior can also be encouraged by taking a treat or favorite toy and putting that item near the tip of the dog’s nose on the ground and then putting the dog into a sitting position. This is more likely to make the dog lie down by it.
Helping to focus your dog’s attention with the toy or snack, utilize a ‘waving down’ hand motion, with your palm towards the floor position. Make sure to stay away from rewarding any dog with praise or a treat unless the behavior is accomplished and entirely correct. However, if things don’t go well, be careful not to become angry with the dog.
Some dogs may also require the use of a collar and leash to help with the training session. For this purpose, use a very short-only 2 to 4 feet in length-leather or nylon leash on your dog. Place the dog in the sitting position. Then kneel down in front of the dog so you are facing him.
Now simultaneously make your distinct hand gesture and issue your voice command while moving the toy or treat from a position by the dog’s chin slowly bringing it down to the ground. At the same time, slowly and gently pull on the leash to encourage the dog to go down. Do not tug or pull at the leash or make this a negative experience for the dog in any way.
Sometimes a dog simply will not get it. So here’s another thing to try. Loop the leash around one of the knees on the dog’s hind legs. Bring the other end of the leash under your foot (on the opposite side) where you can move it with your foot. While giving the command and the gesture, slide the leash with your foot so it buckles the dog’s hind knee and gently pull the dog’s two front legs toward you so the dog gently slides into the down position.
Even if you had to initiate the movement to get the dog in the correct position, give the dog lots of praise and attention. The key here is that you want the dog to always associate good and positive feelings-both his and yours-with this position.
