Pets
Teachng "Down"
Begin by luring your puppy into a "sit" position. Hold a treat between your thumb and index finger, palm facing the floor, in front of his nose. Slowly lower your hand with the food lure to the floor behind your puppy's right paw, then toward his rear. Make sure to lower food on an angle to the floor, keeping it very close to puppy's body. To follow the lure, your puppy will lie d down on his hip. This teaches him to lie in what is called a relaxed down, which is a more stable position than a sphinx down. do not say his name or the word "down" -- just watch him follow the lure. As soon as he is all the way reward with the food lure, praise while he is still in the down position, and then release him."Down" only and always means lie in a prone position on the floor. Use "off" when your puppy is jumping, has feet on the counter, or is on the furniture. "Off" means four feet on the floor.
Once your puppy is reliably lying down by following the food lure, you can add the puppy's name followed by "down". Say "down" one time right before you begin to lure him. Once he lies down, reward him with the lure.
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PETsMART Accredited Training Instructors, in addition to their previous experience, receive a minimum of 120 hours of training in a curriculum which includes: Canine Behavior, Learning Theory ("How Dogs Learn"), Problem-Solving, Classroom Management, Equipment, Handling Skills and more. Where possible, hands-on training is completed in partnership with local shelters, using shelter dogs to demonstrate training methods, behavior assessment and handling skills. This enables us to accredit our instructors while contributing to the community, as we help to make these dogs even more adoptable.
Suzanne Hetts Ph.D. is certified as an applied animal behaviorist and co-owner of Animal Behavior Associates, Inc., in Denver, CO.
Terry Ryan is the well-known author of training books such as The Toolbox for Remodeling Your Problem Dog and The Bark Stops Here.
Pia Silvani is the Director of Pet Training and Behavior at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, N.J.
Mary Lee Nitschke, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at Linfield College, an Animal Behavior Therapist and the Director of Training for Animal School in Portland, OR.
Trish King is the Director of the Animal Behavior and Training Department at the Marin Humane Society in Marin County, CA.
Pamela J. Reid, Ph.D. is a certified applied animal behaviorist and assistant professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, where she teaches veterinary students courses in Applied Ethology and the Principles of Learning.
Information and advice contained on this site is for your consideration only. Please consult your veterinarian for specific advice concerning the care and treatment of your pet.
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