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You are here:  > Dog Talk > DOG TALK:
Training > Robin MacFarlane: Ecollar Training Videos

Teaching the Down Command





by Robin MacFarlane



How do you begin to teach a dog to lie down?

Teaching your dog to lie Down on command is extremely valuable. For one, it allows you great piece of mind if you want to take your dog with you to places such as an outdoor cafe or a family gathering. A dog that can lie down on command and stay that way until given permission to get up can be a welcome guest in most places.

Here is a quick video tutorial on one way to teach the down command. Note: I am not using the E-collar at this time, I am just teaching the dog how to respond to various cues including pressure on the leash, pressure on the shoulder blades, and the lure of a treat (this luring action can later be used as a hand signal).

While some people prefer to teach commands with a "hands off" the dog approach, I prefer to teach my commands in a wide variety of ways. By following the protocol I am showing in this clip, I end up with a dog that understands not only verbal cues, but also leash pressure, tactile cues on various parts of the body (in the case of Down it is a slight touch on the shoulder blade area), or the hand signal that the luring action develops.

I like this "multi-lingual" approach because it gives me options of how I want to communicate to my dog. For instance, if I am sitting at a table with my dog underfoot and he gets up, I can simply touch his shoulder blade area to indicate to him I want him to lay back down. No words need to be exchanged and I can keep my main focus on a person I may be having lunch with. The same goes for my dog's response to pressure on his leash. If I stop to chat with someone when I'm out for a walk, I can drop some slack in the leash, put my foot on it and my dog understands to lie down, no need to break my conversation with the person I am speaking to.

Here is the starting process for teaching these various responses to the cue when teaching the Down. Notice in this beginning phase I am kneeling beside the dog. As things progress I will then graduate to an up-right body posture, but here is session one.

-- Robin



Robin MacFarlane is a professional dog trainer and owner of That’s My Dog in Dubuque, Iowa. Her best-selling dog training DVDs, JUST RIGHT and JUST RIGHT 2 have helped thousands of dog owners teach their dogs basic obedience and fix problem behaviors through a system of training that you can easily work into your daily routine.
  • Robin writes for Gun Dog Supply on our E-collars Dog Training blog
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  • Read her other posts here on RobinMacFarlane.com



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    Robin MacFarlane: Ecollar Training Videos

  • Does Your Dog Know Her Place?
  • Teaching a Recall? Start Slow and Make the Dog Successful
  • How Long Does My Dog have to Wear the E-Collar?
  • Consistency Without an E-collar
  • Skills Every Puppy Should Learn
  • Dogs and Doorbells -- Oh My!
  • Stop Your Dog from Bolting to the Door!
  • Use Food Lures to Shape Your Puppies Introduction to Sit, Stand and Down
  • Puppy Training 101: Play Biting Problem
  • Teaching Your Puppy to "Kennel Up"
  • Dog Tricks: How to Teach Your Dog to Walk Backwards
  • Want a Standing Ovation? Teach Your Dog to "Take A Bow!"
  • Want Your Dog to Come to You? Try Moving Away from Him.
  • "Catch me if you can!"
  • Before You Expect a Dog to Stay on a Place, Teach Him to get on Willingly.
  • Adding E-Collar Prompting to your Place Command
  • Impulse Control Games are a Time Well Spent Playing with your Dog!
  • Teaching the Down Command
  • Juggling All Your Training Equipment?
  • House Manners
  • "Pay Me!"
  • How to Strengthen Your Dog's Understanding of "Stay"
  • E-Collar, Leash, Treats, Toy, and the Dog. How to Manage it All!
  • Dog Tricks: Teaching Your Dog to Dance


    • How to Train Your Dog

  • Proper Fit of E-Collar
  • Is Your Dog Collar Wise?
  • "How long does my dog have to wear the collar?"
  • Pressure Necrosis
  • Using Treats in Training
  • Can I Use an E-Collar on My Small Dog?
  • I Need a Shock Collar!
  • Dog Training: Keeping it Real: Training Your Dog Should be Easy
  • Why Would I Want to Use an E-Collar on My Dog?
  • A Tired Dog is a Good Dog
  • Three Things You Must Know to Have a Reliably Trained Dog
  • Are Remote Collars Punishment, Negative Reinforcement, or Motivators?
  • The Best Way to Rescue a Dog
  • It is More than Just Pushing a Button: Part One
  • What About the Leash?
  • Tennis Ball, Tug or Cookie? What do Rewards Have to do with Good Training?
  • The More Important Tool: Part 4 of "It Is More Than Just Pushing a Button."
  • Do You Need Impeccable Timing in Order to Use a Remote Collar?
  • What Does Your Dog's Future Look Like?
  • 6 Essential Things to Teach to Have a Good Dog
  • The Top 3 Reasons Your Remote Collar Doesn't Seem to be Working
  • How Long Does It Take to Train My Dog?
  • Put a Plan Into Motion for Dealing With Your Dog's Behavior Problems!
  • Why are You Grateful for Your Dog?
  • Are You Struggling to Get Your Dog to Stay? Try This.
  • There are Only 3 Levels on a Remote Training Collar?
  • The One Thing You Must Know if You Want to Train with an E-Collar
  • How to Help Your Dog Understand What You Want
  • Photos: One Great Reason to Teach a Place Command to Your Dog
  • New Puppy Tips
  • Sit? or Sit! -- The Case for Intonation When Speaking to Your Dog
  • Number of Commands
  • So Your Dog Knows Sit. Now What?
  • 20 Reasons to Teach a Place Command
  • E-Collar Use: Training vs. Enforcing
  • Know How to Train a Dog, Know How to Use a Remote Collar?
  • 5 Ways to Enhance Feeding Time
  • "But my dog doesn't like it."
  • Outwit Your Dogs if You Want Better Behavior
  • Weaning Off E-Stim: Tap, Tell or Help
  • Proofing: How to Help Your Dog Really "Get It."
  • Should Your Dog Sleep on the Bed With You?
  • Human Body Language
  • Good Health: The Missing Link for a Happy and Well-Adjusted Dog?
  • Are You the Center of Your Dog's World?
  • E-Collar Training: Be Sure to Do This Before You Go Off Leash
  • What Behavior are You Rewarding the Most?
  • The Importance of Routine Nail Trims for Your Dog
  • When is the Right Time to Start Training My Dog?
  • Is it Important that a Dog Learn to Heel?
  • 3 Things to do Right Now to Avoid Separation Issues with Your Dog
  • Training Your Dog to Stop Barking
  • How to Use a No-Bark Collar

    • Pull-Quote= The hands on approach to teaching your dog "Down"



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