Down is the cue that helps a dog settle. A dog lying down cannot jump on guests, pull toward the counter, or bounce around the room, and a dog who can hold a relaxed down can rest calmly at a cafe, during dinner, or while you work. It is one of the four foundation skills on our training ladder, alongside their name, sit, and wait.
Down is a little harder to teach than sit, because lying down feels more vulnerable to many dogs. The good news is that there are several reward based ways to teach it, so if one method does not click for your dog, another usually will.
The Short Version
To train a dog to lie down, start with your dog in a sit, hold a treat at their nose, and slowly lower it straight down to the floor between their front paws, then draw it slightly forward along the ground. When your dog’s elbows touch the floor, mark with “yes” or a click and reward. After 5 to 10 lured downs, use the same motion with an empty hand, and add the word “down” once your dog follows the signal 4 out of 5 times. If your dog will not follow the lure, try luring under your bent leg or capturing downs they offer on their own.
What Down Means and Why It Helps
A finished down means your dog lies with their chest and elbows on the floor and stays there until you release them. Over time, the goal is a relaxed down, where your dog shifts onto one hip and settles in, rather than a tense crouch ready to spring up.
Down is the starting point for calm behavior in public, for going to a bed or mat, and for tricks like roll over and play dead. It also gives you something simple to ask for when your dog is overexcited, because lying down tends to help a dog slow down.
What You Need
Use small, soft treats your dog really likes. Down asks more of a dog than sit, so this is a good time for a slightly better reward. You also need a marker, such as a clicker or the word “yes,” and a release word like “free” or “break” to tell your dog the down is finished.
Practice on a comfortable surface like a rug or carpet. Many dogs, especially short coated breeds, are reluctant to lie on cold tile or hardwood. Keep sessions to three to five minutes, and choose a time when your dog is calm rather than full of energy.
How to Train Your Dog to Lie Down in 5 Steps
These steps use the lure and reward method, which works for most dogs. If your dog gets stuck at Step 2, skip ahead to the alternative methods below the video.
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Step 1: Start from a Sit
Ask your dog to sit and reward it. Starting from a sit makes down easier, because your dog only has to lower their front end. If your dog does not yet sit on cue, teach sit first.
Kneel or sit on the floor beside or in front of your dog, especially with small dogs. Being closer to their level makes the lure easier to follow.
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Step 2: Lure Your Dog Down
Hold a treat right at your dog’s nose. Slowly lower it straight down to the floor, close to their chest and between their front paws. As your dog’s head follows, slowly slide the treat forward along the floor a few inches. Most dogs stretch out and lower their elbows to follow. The moment the elbows touch the floor, mark and give the treat while your dog is still lying down.
Move slowly. If your dog stands up, the treat probably moved forward too fast or too far. Reset with a sit and try again, keeping the treat closer to their paws. For dogs who lower partway and stop, mark and reward the partial movement for a few repetitions, then ask for a little more each time.
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Step 3: Fade the Lure to a Hand Signal
Now make the same downward motion with an empty hand, keeping the treat in your other hand or a pouch. Mark and reward from the other hand when your dog lies down. Mix a few lured downs with empty hand downs at first, then use the empty hand more and more.
Over several sessions, shrink the motion until it becomes a signal. A common down signal is a flat palm, facing the floor, lowered from chest to waist height. Practice gradually standing up taller, so your dog does not need you to bend all the way to the floor.
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Step 4: Add the Word “Down”
When your dog lies down for the hand signal at least 4 out of 5 times, say “down” once, pause, then give the signal. Mark and reward. After many repetitions, say the word and wait a couple of seconds before signaling. If your dog lies down on the word alone, give an extra good reward.
Use “down” only for lying down. If you also say “down” when your dog jumps on people or furniture, the word becomes confusing. Use “off” for those situations instead.
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Step 5: Build Duration Toward a Relaxed Down
Once your dog lies down on cue, start adding time. Wait one second before marking, then two, then five. Deliver treats low, between their paws, so your dog stays down to eat them. End each down with your release word.
To encourage relaxation, reward calmly and slowly instead of with excited praise. Many owners also mark and reward the moment their dog rolls onto one hip, since that shift often means the dog is settling in. Build up to 30 seconds, then a minute, over several weeks.
Watch It in Action
This video shows the lure method plus several alternatives for dogs who find down tricky. Watch how slowly the treat moves toward the floor, and notice which method suits your own dog.
Alternative Methods for Dogs Who Will Not Lure
Some dogs stand up every time, or simply fold their head toward the treat without lowering their body. These two methods are reward based options that work well for those dogs.
The Under the Leg Tunnel Method
Sit on the floor with one knee bent to make a low tunnel. Hold a treat on the far side so your dog has to duck under your leg to reach it. To get through, your dog must lower their body, and many end up lying down. Mark and reward the moment the elbows touch the floor. As your dog gets the idea, make the tunnel higher, then fade it out while keeping the hand motion.
Capturing a Down
Keep treats in your pocket during quiet times, like when you are watching TV. Each time your dog lies down on their own, mark and drop a treat between their paws. Your dog will soon start lying down on purpose to see if it pays off. Once they do, say “down” just as they begin to lower. Capturing is slower but very effective for dogs who find luring frustrating.
How Long Does It Take to Teach a Dog to Lie Down?
Many dogs follow the lure into a down within the first few sessions, while others need a week of practice or one of the alternative methods. A relaxed down that holds up around distractions usually takes four to eight weeks of short, regular practice. The table below shows a typical progression.
| Stage | Where to Practice | Move on When |
|---|---|---|
| Lured down from a sit | Quiet room on a rug | Your dog lies down as the lure lowers, 5 times in a row |
| Empty hand and hand signal | Same room | Your dog lies down for the signal 4 out of 5 times |
| Verbal cue | Different rooms at home | Your dog lies down on the word alone |
| Duration | Home, then backyard | Your dog holds a down for 30 seconds and shifts onto one hip |
| Distractions and new places | Patio, park bench, cafe | Ongoing; reward generously in new places |
Common Mistakes
These are the habits that most often get in the way of a good down.
- Moving the lure too fast. A quick lure pulls your dog up to standing. Lower it slowly, then slide it forward just a few inches.
- Pushing on your dog’s shoulders. Pressing a dog into a down creates resistance and can make them wary of the cue. Let the lure or tunnel do the work.
- Using “down” for two things. If “down” also means “get off the couch,” your dog cannot know which you mean. Use “off” for that.
- Rewarding after your dog stands. Deliver the treat between your dog’s paws while they are still lying down.
- Practicing on hard, cold floors. Many dogs dislike lying on tile. A rug makes success much easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions owners ask most often while teaching down.
Why Won’t My Dog Lie Down Even with a Treat?
Some dogs find lying down uncomfortable or feel uneasy doing it in busy places. Try a softer surface, a quieter room, the tunnel method, or capturing. If your dog seems stiff or sore, or has suddenly stopped lying down, check with your veterinarian.
What Is the Difference Between Down and Off?
Down means lie down on the floor. Off means take your paws or body off a person or piece of furniture. Keeping the two words separate makes both cues clearer.
Can I Teach Down Without Sit First?
Yes. Luring from a stand works for some dogs, and capturing does not need a sit at all. Starting from a sit is simply easier for most dogs.
What to Teach Next
Once your dog lies down on cue, practice wait so they learn to hold the down while you step away. Go to place builds on the relaxed down by sending your dog to a bed or mat. When the down is solid, roll over and play dead are fun tricks that both start from this position.
Video: Simpawtico Dog Training, embedded from YouTube.