How to teach a dog to lie down

Learning how to train a dog to lie down is a helpful skill for pets and owners to master. Teaching your dog to lie down is useful because it encourages them to behave in a calm and relaxed manner, whether you’re in the house or out and about. As an added bonus, the ‘down’ cue can be a building block for fun behaviours and tricks, so if you’ve been thinking about tricks to teach your dog, it’s worth getting this core training done first.

It’s slightly easier to teach a dog to lie down if they already know how to sit, but learning how to teach your dog to lay down is still very achievable if they don’t. In this article, we’ll look at the basics of how to teach a dog to lie down, as well as looking at the benefits of learning how to teach your dog to lay down to support further training and help build your bond.

Don’t forget the basics

Before you start learning how to teach a dog to lay down, or indeed embark on any other sort of training, it’s worth thinking about training tips to make life easier. For example:

• Training should be fun for both student and teacher. Fun training sessions aren’t just enjoyable, they’re also more likely to be successful. For this reason, keep things short and sweet.
• Patience and consistency will get results. Dogs, like humans, are individuals and will all learn at their own pace. Just keep being consistent, and your furry friend will soon get the hang of things.
• Rewards get results! Many animal experts recommend reward-based training. Put simply your dog is more likely to do ‘good’ things if they get good things in return. Rewards don’t have to be treats and can include praise or getting a favourite toy or game. That said, a lot of dogs are very motivated by food! If you are using treats in your training, PEDIGREE™ Ranchos are an excellent choice. Made with 100% natural beef, chicken or duck, they contain no added colours or flavours, and are less than 5% fat.
• Never punish or scold your dog. Generally speaking, when a dog is told off or punished, they don’t understand what they’re in trouble for, so it’s ineffective. Even more seriously, punishing your dog can damage the bond between the two of you and even make them frightened of you.
• Start with simple commands and build your way up. It’s best to first learn how to teach a dog to sit before moving on to mastering how to teach your dog to lay down. Making sure they can sit is an essential first building block to help keep them safe and calm.

Teaching a dog to lie down when they know how to sit

The good news is that, once your dog has learned how to sit, it’s going to make training them to lie down easier. Here’s what you need to do to accomplish the art of how to train a dog to lie down:

1. Start with your dog sitting

   Learning how to teach a dog to lay down begins with your pooch sitting down. With your dog in a sitting position and a treat in your hand, lower the treat down to the ground, letting your dog follow it.

2. Your dog will lie down

   Your dog is likely to follow the treat into a lying down position. If they don’t, repeat the movement.

3. Time for a reward!

   As soon as your dog is lying down fully (meaning their elbows and hocks are on the ground), it’s time to give them their treat and some calm praise.

4. Adding in a verbal cue

   Once your dog is consistently lying down, you can introduce a cue word such as ‘down’.

5. Keep practising

   As with any training, you’ll want to reinforce what your furry friend has learned by practising regularly. The key to how to train a dog to lie down is patience, short regular training sessions - usually around 10 minutes is about right - and consistency.

Adding the release word

Once your dog has got the hang of lying down when they’re asked, it’s time to introduce a release word. This is what tells your four-legged friend you’re giving them permission to get up. A lot of people use ‘okay’ for this, but you can use any word you want, as long as you’re consistent.

Teaching a dog to lie down when they don’t know how to sit

It’s still possible to teach a dog to lay down if they don’t already know how to sit, and it’s worth bearing in mind that some dogs, such as greyhounds, those with hip or leg problems, and breeds with very short legs may find sitting uncomfortable. If your furry friend doesn’t know how to sit, or if they dislike sitting, start your ‘down’ training with them in a standing position. You follow the same steps as above, and still use a treat to guide them down to the floor.

Pro tips

If you’re looking for the simplest way to learn how to teach a dog to lay down, there are a few tried and tested ways to support your dog to pick up their new skill more easily. Top tips include:

• Tired pups will lie down more willingly. It makes sense that it’s easier to teach a dog to lie down when they’re not bursting with energy, so try training when they’ve just had a walk or an energetic play session.
• Never ‘help’ your dog to lie down. It may seem like a good idea to try to push your dog into a lying position, but this won’t help with their training, and you could even hurt them.
• Make sure you’re rewarding your dog at the right time. It’s important you reward your dog when they are actually in the down position. If you miss that moment and dish out a treat when they are sitting up again, your dog may well think they earned their treat for getting up, not lying down.
• It’s important to eventually practice the “lie down” command frequently and in varied locations. However, in the early days, it’s easier to teach them in a familiar place with no distractions. Gradually increase the challenge by moving into the garden or local park, to reinforce their learning in different spaces and ensure that they learn to follow the command anywhere.
• Practice makes perfect, and it’s best to opt for short and frequent training sessions. Always stay calm, never scold your dog for getting it wrong, and be sure to stick with your chosen commands to avoid any confusion.

Learning to lie down can be a building block for tricks

If you’re keen to teach your dog some fun tricks (and your dog shares that enthusiasm!), you’ll be pleased to know that the ‘down’ cue is a useful building block for tricks such as rolling over and playing dead. Learning how to communicate with your dog effectively will not only support your training but also help you to pick up on subtle cues to support their happiness and wellbeing.

How long does it take to teach a dog to lie down?

Just like us humans, no two dogs are the same. That’s why it’s impossible to say exactly how long it will take to train a dog to lie down. One thing is for sure, though: you’ll get quicker results if you are patient and consistent with your training.

To make life easier for both you and your dog, try to keep training sessions short and sweet and focus on reward based training.  Sticking these two things can lead to your dog lying down on command in as little as 10 days, proving that you can teach an old dog new tricks.

FAQs

What is the hardest command to teach a dog?

All dogs are different, but many owners find dog recall training one of the most difficult. Dogs, and particularly some breeds, have strong instincts to chase, run, and follow certain sounds and scents, which can make this training trickier to master - especially in new or exciting situations.

How long does it take to teach a dog to lay down?

Your unique dog will dictate the progress and pace of training, but many owners suggest it takes between 3 and 12 short training sessions to learn to lie down. Frequent, fast, and fun sessions will help them to pick up the skill more quickly, and consistency is key.

What is the 7 7 7 rule for dogs?

The ‘7-7-7’ rule is a guide for puppy socialisation, encouraging them to meet 7 new people, experience 7 different surfaces and 7 objects before they're 7 weeks old. Pups shouldn’t leave their mum before 10 weeks old, so wait until they're 14–20 weeks, and vaccinated, before starting socialisation adventures outdoors.