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"Lay down..."
Teaching down is especially useful when training your young puppy, or adult dog (remember, its never too late to start training. The phrase, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks doesn’t apply to dogs!). Because so many tricks require the dog to be “down,” it is a good idea to teach this trick early on in your dog’s training. Also teaching down useful because a dog will not normally bark or make noise while lying down. If taught “down,” you can give this command to the dog if he is making too much, or unnecessary noise.
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Clicker Method
Throughout the entire tricks section, I use the clicker method for training dogs. The clicker method, in my opinion, is the best method available to use, because it enables the dog to know exactly what it is being treated for. Also, the clicker method lets children and multiple people train the animal, making it incredibly "user friendly." For more on this, please see THE CLICKER METHOD.
The Need To Know
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Teaching down is pretty easy. Since this isn't rocket science, you probably won't have much trouble teaching your dog to lay down. The first step is to wait. Just wait for your dog to lay down by himself. When he does, click and treat. Throw him the treat, just out of his reach so he will have to stand up to get it. Continue this pattern 2 or three times. You will find that by the third time, he is laying down more often. Now, say the word "Down" when he lays down. He should be pretty familiar with the way things are going, and should lay down pretty often to get his treat. Now the final step is to say the command "Down" and see if your training has paid off. Don't be discouraged if your dog doesn't start laying down right away; sometimes the dog will have to "think" a little bit to understand what you are saying. If he lays down, Good Job! you have successfully trained the Down. If he doesn't succeed, don't worry, a little more practice is just what he needs.
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Video of Teaching Down
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