Dogs want your praise more than anything, so using positive reinforcement when training your dog or puppy is the always the best approach. Hitting or yelling rarely works, and should never be done, besides who wants to hit or yell at their dog?
The “down” or “lay down” command is one of the most basic commands and should be one of the first things you teach your dog once he learns the sit on command anyways. It is very easy to train a dog to obey commands and once you have done one command, it gets even easier as the process is almost exactly the same for each. Heres are some example steps you can use to teach your dog to lay down on command:
1. Get the dog to sit (you should have completely trained him in this command)
2. Firmly speak the “down” command while gently pushing his legs out in front (this will cause him to lay down).
3. Always give your dog praise when he follows the command. Show him you are very happy with your voice and body language(a treat will not hurt either).
4. At first your dog will get right back up, but as time goes you will be able to lengthen the time the dog stays in the down position by waiting to give him praise or treats.
5. You should repeat this three to five times at each session. Repetition is important but you dont want to do too much at one time. If you feel like you really need to drill it in, you can have several sessions spaced throughout the day .
There are more rewards than meet the eye with training your dog. For one your dog gets used to hearing his name. He will also become familiar with doing things on your command. All in all, training strengthens your positions you as leader and helps the dog feel secure. Try to spend a couple of minutes each day training your dog. This will help cement your relationship.
