Down (Lure Method)

Have your dog sit in front of you. Hold a treat in front of his nose and slowly move it down towards the ground between his front paws. Allow him to follow it down until he is in the down position laying on his tummy, click and treat. Practice this several times.

If he won't follow the treat all the way down to the ground, then click and treat any small movements in the right direction. For example, if he looks down, click and treat. If he follows the treat part of the way down, click and treat. Take baby steps, clicking and treating each one, until he follows the lure all the way down and his tummy is on the ground.

Now, this time, without a treat in your hand, make the same movement with your hand lowering it from his nose to the ground between his front paws. Allow him to follow it down, click the moment his goes into the down position, and treat. Practice this several times.

Now that he is following your hand signal into the down position you can replace it with a verbal cue. Say, "down," first, and then give the hand signal. Slowly fade the hand signal out all together by making smaller and small hand signals until you only have to give the verbal cue to get him to go down.

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