Dog Training 101 Lie Down

Dog Training 101: Lie Down

Improving your dog’s behavior is a way of life. Teaching it to lie down will help them avoid jumping on guests, getting in your way when cleaning the house, or stealing items from a table. The good news is that it is pretty simple to teach your four-legged friend to lie down. Follow our steps below, and your dog will quickly be trained on this skill! 

  1. Grab a treat and guide your dog. Hold a treat in front of your dog’s nose to gain its attention. Slowly move the treat down to the ground.
  2. Praise. As soon as your dog’s belly hits the floor, tell your dog, “Good job,” and then let go of the treat so it can eat it from your hand. Practice this step with no more than three repetitions with a treat.
  3. Attempt the skill without a treat. Make the same movement without a treat. If your dog does not entirely lie down because it is not getting a treat, start praising and feeding it treats in the immediate steps.
  4. Name the command. Has your dog followed the cues while you were empty-handed? If so, you need to give this behavior a name. Say “lie down,” pause for half a second, and then give the hand signal. Praise and treat as soon as your dog lies down. Repeat this a few times, and then take a break.
  5. Practice makes perfect. Try saying “lie down” randomly and see what your dog does. If your dog lies down, reward them with lots of praise and treats!