This behavior is taught with treats and is
fairly easy to master. Take a tasty treat and place it near
your dog’s nose. As you say “Down,” lower the treat to the
ground and a bit forward. Try to move the treat down and
forward the way your dog’s nose moves as he lays down.
Reward her with the treat when she lays down. Continue
until your dog understands the Down command.
Once your dog has grasped this concept, begin
rewarding him or her with praise alone. Your can alternate
between several praises and then a single treat as you
train. This will help your dog to understand that the Down
command may bring a treat, and is therefore a wonderful
thing to do!
