Difficulty: Easy Prerequisite: None Items Needed: Clicker, Treats
All you need to teach your dog to lay down is some space, a clicker, and a good treat. Once you have what you need, go ahead and give your dog a small whiff of the treat to get him going. Sometimes this is an easy way to get your dog to try to figure out ways to get more treats.
Step 1: Grab your clicker and a good treat. Step 2: Just watch your dog and wait for him to lay down. When he lays down, immediately click and treat. Step 3: Keep waiting for your dog to do it again. Soon he will realize that he gets a click and treat whenever he lays down. Step 4: When your dog begins to lay down more often, add the command and say "Down" when you click. Step 5: After repeating a few more times to reinforce the action, say, "Down." If the dog lays down at the command, give him a jackpot for his good work!
OUR EXPERIENCE
The treat I used is just a slice of American cheese. It digests well for dogs, and Caspian really enjoys it. At first, of course, Caspian didn't know what to do. Since we were training outside, all the sounds and smells of neighborhood activities got in the way. I had to call him back to me a few times when he got distracted. But the treat I had for him was good and, of course, Caspian is eager to do anything for a good treat.
TEACHING TROUBLE
Tip: "A good idea is to teach this trick in a small room, such as a bathroom. Because of the small space, dogs are more likely to lay down faster."
