Down From the Side:

The dog will need to be in a sit position at your left side. Just like you were going to be going to a heel position say the word down and at the same time give the hand signal. The hand signal is using your left hand make an L, with your palm facing the ground, and standing up straight. If the dog lies down praise him, good down. Most dogs won’t know what this means. So after you give the dog the verbal and hand signal for down. Take all slack out of leash and reach down and place the dog into a down position, using both hands.

How each dog gets put down can vary. Most cases you can use both hands (still holding leash) and reach down and lift his paws up and sliding them down. Use your left knee to put a very small amount of pressure on his back. Praise him and say good down, and then make sure your leash isn’t wrapped up in his feet.

 Now you are ready to go back into a heel, with motivation. When he gets back into a heel position be sure to praise him. Praise can be verbal or physical depending on the age, size and personality. Teaching down can be the most difficult of commands. Down is a very submissive position for a dog. It makes him feel small or challenged. Your approach would be much different with a fear biter or an aggressive personality more so than with a puppy or happy go lucky personality. After 5 to 6 workouts it is time to see if the dog knows it yet.

 There are 3 tools in this command.

Correction:

Before you give the dog the down command, make sure all of your slack is out of your leash, even lifting the buckle up slightly. Now, you are ready to give the down command. Make sure you are on his right side and he is in a sit position. After giving the down command, take your left hand and grab the leash making a fist right next to your right hand which is holding the leash. Your left hand should never be on the leash unless you are giving a correction. Bend over slightly, hands together and deliver a correction hands should be together correcting in a 1 clock horizontal direction (pull and release). Saying the word, “NO” at the same time you give the correction. The size of the correction will vary from age, size and personality of the dog. This will take practice. After giving the correction, give the command down.

Motivation:

Using your body slightly squat down, giving a correction using movement only. Just pretending you were going to give a correction, saying “NO” down. If he tries or lowers his head, squat down slightly, like your trying to help him, saying that’s it, that’s it. Almost like your trying to talk him into it.

Putting dog into the down:

This is done by following the above procedures as you are motivating and then praise good down with verbal and physical praise. Then back into a heel.

¨     The three of these combined into a workout will depend again on age, size and personality.

¨     With practice most of the time you can have the dog doing the Down from the Side in that workout.