Labrador Training: Training Your Lab To “Down” On Command

Once you’ve trained your Labrador to sit” you can move on to the “down” command. This is one of the most important commands for establishing leadership as well as keeping your dog safe. It can be extremely useful for Labs that have a tendency to run into the street, display dominant behavior and get overexcited. Believe it or not, “down” is even helpful for shy or fearful dogs, as it teaches the dog to stay calm.

You’ll need the following supplies to get started:

• Collar or harness and leash


• Treats


• Quiet area with grass or a soft surface (exercise mat)

Training Your Labrador To “Down” On Command

Training your Labrador to master this command can be done in just a few simple steps:

• Place a collar or harness and a leash on your Lab.


• Ask your dog to “sit” and give a reward.


• Next, say “down” while guiding your Labrador into the correct position with treats and by slightly pulling down on the leash.


• If your Lab needs extra encouragement, you can gently pull his or her front legs forward and place some pressure in the shoulder blade area. As soon as your Labrador is in the “down” position, give a treat and a lot of praise.


• Repeat the previous steps 10 to 15 times for the next 2 training sessions or so.


• At this point, you want your Labrador to understand that the command and action go hand in hand. Do this by saying “down” prior to moving the treat downwards. You may also want to practice giving the command without a treat, but pretending that there is one in your hand. As time passes, you won’t need to use as many treats and your Labrador will be able to execute the command on only the verbal cue.


• Lastly, try the “down” command from various positions so that your dog doesn’t just know how to get “down” after sitting.

Additional “Down” Training Tips For Your Labrador

• When your Labrador is responding to the “down” command about 90% of the time, it’s time to test him or her by holding training sessions in an area with more distractions (park, pet store, etc.)


• Have your Lab stay “down” for approximately 5 seconds, and then move up to 10 seconds, 15 seconds, and so on.


• Give your dog the command and create distractions such as playing with a ball, placing his or her meal nearby, and opening a bag of treats.

My dog! what remedy remains,

Since, teach you all I can,

I see you, after all my pains,

So much resemble man!

William Cowper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlUdcwIFVNU

href=http://labradorretrieverguide.com/labrador-training-training-your-lab-to-down-on-command/>Labrador Training: Training Your Lab To “Down” On Command