# Puppy wont learn down?



## Odette3 (Apr 13, 2012)

Try using a treat at his nose and draw your hand down towards the floor. He will automatically go down. Do this a few times using the word down as well. Give him the treat when he does it.


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## Sawyer13 (Jul 26, 2012)

That is exactly what i have been doing every day the past 2 weeks. He just wont budge... Thanks for the advice though


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

Hold the treat (something really, really yummy, like liver or cooked chicken or whatever Sawyer really likes) in your in your first three fingers. He can sniff something is going on there, but not reach it. Make him sit. Bring your fingers to his nose and slowly down, almost in between his legs or further. In the end, if the treat is nice enough, he will want to follow your fingers. My puppy nibbles my fingers to get it. Tell him "good down" the moment he relaxes his belly on the floor and reward.


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## Pixie (Jun 13, 2012)

I am having the same issue with the going back up! So what I am doing now is having her nibbling the treat and by doing so she will follow it


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## mickeychick (Jul 19, 2012)

Also having issues with this command. Thanks for the advice!


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Keep working on it. Some commands take longer than others.

Penny was always very reluctant to 'down'. It seemed like sit was okay with her but 'down' was way to submissive for her. Remember a dog who is 'down' is vulnerable. Their instinct is to stay alert. Your puppy is still being guided by instinct. It takes time to remold that instinct.


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## Walnut_the_Nut (Jan 25, 2012)

We clicker trained our puppy right at 8 weeks. Here's what I recommend based on our puppy classes. 

1. We used boiled chicken breast to get started

2. Taught sit first

3. Once mastered sit, taught down by holding treat to noise. Wait until he/she 
begins to lick and SLOWLY lower your hand to the floor. If he/she doesn't follow, just hold your hand there. Eventually they will be able to do down from with standing or sitting.

4. Don't use any commands (i.e. 'down') until the dog knows what you want him to do when you lower your hand. Once he knows you want him to go down, and does it without hesitation, then introduce the command. If you using a clicker, you would click as soon as he's down and treat within 3 seconds.

Tips I remember from 7 months ago (he's 9 months). 

1. Training should be done an empty stomach
2. If possible, train in the morning, before any meals
3. Don't ever repeat a command if the dog doesn't get it. Either make him do it and reward, or try again in the next training session
4. If the dog knows the command and fails to perform, allow a minimum of 5 seconds before repeating the command
5. You can use hand gestures before introducing verbal commands. 


We did all of the above, and the results were great. Our dog follows verbal commands, hand gestures, and knows a bunch of tricks. 

I highly recommend hand gesters for when you really don't want to speak or you need to be quiet somewhere. The hand gestures our pup knows and the ones I recommend are: sit, down, stay, touch (to target), up (from down to sit), go back (literally turn around and walk back a bit). 


Hope that helps.


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## Prov31 (Aug 16, 2006)

Our Daisy is extremely smart and trainable...except we had trouble with the "down" command as well. It finally occurred to me to reinforce/train when she was already laying down. Whenever she was laying down on the floor, I would quickly give her a treat and praise her, while saying, "down, good girl". The light bulb when on very quickly for her. After just a few times of treating/praising the "down" that she was already in, I could easily lure her back to a "down" with a treat held by her nose and pulling it down to the floor. Now, she has perfect "downs"


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

Max has never liked the "down" command also. Thanks for the ideas. I have noticed that he is better on carpet or grass, than concrete or asphalt.


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## goldentemperment (May 16, 2012)

Have you tried to put a treat in front of his nose, then bring it towards his side, near his ribcage - this should get him to move his head toward the treat, at which point, you would start bringing the treat toward the floor, which should induce him to lay down. 

Otherwise, I've had a trainer show me how she would stand on the dog's leash, with no slack, directing the dog down. The dog might struggle a while, until finally going down. I don't really agree with that method, but evidently it works sometimes.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Sit on the floor with your pup on your left side (can also be right just switch directions)

Raise your knees to form a 'tent'

Bring you right hand through your legs with a treat stopping about under your knees.

Pup should attempt to crawl to get the treat, as soon as both front and rear hit the ground

Click / treat / Good down / release and repeat. Once your pup catches on, switch sides then start doing it in other locations etc. Also start saying DOWN when your pup is lowering himself then back up th ecue until you say it and your dog dogs


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Great video training with Victoria Stillwell:


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Brooks still reluctantly goes into "down" (unless I am actually holding a treat) even though he clearly understands the command. It is not his favorite command.


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