How To Train A Dog To Lay Down
Introduction
If you want to teach your dog to lay down on command, this tutorial is for you. We’ll show you step-by-step how to train a dog to lay down, and before long, your pup will be ready to compete in the Westminster Dog Show.
Find the right reward.
It’s important to choose the right kind of reward. For example, don’t use rawhide treats or soft cheese cubes—they can be too large for your dog to chew, or they may have other health issues. If you’re going to use a treat that requires some effort for the dog to eat, make sure it’s something that will be worth it!
Your dog should receive a reward every time he does what you want him to do during training sessions (or whenever he does what you want him not do). So if your dog knows how to sit but doesn’t sit when asked yet (because he hasn’t been rewarded), then give him an easy-to-eat treat like peanut butter or yogurt drops instead.
Get down on your dog’s level.
Now that you’ve taken a look at the benefits of training your dog to lay down, it’s time to get started!
First, get down on your dog’s level. This means getting down on the floor with him and not standing above him. It also means kneeling or sitting right next to him so he can feel comfortable with you close by.
Once you’re in position, let him know it’s OK for him to lay down by petting his belly and gently stroking his sides until he lies down on his own accord. If he doesn’t seem too keen about lying all the way down, try putting one hand behind his rump with your palm facing up so that when he lays down completely all four paws are resting on this surface area created by both arms/hands (or even just one arm/hand). With this type of support under their bodies they’ll feel much more secure while still remaining relaxed instead being forced into an uncomfortable position like sitting upright against a wall or table edge which might make them nervous instead of relaxed enough where they could relax fully into sleep mode which is exactly what we want here!
Use a treat to lure your dog into the “down” position.
Luring is a great way to train your dog, but you need to be careful about when you use it. Luring should only be used in the early stages of training when you want your dog to learn a specific behavior, such as lying down on cue. At that point, using a treat as a reward will help reinforce the behavior by making them feel good and wanting more of those treats!
When luring your dog into position with a treat, they should only get their treat after they’ve done what you asked of them (in our case: lying down). Always make sure that your dog knows what he has done right!
Once the treat is in place, say “lay down.”
Now that your dog knows the “down” command, it is time to train him to lay down on your command. This will take longer than teaching him to sit or stay because laying down is a more difficult position for a dog to maintain. Be patient and don’t move your hand away until he has laid down completely. If he still doesn’t get it right away, don’t give up! Try again later in another session with your dog once he’s had some time to acclimate himself to the new place and people around him.
It may be helpful at this point for you or a friend who has experience training dogs(not necessarily just with laying down) or someone else who owns one as well but would like them trained as well so they can help out! Once you’ve got everything set up properly, say “lay down” while gently holding his leash but pulling yourself slowly towards him so that he feels pressure on his collar causing him slowly go into that position until all four legs are touching the ground before releasing his lead completely so that there’s nothing blocking his way anymore (this could be done by an owner instead). Now ask again if needed; if not then repeat these steps until they get tired enough where they’re ready & willing – though sometimes they may still need help learning how much pressure their body needs when going through these motions without feeling scared about either falling over backwards from too much force being used against them from behind or getting stuck somewhere unexpected during transition stages between positions like sitting upright versus lying flat out horizontally—both of which happen often enough depending upon how long
When your dog is lying down, immediately give him the treat and praise him.
When your dog is lying down, give him a treat and praise him.
If your dog is not on the floor yet, move away from him so that he does not feel as if you are pressuring him to get down. Once he is relaxed and comfortable with you around, bring your hand up toward his face as if you were going to pet him but instead just brush against his cheek with the back of it. The goal here is just to get his attention focused on something other than what else he may be doing (i.e., sitting). If he stays focused on this new object (your hand), begin moving toward him until your hand reaches his shoulder or neck area where he will likely try to turn away from it again — this time because it’s too close for comfort!
Once again, wait until he looks at something else before trying again; then repeat these steps until finally reaching his shoulder/neck area without any resistance whatsoever!
Give your pup time to get used to being in the lying down position.
Dogs aren’t born knowing how to lay down. They have to learn it. The same is true for staying in the position until you release them, which may take a while for your pup to master. If you’re not patient, he’ll get frustrated and won’t want to participate in further training exercises with you.
If your dog doesn’t know how to stay put on command yet, start by getting him used to being in the lying down position before trying anything else. This way, when he does finally learn how perfecting this skill will make his life easier (and yours), he’ll be more likely to cooperate with the training process as a whole–and that’s what counts!
Place a small amount of food on the floor at his front paws, then say “I am going to move my hand away now.”
Place a small amount of food on the floor at his front paws, then say “I am going to move my hand away now.” As you do, move your hand away from his nose and back towards yourself. Your dog may follow the motion with his eyes and mouth, but he should not reach for the food by moving forward.
If he does reach for it, gently push him back with your foot or hand and reposition the treat so that it is in front of his paws again. Now repeat “I am going to move my hand away now.” Make sure that you are far enough away from him so that he cannot easily grab some or all of the treat before you leave it alone. If he tries to grab any part of it before you have left him alone completely (for example, if he raises one paw), then place another piece down farther away from where the original piece was placed before repeating this step once more
This tutorial will help you teach your dog how to lay down on command.
Teaching your dog to lie down on command is a great way to keep him calm and relaxed. If he’s lying down, he can’t be jumping around and getting into mischief. This tutorial will help you teach your dog how to lay down on command in just a few steps.
- Step 1: First, get some treats that smell delicious but are not too big or small for the size of your dog’s mouth. It should be about the size of his paw or maybe slightly bigger than that. You want it to be just right so that he gets excited when you give him one of these treats as an incentive during training sessions (and also because they’re so tasty).
- Step 1: Next step would be getting some treats that smell delicious but are not too big or small for the size of your dog’s mouth.*
Conclusion
The lay down command is one of the easiest commands to teach your dog. It’s also a great way for you to bond with your dog and build trust. Just remember that it may take some time for them to get used to the command, but if you follow these steps, you’ll have a well-trained pup in no time! Once your dog has mastered this simple trick, try teaching him other commands as well like sit or stay.