Clicker Training - Teaching The Down Command

When using a clicker to train you have the choice of either taking an active role in the training or merely waiting for the dog to initiate the learning process. You are going to work with your dog by encouraging and praising each small step along way to your final goal. Your final goal with the down demand is to have your dog lay down on command with only verbal praise as a reward.

Down Command Passive Approach

It is very important to remember that with all clicker training you are working in very small steps. You are going to begin clicking and rewarding the moment that you see a behaviour geared towards the final result. This means that if your are trying to teach the down command you might begin by clicking as soon as the dog lowers himself slightly in anyway. After you have clicked, be sure to reward.

Each time the dog exhibits the behaviour that you want click and reward. As the dog learns what will earn a click, ask a little more. Make him get a little lower before clicking. Keep working in small steps. You have to be consistent with your clicking. The click has to mark the end of the behaviour. You do not want to click late, when the behaviour is over. You want to click while the behaviour is being done.

Down Command Active Approach

If you want to take a more active approach, start by putting a food reward in your hand and placing it on the floor in front of your dog. As the dog goes down to investigate - click. This will initiate the behaviour that you want to encourage. You then repeat the steps in the same way you would with a passive approach.

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Once the dog is going all the way down to the floor to earn his click you can add the verbal cue. You then stop clicking for spontaneous “downs” and simply ignore them. Only click when you have asked for the down. Be sure to reward every time you click and make sure that you are clicking after the verbal cue but before the dog reaches the final pose.

Remember as your dog learns the behaviour begin eliminating the click. You also want to start varying when he gets a treat. Say the command and only reward every third or fourth time. Keep the dog guessing. If at any time you feel the dog is lapsing, do not hesitate to back up a step in the training process. Your final goal is to have the dog perform the down command with only verbal praise as his reward.

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